Cottage Cheese Cheesecake High Protein

Craving more healthy cheesecake recipes? Try my protein cheesecake, healthy cheesecake, and keto cheesecake next. If you need another reason to hop on the cottage cheese bandwagon, let this be it! Traditional cheesecake is all well and good, but it’s hardly a ‘healthy’ dessert. That is until you pair wholesome ingredients like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. The results are just as tangy and decadent but with less fat and ten times the protein.

Why I love this recipe

Tastes like regular cheesecake. Since we’re not substituting a ton of ingredients, you’ll be left with a healthy cheesecake that actually tastes like cheesecake. No protein powder. I understand that not everyone wants protein powder in their desserts, and this recipe doesn’t even need it. All of the protein comes from real ingredients. Easy to customize. My base cottage cheesecake recipe makes for a delicate, slightly lemony flavor, but you can modify it however you like. I’ll be sure to give you plenty of suggestions later on. A low-calorie dessert. Compared to traditional cheesecake, mine comes in at half the calories!

Ingredients needed

For the crust:

Graham cracker crumbs. You’ll need about 12 graham crackers in total. If you don’t have graham crackers, use any type of cookies. Sugar. I used white sugar, but brown sugar works too. Butter. As always, I prefer using unsalted butter.

For the cheesecake filling:

Sugar. I used white sugar. Lemon zest. For a fresh lemony flavor. Cottage cheese. I tested both full-fat and low-fat cottage cheese, and while I preferred the texture of the full-fat variety, either could be used. You can also use my dairy-free cottage cheese if you want to cut back on the lactose/dairy. Greek yogurt. For tanginess and creaminess. I used full-fat yogurt, but low-fat works well too. Vanilla extract. A must for any good cheesecake. Salt. Just a pinch to elevate the other ingredients. Eggs. Room temperature is best.

How to make cottage cheese cheesecake

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Don’t overbake the cheese cake. Since it’ll continue to cook as it cools, pull it from the oven once the center is just barely set. A tiny jiggle when you move it is okay. Cut the carbs. Use a sugar-free sweetener (like allulose!) and make my keto graham cracker crust.

Add more lemon flavor. Add a few teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Make it fruity. Right before baking, swirl in a few tablespoons of raspberry or blueberry compote. Garnish. Top the cheesecake with fresh berries or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Storage instructions

To store: Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze: Transfer leftover cheesecake slices to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to three months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge.