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Rich, decadent mini chocolate cheesecakes with a gluten-free oreo crust and a chocolate ganache topping. This lighter, healthier, protein cheesecake recipe has the same delicious cheesecake flavor, but is made with cottage cheese instead of cream cheese! Packed with protein, and absolutely delicious, this is the perfect gluten-free cheesecake even your kids will love!
What Makes This Recipe Great
Who says protein powder is only good for smoothies? If you've been around my site lately, you know that I am loving trying out new ways to sneak protein powder into tasty, feel-good foods (see my Vegan Baked Oats, Protein Mug Cake, and Protein Pancakes!)! The result? Protein-packed dishes that taste amazing, and fill you up! Next up, protein cheesecake!
This chocolate protein cheesecake recipe features decadent, delicious mini cheesecakes with all of the same flavors of classic cheesecake, but healthier! Complete with a gluten-free oreo crust and an optional chocolate ganache topping, these tiny morsels are a gift that keeps on giving!
Even better? They're a gluten-free, kid-friendly, and high-protein dessert (or snack!) that is pretty much guilt-free. Prepped and baked in 30 minutes, then chilled for maximum deliciousness. Let's get baking!
Ingredient Notes
Gluten-Free Crust
- Gluten-Free Sandwich Cookies: Gluten Free Oreos or Kinnikinnick brands work well.
- Ghee: You can also use melted vegan butter.
Cheesecake Filling
- Cottage cheese: I used 1% milkfat cottage cheese instead of cream cheese to keep these light, and packed with protein! I have yet to find a dairy free cottage cheese, but Good Culture makes a great lactose free version!
- Eggs
- Coconut sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Protein powder: I used Be Well By Kelly Vanilla. You can use your favorite protein powder!
- Arrowroot powder: You can swap this for tapioca starch if that's what you have on hand.
- Dark chocolate chips: Enjoy Life makes my favorite gluten-free chocolate chips. Another great brand is Hu.
- Almond milk: You can also use coconut milk if preferred.
Chocolate Ganache Topping (Optional)
- Dark chocolate chips
- Almond milk
Recipe Step by Step
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Add the cookies and butter to a food processor and pulse until a crumb-like mixture is formed. It should resemble sand. You can also smash the cookies (in a plastic bag) with a meat tenderizer and stir in the butter.
- Add 12 muffin liners to the pan. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each cup, then press down using your fingers to form the crusts. Bake for 7 mins.
- Meanwhile, add the cottage cheese, eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla, protein powder, and arrowroot powder to a blender or food processor. Blend for 1 minute until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides/ use a long spoon to help stir halfway through. Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed for 1 minute to get air bubbles out.
- Combine chocolate chips and almond milk in a microwave-safe dish and microwave in 30-second increments until melted and smooth. Pour into the blender and continue blending on low for 1 minute. Pour the mixture evenly into muffin tins on top of the crusts and bake for an additional 20-22 mins until the tops are firm and starting to crack.
- Let them cool completely before removing them. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight). Top your protein cheesecake with optional ganache topping (make this by melting the chocolate chips and almond milk together in the microwave or over a double boiler), whipped cream, and berries. Enjoy!
Mary's Tips & Tricks
- Depending on your lifestyle and allergies, you can use vegan, gluten-free protein powder, or whey protein powder. There are a ton of options out there!
- You can also use full-fat cottage cheese instead of 1% if preferred.
- If you want to make these chocolate peanut butter protein cheesecakes, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the batter.
Serving Tips
- Let them cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
- Top with optional ganache topping (make this by melting the chocolate chips and almond milk together in the microwave or over a double boiler), whipped cream, and berries.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap the protein cheesecakes tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about an hour and serve.
Recipe FAQs
I sure think so! So many baked goods can be full of just empty calories, sugar, and carbs. They can leave you feeling kind of icky, and also not filled up so you want more and more. Adding protein powder to your desserts gives them more nutrients to keep you fuller for longer and not feel like you're wasting calories on food that isn't nutritious!
Traditional cheese usually uses full-fat cream cheese which has protein, but not as much as cottage cheese. There is also a ton of added sugar in the crust and the filling. This protein cheesecake recipe adds protein powder to give it an even higher protein content and makes some healthy swaps to make them still delicious, just a little lighter.
More Healthy Dessert Recipes…
Easy Chocolate Protein Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 18 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies, Gluten Free Oreos or Kinnikinnick brand work well
- 4 tbsp ghee, or butter
Filling
- 2 cups cottage cheese, I used 1% milkfat cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp protein powder, I used Be Well By Kelly Vanilla
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp almond milk, or coconut milk
Optional Chocolate Ganache Topping
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp almond milk , or coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Add the cookies and butter into a food processor and pulse until a crumb-like mixture is formed. It should resemble sand. You can also smash the cookies (in a plastic bag) with a meat tenderizer and stir in the butter.
- Add 12 muffin liners to the pan. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each cup, then press down using your fingers. Bake for 7 mins.
- Meanwhile, add the cottage cheese, coconut sugar, vanilla, protein powder, and arrowroot powder to a blender or food processor. Blend for 1 minute until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides/ use a long spoon to help stir halfway through. Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed for 1 minute to get air bubbles out.
- Combine chocolate chips and almond milk in a microwave safe dish and microwave in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Pour into the blender and continue blending on low for 1 minute. Pour the mixture evenly into muffin tins on top of the crusts and bake for an additional 20-22 mins until the tops are firm and starting to crack.
- Let them cool completely before removing. Chill in the fridge 2-3 hours (or overnight). top with optional ganache topping (make this by melting the chocolate chips and almond milk together in the microwave or over a double boiler), whipped cream, and berries. Enjoy!
Notes
Mary's Tips & Tricks
- Depending on your lifestyle and allergies, you can use vegan, gluten-free protein powder, or whey protein powder. There are a ton of options out there!
- You can also use full-fat cottage cheese instead of 1% if preferred.
- If you want to make these chocolate peanut butter protein cheesecakes, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the batter.
Serving Tips
- Let them cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
- Top the protein cheesecake with optional ganache topping (make this by melting the chocolate chips and almond milk together in the microwave or over a double boiler), whipped cream, and berries.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap the protein cheesecakes tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about an hour and serve.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
So good and nutritious! I had even more protein powder for extra protein! Cottage cheese really has a different taste and texture in this recipe and it’s great!
Mary’s recipes are the best-haven’t found one yet that I don’t like! This one and Mississippi chicken are my favs though! Thank Mary for easy to follow recipes – and helping with what to eat this week!
Thanks Terry! Glad I can help!
These are so so good. I cannot tell you how delicious these are. You will not regret it!!
Thank you!!
These are so good. The perfect little sweet treat after a meal. No one believed me when I told them there was cottage cheese in them. It’s nice having a higher protein treat available that is so yummy.
So glad you enjoyed them, Kim!
These were super yummy and not too sweet! Perfect healthy treat ❤️
Thanks Diane!
I made these today and they are incredibly delicious! Seriously, YUM. I used less coconut sugar than the recipe calls for, and they still turned out incredibly sweet and decadent. I had quite a bit of extra cheesecake filling, so I just poured that into a baking dish (without the Oreo crust) to bake as well. And I used collagen powder in place of the protein powder. Turned out so good!
Also, one note on the recipe. It says to add the eggs at two different times in the recipe. I just added them at the same time as all the other blender ingredients, and it turned out fine!
Thanks Kaylyn! Glad you enjoyed them! I will make sure to fix that error now 🙂
Absolutely delicious!!! I made these for Valentine’s Day tomorrow and I cannot get over how tasty and healthy these are. I will definitely be making these again. Thank you Mary!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Can I use collagen peptides in place of the protein powder? Thanks!
Yes!
Do you have to sue arrowroot? What does it do?
I haven’t tested it without it…it is a binder. I can’t guarantee they will hold up without but I am pretty sure they will!