Lemon Raspberry High Protein Cheesecake Bars

protein cheesecake bars with lemon and raspberry

5 from 2 votes

Lemon Raspberry High Protein Cheesecake Bars

Love cheesecake but need a protein-packed option that still tastes like dessert? This high protein cheesecake blends cottage cheese and Greek yogurt into an ultra-creamy cheesecake filling that’s sweet, tangy, and completely satisfying. With bright lemon flavor, a raspberry swirl on top, and a golden graham cracker crust, this recipe proves you can have your cheesecake and eat your protein, too.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: bars

Author: Mary Smith

Equipment

Ingredients

Raspberry Puree

12 oz raspberries
¼ cup sugar

Crust

1 ⅔ cups graham crackers crumbs I used Simple Mills Sweet Thins pulsed in the food processor
¼ cup coconut sugar can sub brown sugar
5 tbsp melted butter

Filling

3 cups 2% cottage cheese I used Good Culture brand
½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup arrowroot powder
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender and blend on high for 1 minute until smooth. Use a spatula to press through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the pulp and seeds. Scrape the bottom of the strainer to get as much of the sauce as possible. Set aside.
Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well until it looks like wet sand. Spray a 9-inch square pan with avocado oil and press the crust down into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a glass jar. Bake for 10 minutes.
Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Add it to a bowl along with the Greek yogurt, sugar, arrowroot powder, eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix well to combine.
Pour the filling into the warm crust and smooth out with a spatula.
Spoon ½ of the raspberry puree over top and swirl to make a design using a toothpick and make it look pretty! Set the rest of the sauce aside in the refrigerator for topping when the cheesecake is ready to serve (optional).
Bake for 50-60 minutes until the sides have browned and started to pull away from the pan and the top looks set (but still slightly jiggly).
Turn the oven off, then crack it open and let the cheesecake bars cool inside for 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator overnight for best results.
Slice into 16 bars with a wet knife and serve with a drizzle of the remaining raspberry sauce on top, if desired. Add whip cream and a small wedge of lemon and enjoy!

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and yogurt to prevent lumps and ensure even mixing.

Blend the cottage cheese until velvety smooth to avoid a grainy texture.

Bake until the edges are set but the center still has a wobble—it’ll finish setting as it cools.

Store leftovers in an airtight container lined with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Want to make this in a round springform pan instead of bars? Go for it! Just adjust baking time and line the sides.

Nutrition