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    Home Ā» Recipes Ā» Dessert

    Mini High Protein Cheesecakes

    Published: May 11, 2023 Ā· Modified: Aug 18, 2023 by Nicole Addison Ā· This post may contain affiliate links Ā· 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Bring these mini high protein cheesecakes to your next summer gathering. They're creamy, lightly sweet and have 6g of protein!

    Close up of mini protein cheesecake topped with chia jam.

    When I'm invited over to a friend's place for dinner, I love bringing dessert to share. From my chocolate fruit dip to peanut butter blossoms, my friends have quickly assigned me to "dessert" at every potluck or dinner party. It's my specialty!

    Cheesecake is a favourite in my house (see my cheesecake dip and cheesecake oats!), which is why I'm so excited to share these mini protein cheesecakes. Topped with chia jam and made in individual portions, I'll be bringing these to every dinner party this summer.

    Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe

    Why am I such a fan of these mini protein cheesecakes? Let me tell you:

    1. Higher in protein and lower in fat. Don't get me wrong, I don't think every dessert has to "hit your macros"! But for those who prefer a lighter option, this is a delicious choice.
    2. Easier than a normal cheesecake. This recipe is perfect for beginners, or anyone who just doesn't want to sacrifice a ton of time in the kitchen. It only takes 5 key ingredients and less than 30 minutes of prep.
    3. Totally shareable. Obviously you can share a regular cheesecake, but being able to grab an individual mini cheesecake makes this recipe my go-to when I'm bringing it to a friend's house or batch-prepping desserts for the week.

    Once you try these mini protein cheesecakes, you'll never find yourself buying it from the store again!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for cheesecake including cream cheese, eggs, cottage cheese, lemon and digestive cookies.
    • Digestive cookies
    • Butter
    • Cottage cheese
    • Light cream cheese
    • Eggs
    • Sugar
    • Vanilla extract
    • Lemons
    • Chia jam

    Instructions

    Mixing melted butter and cookie crumbs.

    Preheat the oven to 325F. Line your muffin tins with muffin liners. 

    In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine digestive cookie crumbs and melted butter.

    Pressing cheesecake crumb base into muffin liners.

    Once combined press about 2 tablespoon of crumbs into the bottom of each muffin liner.

    Place in the fridge to harden while you make the cheesecake filling. 

    Mixing cheesecake filling in a food processor.

    In a food processor or high powered blender combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.

    Pouring cheesecake filling into muffin liners.

    Pour about ā…“  cup of cheesecake filling on top of the cookie base.

    Mini protein cheesecakes on a board, ready to be topped with chia jam.

    Bake for 45 minutes or until cheesecakes are set. The cheesecakes should not jiggle or look wet.

    Topping mini protein cheesecakes with chia jam.

    Once cool, top with a dollop of chia jam and enjoy!

    Substitutions and Variations

    To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free cookies for the base.

    To make nut-free: Use nut-free cookies for the base.

    Missing an ingredient? Try these:

    • Digestive cookies: Sub for graham crackers. I use Dare digestive cookies as they are lower in sugar, but graham crackers work just as fine.
    • Light cream cheese: Any fat percentage cream cheese will work.
    • Chia jam: I like to make my own from this recipe, but you can always use your favourite store-bought jam.

    ** I have not tested this recipe using Greek yogurt as a replacement for the cottage cheese as I wanted to try to make these as creamy as possible. If you try this swap, let me know how they turn out!

    This recipe is pretty customizable based on how you top the cheesecakes. I made a strawberry chia jam, but you can go with blueberry, raspberry, or another fruit of choice. For my caramel fans, definitely try these mini protein cheesecakes with a drizzle of my 5 minute vegan caramel on top!

    Equipment

    • Muffin tin
    • Muffin liners
    • Mixing bowls
    • Food processor or high-powered blender

    Storage

    These mini protein cheesecakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best results, I recommend topping with the chia jam just prior to serving.

    These can also be frozen these for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To defrost, simply leave in the fridge until soft.

    Top Tip

    To help keep the cheesecake tops from cracking, turn off the oven after baking, open the oven door and allow the cheesecakes to cool in the oven. This helps bring them down to a cooler temperature more gradually.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do these taste like normal cheesecake?

    They are slightly less sweet, but in my opinion they taste pretty similar to the real deal!

    Can I bake this into a big cheesecake instead of minis?

    Yes you can! Use a 9 inch round cheesecake pan (springform pan) and follow all recipe instructions as written. The only difference will be pressing the cookies and pouring the cheesecake batter into the pan instead of muffin liners. Bake at 325F for about 1 hour!

    Do I really need the lemon?

    Yes! To account for the decreased quantity of sugar, the lemon is important to help add a little bit more tartness and flavour. If you are really worried and absolutely hate lemon, I recommend only adding the juice and skipping the zest.

    Birds eye of plate with mini protein cheesecakes.

    More Easy Dessert Recipes

    Dessert is a must in my house! Try these recipes next if you enjoyed this protein cheesecake.

    Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Bars
    High in protein and with only 15 minutes of prep, theseĀ cheesecake frozen yogurt barsĀ will cool you down all summer long. Think of your favourite dessert, but in a lightened-up frozen treat!
    Check out this recipe
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    Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
    These healthy chocolate chip cookie bars are naturally sweetened, can be vegan and gluten free and they even have a little protein in them! Oh and did I mention they taste AMAZING?
    Check out this recipe
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    High Protein Ice Cream (Cottage Cheese Ice Cream)
    ThisĀ protein ice creamĀ made with cottage cheese is the creamiest, dreamiest dessert for the summer. With only 3 ingredients, it's healthy, balanced and simple!
    Check out this recipe
    Scooping protein ice cream made from cottage cheese.
    No Bake Key Lime Bars
    TheseĀ no bake key lime barsĀ are the perfect summer treat! All you need is 5 ingredients, and 5 minutes of prep time and you'll be enjoying these lower sugar, higher protein treats.
    Check out this recipe
    no bake key lime bars

    PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these protein cheesecakes, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!

    šŸ“– Recipe

    Mini protein cheesecakes topped with chia jam on a plate.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Mini High Protein Cheesecakes

    Bring these mini high protein cheesecakes to your next summer gathering. They're creamy, lightly sweet and have 6g of protein!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: high protein, Make Ahead
    Servings: 18 cheesecakes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 cups crushed digestive cookies or graham crackers
    • 4 tablespoon butter melted
    • 500 g cottage cheese any fat percentage will work
    • 250 g light cream cheese
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 medium lemons both the juice and zest
    • Chia jam for topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325F. Line your muffin tins with muffin liners.
    • In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine digestive cookie crumbs and melted butter. Once combined press about 2 tablespoon of crumbs into the bottom of each muffin liner. Place in the fridge to harden while you make the cheesecake filling.
    • In a food processor or high powered blender combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest. Blend until smooth (about 3 minutes).
    • Pour about ā…“ cup of cheesecake filling on top of the cookie base and bake for 45 minutes or until cheesecakes are set. The cheesecakes should not jiggle or look wet.
    • Once cool, top with a dollop of chia jam and enjoy!

    Notes

    *I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe below. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don't forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you know....rating and sharing recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favourite food bloggers? If you make this recipe, I would love if you clicked the stars below to leave a rating and/or sharing a photo on social media by tagging @nourishedbynic or using the hashtag #nourishedbynic!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kim Addison

      May 13, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      5 stars
      Love the chia and protein. So delicious

      Reply
    2. Kristen

      May 30, 2023 at 6:35 pm

      5 stars
      These are my new FAVORITE recipe of yours!!! They don't taste any different than regular cheesecake and the mini cupcakes is great for easy access. It makes it so easy to pull one out for a quick snack. I love love love these.

      Reply
    3. Allie

      August 08, 2023 at 2:48 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! 😊 I left out the lemon and the jam, and they were great! I would suggest chilling them in the fridge before eating. I had one when it was still slightly warm, and it wasn't as good as when it was cold.
      I hope to see more flavors for this. Maybe pumpkin, peanut butter chocolate, or oreo.

      Reply

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    Nicole Addison, RD

    Hi I'm Nicole!

    I’m a Registered Dietitian, recipe developer and content creator on a mission to help individuals rediscover the joys of cooking with easy, accessible, healthy recipes.

    On my page you'll find yummy recipes, wellness tips, and even some of my favourite travel and lifestyle recommendations!

    More about me →

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