Surprise yourself with a Healthy Cheesecake made with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. It's much higher in protein than a classic cheesecake, but you'll never be able to taste the difference. Serve it with black currant jam for a beautiful sweet tang.
Sometimes people ask why I like to take something that's perfectly delicious (like a classic cheesecake) and change it (in this case, to a healthy cheesecake with cottage cheese). Often, I just like to see what I can get away with. Did I say this Beet Muffin was actually red velvet? Oops!
Surprise! A Healthy Cheesecake made with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt
I made this swap to cottage cheese though because I'm trying to find a way to add more cottage cheese into my diet. Cottage cheese is high in protein, vitamins and calcium, all of which are a good thing to include in a breakfast.
It's much higher in protein than a classic cheesecake, but you'll never be able to taste the difference
Prior to the 1980s, cottage cheese overshadowed yogurt sales and was tooted as a health food. But halfway through the 1980s, yogurt took off and left cottage cheese sales in the dust.
While yogurt consumption has increased 7 fold, cottage cheese consumption has halved (read more about the trend from NPR).
I remember eating cottage cheese as a kid every time I went to a self-serve salad bar. I'd always have it with melon and pineapple, and it was really tasty.
At some point, I started eating a lot more yogurt instead of cottage cheese. I seemed to have forgotten about cottage cheese, until I became pregnant and I started scouring the Internet about what health foods I should eat.
Cottage cheese appeared on almost every list of 'best foods for pregnant women' because it's high in protein!
After multiple tubs of cottage cheese with fruit and toast, I started craving something new and knew I needed to make a healthy cheesecake with cottage cheese.
When I shared this cheesecake, no one even noticed that instead of cream cheese in it, I made it with cottage cheese and greek yogurt.
It's much higher in protein than a classic cheesecake, and to me, that's a thumbs up because our baby is getting nutrients while I'm getting a slice of heavenly cheesecake.
Make this Healthy Cheesecake even healthier by using a spelt crust and topping it with fresh fruit and granola
If you want to make this even healthier, you can use the spelt crust from this Breakfast Greek Yogurt Cheesecake, and top it with granola and fresh fruit instead of jam. Good morning to cheesecake!
This healthy cottage cheese cheesecake is topped with black currant jam in the photos. But if you would like a healthier topping, try using this Easy Blueberry Jam with Chia Seeds (the jam is made with no refined sugar).
Healthy Cheesecake with Cottage Cheese
Print Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (140 grams) (also works with digestive crumbs)
- ¼ cup caster sugar (50 grams)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams) melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cheesecake filling
- 2 ⅓ cups cottage cheese (500 grams)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup (75 grams)
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- ½ bourbon vanilla bean
For the blackcurrant jam
- ¾ cup blackcurrants (150 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 3 tablespoons water (50 milliliters)
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom. Oil the sides of the pan if it is not non-stick.
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 176°C.
To make the crust
- In a large bowl, mix everything together.
- Gently press the crust into the lined pan. I find it easiest to use a small piece of parchment paper to cover my fingers, and press down on the crust. Set aside.
To make the cheesecake filling
- In a food processor or blender on low speed, blend the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt together until it is smooth.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs together. Beat the eggs, maple syrup and flour into the cottage cheese mixture. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and mix into the cheesecake.
- Pour everything into the pan. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour, until the cheesecake is set.
To make the blackcurrant jam
- In a medium saucepan, mix everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Allow to cool before topping on the cheesecake.
To serve
- The cheesecake is best chilled, or at room temperature.
Sarah says
Never thought to make cheese cake with cottage cheese. What a delicious recipe.
Angie says
What a fantastic recipe! I did an oat, almond, coconut oil base instead (Celiac) and oh my gosh is this ever delicious! I usually stay away from cheesecake, too rich for my stomach, so this recipe was such a great find. Even my husband was impressed, and he always prefers the non healthy version of things! So glad I stumbled across your site.
Kathy says
Do you think I could use Torani sugar free vanilla instead of maple?
Leia says
Hi I’m keen to try this recipe but without the eggs may I know if it is possible?
Pradeep says
How about the cheese without the base half the sweetner and some salt with a topping of rosted tomatoes garlic and oregano ? Please try ,,,,.,
Linda K says
Since I follow a low carbohydrate way of eating, I'm curious about trying this with sugar free syrup and/or stevia type sweetner.
Juanita Glenn says
I've made this a few times now...love it! My daughter has a sugar allergy so I've made it with Stevia, xylitol and erithrytol , and found it to turn out wonderful. Obviously, it will be a bit different because of the 'fake' sugars, but we are used to that and really enjoy it anyway. I have skipped the flour in the batter most times and texture is fine. I also add another egg for extra nutrition and texture. This last one I made with Stevia xylitol erithrytol blend, and I think it got a strange weird 'crust' on the top that looks overdone because I had something else in the oven and it got to room temp before I baked it. Not sure? Anyway, it got a bit dry, as I think I slightly overbaked as well as I didn't factor in the warmer start. I peeled the crust off and it's fine underneath. I do find this recipe is unpredictable at times. I think you really need to make sure the cheese and yogurt are very well blended and smooth. Overall I make this ALL THE TIME, with many variations, and it takes care of our cheesecake cravings good enough that I don't need an actual cheesecake. I ate some for breakfast this morning as well
kim says
I bought 4 containers of cottage cheese that were on sale, but the only person in the family who eats dairy is tired of the cottage cheese after just one container, so I intend to make this cheesecake with some of the rest.
Would you explain why the yogurt and flour are necessary? He's supposed to be gluten-free and dairy-free, but cottage cheese is the only okay dairy. I'm willing to buy the yogurt because it's often sold in individual servings, but we haven't used flour in 2 years and I don't want to buy a whole bag just to use 2 T's of it. thanks!
Tina Jui says
Hi Kim - Sure, let me try to explain. The flour is to make the cheesecake more firm and give it some structure. Since cottage cheese can be a bit wet, the flour will make the cheesecake sturdier. You could try cornstarch, which might do the same, and is gluten-free. I haven't done that before personally in this recipe, but that would be my best recommendation for gluten-free. The Greek Yogurt is for making the cheesecake creamier, and also to help the batter be not as wet as if you used 100% cottage cheese. It also bakes better, but I can't really explain the exact science behind it. I'd have to test it a bit more, but hope that helps give you a guide on how you can tweak the recipe if you want.
Clp says
To make less wet put the cottage cheese and the yogurt in a lined sieve of coffee filters if large holes. LET DRAIN FOR AN HOUR OVER A POT THAT ALLOW THE LIQUID TO DRIP FREELY. YOU WON'T NEED THE FLOUR OR CORNSTARCH.
Hillary Conklin says
Not sure what I did wrong, but my cheesecake did not come out smooth. It blended beautifully and looked smooth as a batter, but after it baked, it took over a wet, lumpy consistency which has always been the trademark of every other cheesecake that I've used cottage cheese in. It didn't have that velvety smooth consistency of one with cream cheese, or even a slightly grittier one made with ricotta. Is this the way it was supposed to be or did I do something wrong? I double checked the recipe, and I didn't miss an ingredient. I had such high hopes for this. Please help!
Tina Jui says
Hi Hillary, my initial thought is that perhaps the batter is too wet or not blended well enough, or a combination of both. I'm not sure what ingredients you used, but try to use full fat Greek Yogurt (not greek-style yogurt) and full fat cottage cheese. Different brands also vary, which is why people sometimes end up with different results, even though they follow the same recipe. Lastly, besides blitzing it more if you can, I'd suggest that you can try measuring out the ingredients by weight if you haven't already since it's much more accurate that way. Hope this helps!
Emma says
I would look at the labels of both cottage cheese and Greek yogurt so they do not have gums, jello or any other substance. Just milk and enzymes or bacteria’s.
Ana says
Can I use oats instead and do I need to grind them and bake them prior to adding the filling?
Tina Jui says
Hi Ana, I haven't used oats before for the crust, but I'm sure you can find a recipe for a oatmeal pie crust. You could try to use crushed up granola instead though? That would be a more similar swap for graham cracker crumbs.
Sarah says
Fantastic! I was a little nervous about the recipe as I have a very sweet tooth but the amount of sweetener was perfect. I subbed half the maple syrup for honey as I ran out but I think 100% maple would be better. Thanks for sharing. This will definitely be on my list of go-to recipes.
Tina Jui says
Thanks for the comment !I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! (sorry for the slow reply!)
Fran says
Thankyou for this recipie. I made it yesterday and had 2 pieces for dinner!
I changed the following because I had the ingredients in my fridge.
Skim milk ricotta cheers for half of cottage chees,
O fat Greek yoghurt,
3 eggs
Topping, canned low sugar cherries for baking
Delicios!