I can’t think of a more creamy and dreamy dessert than cheesecake. I’d go so far as to say it’s a slice of heaven—even if you give it a lightened up twist. Cottage cheese cheesecake is a dessert that has all of the creaminess of the classic cake, however, the dairy superfood gives it a nice protein boost. (More protein means your appetite will be more than satisfied with just one slice!) Similar to regular cheesecake, you can make the cottage cheese version in a small or large portion for any occasion. Keep reading for pointers on whipping up a cottage cheese cheesecake that won’t taste like you’re missing out on an indulgent treat.
What is cottage cheese cheesecake?
This type of cheesecake typically contains cottage cheese, eggs, sugar and other flavorings for the filling. The mixture is poured over a graham cracker crust or directly in the dish and then baked. Once the center is set, the cheesecake is cooled and chilled before serving. Swapping some or all of the cottage cheese for cream cheese is a great choice for adding in more protein and reducing the dessert’s fat content.
A ½ cup serving of cottage cheese can contain 12 grams of protein and five grams of fat, while the same amount of low-fat cream cheese may have nine grams of protein and 17 grams of fat. You certainly won’t skimp on flavor or creaminess by using cottage cheese thanks to an easy trick to use when combining the filling.
What cottage cheese recipes do you want to see next?
Surprise trick for a smooth cheesecake filling
Those small or large curds in cottage cheese are fine to enjoy when you’re eating it on its own. But, for cheesecake blending the dairy product with the other ingredients breaks up the curds—forming a smooth and luscious filling. You also save time doing this compared to whipping the mixture by hand.
2 cottage cheese cheesecake recipes
Whether preparing cottage cheese cheesecake for two or 12, these recipes are worth adding to your dessert repertoire!
For one whole treat: Vanilla cottage cheese cheesecake by SiLLibake
Crust:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup oat flour (or sub with almond flour)
- ⅓ cup finely chopped raw pecans
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 2 to 3 Tbs. raw cane sugar or granulated sweetener
- 5 Tbs. salted butter, melted (unsalted is fine, just add a pinch of salt to mixture)
Cheesecake filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese (one block), room temperature
- 2⅓ cups cottage cheese, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup raw cane sugar or monk fruit (any granulated sweetener will work)
- 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
- Optional fruit, for topping or caramel sauce
Olive oil caramel:
- ¼ cup good-quality olive oil
- ¼ cup cold maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Directions:
For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F, using 9-inch springform pan, grease and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add almond flour, oat flour, chopped pecans, cinnamon, sugar and melted butter to bowl, mix until mixture is well coated in butter.
- Transfer crumbs to springform pan with medium pressure from your hand, ensuring compact crust. Avoid pressing too hard, as this will result in hard crust. Use flat bottom of small measuring cup to smooth out crust if necessary.
- Prebake 10 minutes, then allow crust to cool slightly while preparing filling.
For the cheesecake filling:
- Grab large glass or ceramic dish and fill it half way with hot tap water, place dish on bottom rack of oven. This will create stream to help cook cheesecake and prevent cracking.
- In high-powered food processor, add cream cheese, cottage cheese and blend together until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides every so often.
- Next, add an egg and blend 15 seconds or so. Add second egg, sugar and vanilla extract. Blend 1 minutes, scarping down the sides a few times.
- Put springform pan with crust on sheet tray. Use spatula to push mixture through strainer. (Note: I like to pour the cheesecake batter through a fine mesh strainer into the springform pan with the cooled crust, this guarantees a lump free cheesecake.)
- Bake in oven about 35 to 45 minutes, until cheesecake is set and lightly golden.
- Let cool completely on sheet tray, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge at least 4 hours, overnight is best. Ensure you run a knife or offset spatula along edge of cheesecake before you remove springform, this will also prevent cracking the cheesecake.
To make the olive oil caramel:
- Whisk all ingredients until caramel looking sauce forms.
- Top with olive oil caramel and cut into 12 slices. Enjoy!
- Nutritional info (per serving): 283 calories, 9.5 grams of protein, 14.6 grams of carbohydrates, 19.6 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of fiber
For mini treats: 3-Ingredient cottage cheese cheesecake by Tara Woodcox
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 (150-gram) small container vanilla Greek yogurt, such as Light & Fit
- 1 egg
- Optional (for serving): Fresh berries and/or sprig of mint
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In high-powered blender or food processor, blend together cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and egg until smooth.
- Spray 2 ramekins with nonstick spray and divide mixture between them.
- Bake in oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let chill in the fridge at least an hour.
- Top with fresh berries and mint (if desired). Enjoy!
- Nutritional info (per serving): 130 calories, 15 grams of protein, 10 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fat
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