Protein Cheesecake Cups (Printable Version)

Creamy, high-protein cheesecake cups with a crunchy base for a nutritious indulgence or snack.

# Ingredient List:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup oat flour or almond flour (for gluten-free option)
02 - 1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter
03 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Cheesecake Filling

05 - 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
06 - 3/4 cup plain non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt
07 - 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
08 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

→ Toppings (optional)

11 - Fresh berries
12 - Chopped nuts
13 - Dark chocolate shavings

# Directions:

01 - Combine oat flour, almond or peanut butter, honey, and salt in a medium bowl until a crumbly dough forms.
02 - Press the base mixture evenly into six muffin liners placed in a muffin tin, compacting firmly to create the crust.
03 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Incorporate Greek yogurt, vanilla whey protein powder, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until creamy and well blended.
04 - Spoon the cheesecake filling over each crust base, smoothing the surface evenly.
05 - Sprinkle with preferred toppings such as fresh berries, chopped nuts, or dark chocolate shavings.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the cups are set and firm.
07 - Remove each cup from its liner and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like indulgent cheesecake but pack 13g of protein per cup, so you're actually nourishing yourself, not just treating yourself.
  • No oven required—just mix, press, chill, and you have a dessert ready in under 3 hours with almost no fuss.
  • The texture is impossibly creamy without being heavy, thanks to the Greek yogurt lightening the cream cheese.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese—I learned this the hard way when I tried to save time and ended up with grainy, lumpy filling that no amount of mixing could fix.
  • The protein powder needs to be incorporated fully or it can leave chalky bits in your filling; take an extra 30 seconds to make sure everything is completely blended.
03 -
  • Make your life easier by using a small ice cream scoop to divide the filling evenly—it's faster than spooning and gives you uniform cups every time.
  • If you don't have muffin liners, silicone muffin cups work just as well and are actually easier to remove from since the cheesecake pops right out.
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