Lighter Chocolate Cottage Cheese Cheesecake (Print View)

Rich, creamy chocolate dessert made lighter with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for extra protein while maintaining decadent flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
02 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil or melted butter
03 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup

→ Filling

05 - 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
06 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar or sweetener of choice
09 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled

→ Topping

13 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - Dark chocolate shavings for serving

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line the base of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool.
03 - In a food processor or blender, process cottage cheese until completely smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add Greek yogurt, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and melted chocolate. Blend until the mixture reaches a silky consistency.
04 - Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top surface evenly.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is just set but still slightly wobbly. Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour.
06 - Remove from the oven and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 3 hours, or until completely set.
07 - Before serving, spread the Greek yogurt topping over the surface if desired and garnish with dark chocolate shavings.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like the decadent dessert your favorite bakery makes, but with protein your body actually thanks you for.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour of active work, leaving the oven to do most of the heavy lifting while you relax.
  • Dark chocolate mixed right into the filling means every forkful has that deep cocoa richness without needing extra toppings.
02 -
  • Blending cottage cheese until completely smooth is literally the difference between silky cheesecake and disappointing graininess—don't rush this step or trust that it's fine enough.
  • Opening the oven door during baking will cause temperature drops and potential cracks, so resist the urge to peek more than once around the 35-minute mark.
  • The wobbly center is your friend, not a sign of failure—cheesecake continues cooking as it cools, and that residual heat sets the interior perfectly.
03 -
  • If you don't have a food processor, a blender works just as well for smoothing the cottage cheese—just blend in batches if you're using an immersion blender.
  • Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the filling, so pull them out of the fridge 10 minutes before you start mixing.
  • The trick to crack-free cheesecake is gentle oven cooling—that hour with the oven door cracked open is absolutely worth your patience.
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