Lighter Chocolate Cottage Cheesecake (Printable)

Creamy high-protein chocolate cheesecake made lighter with cottage cheese for a rich, guilt-free dessert.

# 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 garnish

# Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that fudgy, decadent chocolate flavor without the heavy cream cheese guilt, which somehow tastes even more indulgent.
  • It actually keeps you satisfied because of the protein, so you're not reaching for a second slice an hour later.
  • The texture is silky and refined, nothing grainy or cottage-cheesy about it if you blend it right.
02 -
  • Blending your cottage cheese until it's genuinely smooth is not optional—I learned this by serving a slightly grainy version to my mother-in-law, and I'm still recovering from that look.
  • The gentle cooling-in-the-oven step is a game-changer that I discovered by accident when my oven door got stuck; it's the reason your cheesecake won't crack like traditional versions.
03 -
  • Let all your ingredients come to room temperature for 30 minutes before blending, which creates a more cohesive filling with fewer air bubbles.
  • If your filling seems too thick to pour, warm it gently for 10 seconds in the microwave—never hot, just slightly warm enough to move smoothly.
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