Lighter Chocolate Cottage Cheesecake (Printable)

Creamy chocolate dessert made lighter with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make:

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 evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
03 - Place cottage cheese into a food processor or blender and process until completely smooth, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
04 - Add Greek yogurt, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and melted chocolate to the processed cottage cheese. Blend until the mixture reaches a silky, uniform consistency.
05 - Pour the filling mixture over the cooled crust and smooth the top surface with a rubber spatula.
06 - 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.
07 - Remove from oven and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until fully set.
08 - Before serving, spread the Greek yogurt topping over the surface if desired and garnish with dark chocolate shavings.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes decadent without the guilt that usually follows a slice of cheesecake.
  • The protein sneaks up on you—11 grams per serving, and nobody even notices you've outsmarted the dessert.
  • A springform pan and a food processor are all you need; no special equipment or impossible techniques.
  • The texture is impossibly smooth once that cottage cheese is blended, creating something that doesn't taste like a compromise.
02 -
  • Blending the cottage cheese completely smooth is non-negotiable—any lumps will ruin the texture, so don't rush this step or trust it to a blender alone if you have time for a food processor.
  • Letting the cheesecake cool inside the turned-off oven matters more than it sounds; rapid temperature changes cause the cracking that makes this dessert look amateur.
  • The filling will look less set than a traditional cheesecake when you pull it from the oven, and that's correct—it continues setting as it cools.
03 -
  • If your cottage cheese seems watery, drain it through cheesecloth for 30 minutes before blending to prevent a loose filling.
  • Melting and cooling the chocolate separately prevents any risk of scrambling the eggs when you combine everything.
  • A springform pan is worth owning just for cheesecakes—it takes the stress out of removing the finished dessert intact.
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