Protein Cheesecake Cups (Printable Version)

Creamy, high-protein no-bake cups with a crunchy base, ideal for a nutritious treat or snack.

# What You Need:

→ Base

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

→ Cheesecake Filling

05 - 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
06 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (non-fat or low-fat)
07 - 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (approximately 60 g)
08 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

→ Toppings (optional)

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

# Steps:

01 - Combine oat flour, almond butter, honey, and salt in a medium bowl until a crumbly dough forms.
02 - Distribute base mixture evenly into 6 muffin liners placed in a muffin tin, pressing firmly to form crusts.
03 - Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Greek yogurt, protein powder, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; mix until creamy and fully combined.
04 - Spoon cheesecake filling over crusts, smoothing the tops evenly.
05 - Top with desired ingredients such as fresh berries, chopped nuts, or chocolate shavings.
06 - Refrigerate cups for at least 2 hours until firm and set.
07 - Remove from liners and serve chilled.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent but pack genuine protein, so you can enjoy something sweet without the guilt creeping in afterward.
  • No oven required, which means you can make these while your kitchen stays cool and you avoid heating up the whole house.
  • The texture is creamy and rich in a way that surprises people when you tell them they're mostly Greek yogurt and protein powder.
02 -
  • The cream cheese must be truly softened at room temperature, or it'll create lumps in the filling that you'll never fully smooth out no matter how hard you mix.
  • The base needs serious pressure when you press it down, or it will fall apart the moment you try to remove the liner, turning your beautiful cup into crumbles.
  • Greek yogurt varies wildly in thickness between brands, so if yours is very thick, thin it slightly with a tablespoon of milk to get a creamy consistency instead of chunky.
03 -
  • Lemon zest makes a shocking difference in brightness, cutting through the richness in a way that makes the whole thing feel lighter even though nothing about it is actually light.
  • If your protein powder is very sweet, reduce the honey by half a tablespoon, or you'll end up with a dessert that's almost aggressively sweet on the second spoonful.
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