No-Bake Protein Cheesecake Cups
⏱ 20 min + chilling💪 22g protein per serving🔥 ~260 cal🍽 6 cups
These land somewhere between dessert and a very good snack. Cream cheese carries the flavor, Greek yogurt and protein powder carry the macros, and because they set in individual jars there is no slicing, no springform pan, and no chance of a cracked top.
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 scoops (about 60g) vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- Fresh berries, for topping
Instructions
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until it looks like wet sand.
- Divide among 6 small jars or ramekins and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
- Beat the softened cream cheese alone until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Lumps here never go away later.
- Add the Greek yogurt, protein powder, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until silky.
- Spoon the filling over the crusts and smooth the tops.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours, then top with berries just before serving.
Tips
- The cream cheese must be genuinely room temperature. Cold cream cheese guarantees a lumpy filling.
- Beat the cream cheese by itself first, before adding anything wet. This is the single most important step.
- Make them up to 3 days ahead, but add the berries the day you serve or they weep into the filling.
FAQ
- Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
- Yes, though the filling sets softer. Neufchatel works well as a middle ground.
- Can I make one big cheesecake instead?
- Yes, press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and chill 4 hours instead of 2. Slices will be softer than a baked cheesecake.
- What protein powder works best?
- Vanilla whey or a whey-casein blend. Avoid plant proteins here, they make the filling gritty.
