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Protein Cheesecake

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

21 ratings

So creamy that people keep asking what bakery it came from. This protein cheesecake packs 33.2g protein and just 3.4g net carbs into every slice, with a rich, smooth texture that hides every gram.
  • 3.4gnet carbs
  • 33.2gprotein
  • 75minutes
  • 8servings
A slice of creamy cheesecake on a plate topped with berries.
A slice missing from a whole New York cheesecake topped with three berries.
Slice of protein cheesecake topped with whipped cream, raspberries and blueberries.
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I started making this because I wanted a dessert that actually moved the needle on my protein macros. Regular keto cheesecake tastes incredible, but a slice only gives you 7-10 grams of protein. I wanted 30+. So I rebuilt the filling around Greek yogurt, whey isolate, and cream cheese, and the result is a cheesecake with over 30 grams of protein per slice that still tastes like actual cheesecake.

A slice of cheesecake cut out of a whole cake. The slice is slightly pushed out. Fresh berries are nearby.

The protein sources do triple duty here. Eggs give structure. Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a tangy depth that plain cream cheese alone can't match. And whey isolate bumps the protein count without changing the texture (more on why I use isolate specifically in the FAQs below). I tested whey concentrate early on and the filling came out loose. Whey isolate dissolves cleaner and keeps the filling dense.

Then there's the crust. Most keto crusts use almond flour alone, and they tend to crumble apart. I add coconut flour to the mix, and that's what gives it a buttery snap that people mistake for a cookie crust. One reader brought this to a dinner party and two guests asked what bakery she ordered it from before she told them the macros. That's the reaction I was going for.

The whole recipe is low carb and keto friendly. I use sugar-free sweetener in place of regular sugar (most measure cup for cup), and the almond flour crust keeps it gluten-free. If you want even fewer calories, skip the crust entirely. I have the full crustless macros below.

If you're on a high protein kick, I have a few other recipes in the same lane. My protein pudding is a good weeknight option, and mini keto cheesecake bites work when you want portion control built in.

Crustless high protein cheesecake

If the crust pushes this over your calorie budget, skip it. I make the crustless version at least once a month when I want the filling without the extra fat from the butter and almond flour.

To go crustless, spray your springform pan with cooking oil and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Pour the filling straight in and bake as directed above.

Macros per slice (crustless, 1/8 of cake):

  • Calories: 252
  • Fat: 14.6 g
  • Protein: 29 g
  • Total Carbs: 1.5 g
  • Net Carbs: 1.5 g

Still 29 grams of protein per slice with 174 fewer calories than the full version. That’s the swap I recommend if you’re in a cut.

A whole caramel colored cheesecake on a platter topped with fresh berries.

How to adjust the macros

I’ve tested most of these swaps myself, so I know they work without wrecking the texture. Pick the adjustments that match your goals.

To decrease calories:

  • Make it crustless (biggest single drop)
  • Use non-fat cream cheese instead of full fat
  • Use Greek yogurt or blended cottage cheese instead of keto yogurt
  • Choose a protein powder without added fats or carbs

To decrease fat:

  • Go crustless
  • Use non-fat cream cheese
  • Swap to Greek yogurt or 1 cup cottage cheese (blended until smooth)

To keep it keto:

  • Use full-fat cream cheese
  • Choose a full-fat keto yogurt
  • Stick with zero-carb sweetener
  • The crust is already low carb with almond flour, so keep it if your macros allow

If you like the no-bake keto cheesecake approach, I have a raspberry version that skips the oven entirely.

Cheesecake toppings that actually work

I keep toppings simple because the cheesecake itself is rich enough to stand alone. But when I want something extra, these are my go-to options.

If you’re into the chocolate direction, my chocolate brownie protein balls use a similar protein base. And for another high protein dessert that’s more of a weeknight thing, try my high protein banana pudding.

How to store and freeze cheesecake

I keep this in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It stays good for 5-7 days, and honestly the texture improves after the first night. Day-two slices are denser and creamier than fresh out of the oven.

I’ve also frozen whole cheesecakes and individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. When I want a slice, I pull it out the night before and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. The filling holds up well. The crust softens slightly but still has enough structure.

How to make a protein cheesecake

  1. Make the crust: Pulse almond flour, coconut flour, brown sugar substitute, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a food processor. Cut in cold cubed butter and vanilla until you get a coarse crumble. Press into a 9-inch springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. I press it about 1/4 inch thick along the bottom and slightly up the sides.
  2. Mix the filling: Beat softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth. Then add protein powder, sweetener, vanilla, and eggs. I mix on medium speed just until combined. Overmixing adds air, which means more cracks.
  3. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes. The edges should be set and the center slightly jiggly when you give the pan a gentle shake. I pull mine when the center still wobbles about an inch across.
  4. Cool slowly: Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges before refrigerating for 2-3 hours. The slow cool-down is how I avoid cracks without using a water bath.

Key ingredients

  • Almond flour + coconut flour crust: This combo is what separates the crust from every other low carb cheesecake base I've tried. The coconut flour absorbs moisture and creates that crispy, buttery texture. Add vanilla or graham cracker flavor extract for a more traditional taste.
  • Cream cheese: The base of any cheesecake. I use full-fat for the best texture, but non-fat works if you're cutting calories (see macro adjustments below).
  • Greek yogurt: Adds protein and a subtle tang that rounds out the filling. I use plain full-fat, but keto yogurts with higher protein and fewer carbs work too. You can also swap in cottage cheese (blended smooth) for even more protein per serving.
  • Whey isolate protein powder: I specifically use whey isolate, not concentrate. Concentrate holds more moisture and made my filling loose when I tested it. Unflavored or vanilla both work. Look for minimal carbs.
  • Sugar-free sweetener: Any sweetener that measures cup for cup with sugar. I use a monk fruit blend.
  • Eggs: Three eggs give this cheesecake structure and help it set properly. They also add to the protein count.
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The recipe

Protein Cheesecake

Print Pin
Prep 15 min Cook 60 min Total 75 min Serves 8

Ingredients

Servings 8

Cheesecake Crust Ingredients

Protein Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven & prepare pan

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray or brush with melted butter.

    A springform pan sprayed with cooking oil.

  2. Dough for cheesecake crust

    In a food processor, pulse together almond flour, coconut flour, brown sugar substitute, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Add cubed butter and vanilla. Pulse until coarse crumbles form.

    For this step

    • 1 1/4 cups almond flour
    • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
    • 1 tablespoon sugar free brown sweetener
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (chilled & cubed)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    Pie crust crumbled in a food processor.

  3. Bake crust

    Press the cheesecake crust into the prepared springform pan. Make sure you press into an even layer along the bottom and a little bit up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees.

    Cheesecake crust pressed into a springform pan.

  4. Mix cream cheese and yogurt

    In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese and yogurt using an electric mixer. Mix together until smooth and silky.

    For this step

    • 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
    • 1 cup yogurt
    A stainless steel bowl with creamy cream cheese mixture inside.

  5. Finish the filling

    Add protein powder, sweetener, vanilla extract and eggs to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth.

    For this step

    • 1 cup protein powder
    • 1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 3 eggs
    A bowl with cheesecake filling inside.

  6. Bake cheesecake

    Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan on top of the crust and bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges to loosen them from the pan before transferring to the refrigerator to cool for 2-3 hours.

    A baked cheesecake in a springform pan on a towel.

Nutrition

Per serving: 1 slice

Calories
426
Fat
29.8g
Protein
33.2g
Total carbs
6.4g
Net carbs
3.4g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much protein is in regular cheesecake?

A typical slice of New York cheesecake has around 7-10 grams of protein. That's mostly from the cream cheese and eggs. I built this recipe to triple that number by adding Greek yogurt and whey isolate to the filling, which gets each slice above 30 grams without changing the taste or texture in a way you'd notice.

Why did my cheesecake crack on top?

I've cracked my share of cheesecakes, and it almost always comes down to one of three things: overmixing (too much air in the batter), opening the oven mid-bake, or cooling too fast. I don't use a water bath for this recipe. Instead, I let it cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before moving it to the fridge. That gradual cooldown is what keeps mine crack-free. If you do get a crack, it won't affect the taste at all.

Can I use cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt?

I've tested this swap and it works. Blend the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor until completely smooth before adding it to the filling. You'll get a slightly higher protein count per slice, and the texture stays creamy. The tang is a little different (milder than Greek yogurt), but my family didn't notice the difference.

What protein powder works best in cheesecake?

I use whey isolate (unflavored or vanilla) and I've stuck with it after testing a few options. Whey concentrate holds more moisture and made my filling looser than I wanted. Casein works too and actually makes the filling slightly thicker, but it can taste chalky if you use a lower quality brand. I haven't had good results with plant-based protein powders in baked cheesecake. They tend to add a gritty texture.

Can I make this as a no-bake cheesecake?

I'd recommend a different recipe for no-bake. This filling is designed to be baked (the eggs need heat to set the structure), and skipping the oven would give you a runny center. If you want a no-bake option, my keto raspberry no-bake cheesecake uses a gelatin-based filling that sets in the fridge instead.

Does protein powder change the texture of cheesecake?

It can if you use the wrong kind. I've found that whey isolate dissolves the cleanest and has almost no effect on texture. The filling is still silky and dense, just like a traditional cheesecake. The trick is mixing the protein powder in with the sweetener and vanilla before adding the eggs. If you dump it in last, it clumps.

Can I make mini cheesecakes with this recipe?

I've done this in a greased muffin tin. Use the same filling, skip the crust (or press a small amount into each cup), and bake at 325 degrees. Mine were done in about 18 minutes, but I'd start checking at 15. The centers should still jiggle slightly when you pull them out. You'll get roughly 12 minis from one batch.

Can I make chocolate or strawberry flavored cheesecake with this recipe?

I swap the protein powder flavor and it works. For chocolate, I use chocolate whey isolate and add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. For strawberry, I use strawberry-flavored protein and fold in a few diced fresh strawberries after mixing. The base recipe stays the same. I'd avoid adding liquid flavor extracts beyond a teaspoon since too much liquid throws off the filling's ratio.

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Reviews

Tap to rate

4.7 from 21 ratings, 16 written

Made this recipe?

Replying to Tiffany

Your rating

Tiffany

I licked the spatula while the crust was still baking and that filling is so good. Thank you for this one. 🙂

Reply

Dana

Confession: I added the protein powder before the cream cheese was fully smooth and got a grainy filling. Mix the cream cheese and yogurt completely first, then add the powder. The order matters more than it looks like it should.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Yep, Dana. The powder just clumps around any lumps still in there and no amount of mixing fixes it after that. Order matters on this one.

Reply

Katie

The Greek yogurt gives it that tang my mom’s cheesecake had, the thing I thought was gone when I went keto. Annie, you got it back. Thirty-three grams of protein feels like a side effect.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The tang was the whole testing target. I kept the Greek yogurt ratio higher than most recipes because that’s what got it right. So glad it brought that back for you, Katie.

Reply

Luis

This cheesecake did not last 24 hours in my house. My family keeps asking me to make it again!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Luis, that’s exactly why I kept testing until the texture was right. 30 grams of protein and they’re just asking for another slice.

Reply

Maria

Honestly, this tastes like actual cheesecake. I wasn’t expecting that.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Mine didn’t either. That’s when I knew it worked.

Reply

Brittany

finally a crust that gets the ratio right

Reply

Brittany

Didn’t realize the coconut flour was doing that much work. Makes sense now why mine came out crumbly the first time.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That ratio took the most testing out of any part of this recipe. The coconut flour kept throwing off the bind until I landed on exactly 3 tablespoons.

Reply

Andre

that texture and 30g protein. cheesecake is back for me.

Reply

Annie Lampella

30g and nobody guesses. That’s the whole reason I made this.

Reply

Andre

Made it for my sister last week. She had no idea.

Reply

Amanda

Xanthan gum has wrecked a few of my keto bakes before, so I almost halved it here. Used the full half teaspoon as written anyway, and the crust held together, no crumbling when you cut through. The filling came out smooth and dense, denser than I expected with that much protein. Went in bracing for a macro trade-off. There wasn’t one.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The half teaspoon is non-negotiable in that crust. The coconut flour needs the full amount or you lose the bind when you cut through. That density caught me off guard the first time too, I kept expecting it to be lighter.

Reply

Brett

Protein powder in cheesecake was a red flag for me. Chalky aftertaste that just lingers. Made this last weekend anyway and I’m genuinely confused where the protein taste went. The Greek yogurt must do something to it, because the texture is completely smooth. Not touching this recipe.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Brett, the whey isolate dissolves way cleaner than concentrate (which is usually what causes that lingering aftertaste). Greek yogurt does the rest. They work together in a way I wasn’t sure would hold up the first time I made it.

Reply

Lindsey

I strained the Greek yogurt overnight in cheesecloth before adding it to the cream cheese, and it genuinely changed the texture. Less airy and mousse-like, more of a dense, sliceable filling that holds its shape right out of the fridge. If you’re after something closer to New York-style, that’s the one change worth making. Crust held fine at 9 inches, though I’d press the edges a bit thicker next time. They crumbled a little once I sliced in.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The strained yogurt does that. Edges on the crust need to be pressed thicker than feels right, maybe an extra 1/4 inch. The 9 inch pan spreads them out more than you’d think.

Reply

Samantha

I added a spoonful of lemon curd on top before baking and the tang against the Greek yogurt filling is wild. Try it.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The yogurt base is already leaning that direction so lemon curd would just push it further. On my list.

Reply

Diane Davis

Ran out of Greek yogurt mid-recipe and used full-fat cottage cheese blended smooth instead, same quantity, and the filling came out denser in a way I actually prefer. Less tang, creamier on the palate, held its shape cleaner when sliced. If you try it, blend the cottage cheese first until completely smooth or you’ll get small flecks in the final texture.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Yeah, I tested this and landed in the same place. The density is different but not worse, honestly cleaner slices. And blending first is non-negotiable.

Reply

Riley

My teenager saw it on the counter and assumed I’d picked it up from somewhere. Didn’t correct her until after she’d had a slice, and then she was genuinely annoyed that she’d been complimenting my baking. Something about the Greek yogurt in the filling gives it that dense, creamy thing that actually reads as bakery.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha, the annoyance part is the best. You’re right about the yogurt (that’s where the dense texture comes from). The whey isolate just keeps it from going rubbery.

Reply

Nate Y.

Solid recipe and the macros genuinely deliver. My only note: the crust could use more salt. The almond flour base came out a little flat on its own, and the filling is sweet enough that the contrast isn’t there without it.

Reply

Morgan

Was fully expecting the Greek yogurt to mess up the texture. It doesn’t, and it’s closer to real cheesecake than every other keto version I’ve tried. Minus one star because my crust needed an extra 5 minutes, but I’ll call that a me problem.

Reply

Jess

My daughter’s been really into hitting her protein goals, so I made this Sunday. She ate two slices, then pulled up the macro breakdown on her phone to show my husband, which she never does with keto stuff. He ended up having a piece too. The almond flour crust surprised me most.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha, your husband eating a piece is the actual win. The crust surprised me during testing too. Coconut flour mixed in is what gives it that buttery snap most people don’t expect from almond flour alone.

Reply

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