Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake: A Creamy High-Protein Fall Dessert

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

If you love the warm spice of a pumpkin dessert but want something lighter than a classic slice of cheesecake, this is the recipe I keep coming back to.

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake is built on cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese and sour cream, so it brings real protein to the table and still bakes up smooth, creamy, and gently spiced.

Even better, the filling is made entirely in a blender. You need six basic ingredients for it: cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, an egg, a sweetener, and cornstarch, plus pumpkin spice. That is the whole list. There is no water bath, no long shopping trip, and no tricky technique to master.

This recipe also solves a very real fall problem. Plenty of pumpkin desserts call for a full can of puree, which leaves you with leftovers sitting in the fridge. Here you use exactly 1/4 cup, so it is a perfect way to finish off the last bit of an open can.

I first shared a cottage cheese cheesecake on the blog, and readers kept asking for a pumpkin version. Several test rounds later, this is the one that earned a permanent spot in my fall rotation.

One batch makes 6 servings, with about 10 minutes of prep and roughly 30 minutes in the oven. The graham cracker crust is optional, and I often skip it. The source nutrition for the version with the graham crust lists about 214 calories per serving.

Why you’ll love this recipe

There are a few reasons this cheesecake became a fall staple in my kitchen.

• It is quick. Assembly takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and the bake is around 30 minutes, so it fits into a busy weeknight.
• No water bath. The filling bakes up smooth and creamy without the extra pan of hot water that usually makes people nervous about cheesecake.
• No cream cheese and no sour cream. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt carry the whole dessert.
• It brings protein. Those two dairy ingredients are the reason this dessert feels more substantial than a typical slice.
• Real fall flavor. A quarter cup of pumpkin puree with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg gives you the spice profile you want in October and November.
• It is filling. This is a dessert that works just as well for breakfast or an afternoon snack as it does after dinner.

The result is a cheesecake that tastes like the season without weighing you down. It is the kind of recipe I make on a Sunday, chill overnight, and then slice all week long.

Ingredient notes

Cottage cheese is the key ingredient here. It gives the cheesecake its structure and its lightly tangy flavor. I tested this with nonfat and 2% cottage cheese, and both worked well. Any fat content is fine, and more fat gives you a slightly richer result.

Greek yogurt works the same way. I tested nonfat and 2%, and the fat level did not change the texture in any noticeable way. Use whatever is in your fridge.

For the sweetener, brown sugar and maple syrup both work. Six tablespoons of brown sugar is what the recipe calls for, and dark or light brown sugar is fine. I liked the maple syrup version a touch more because the maple plays so nicely with pumpkin spice, and my tasters agreed with me.

Cornstarch is my pick for binding and structure. Flour works too if that is what you have on hand, but I found cornstarch gives a slightly better set.

Pumpkin spice brings the fall flavor. If you do not have a jar of it, mix cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg instead.

If you want a crust, you need 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter.

When I crush my own, about 10 to 11 full graham cracker sheets give me the 3/4 cup I need. A swirl of Greek yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream on top is optional but very nice.

Recipe notes

Getting this recipe right took a few tries, and I want to share that because it explains the small amount of pumpkin in the final version.

My first attempt added 6 tablespoons of pumpkin puree to my base cottage cheese cheesecake, with 1/4 cup brown sugar standing in for the 2.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar in the original, plus the spices. The result was too savory, not sweet enough, and watery.

It tasted more like a squash custard than a cheesecake, and nobody at my table asked for a second slice.

For the next round I cut the pumpkin back to 1/4 cup and raised the brown sugar to 6 tablespoons. That was the sweet spot. The pumpkin flavor still came through clearly, the sweetness balanced the spice, and the texture finally set the way a cheesecake should.

I also tested brown sugar against maple syrup. Both worked, and both were good. My tasters and I slightly preferred the maple syrup version because of the maple notes alongside the pumpkin spice. If that sounds good to you, swap the 6 tablespoons of brown sugar for maple syrup.

One more practical note: this recipe doubles easily. If you scale it up, use an 8 inch or 9 inch pan.

How to make this pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake

Everything happens in the blender, which is exactly why I love this recipe. Here is the order I follow.

1. Preheat and prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 6 inch springform pan. If you are doubling the recipe, use a larger pan, such as an 8 or 9 inch cake pan.
2. Make the crust, if you want one. Combine 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press them evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
3. Blend the filling. Add 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice to a high powered blender. Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides so everything is fully incorporated.
4. Pour and bake. Pour the filling over the prebaked crust, or straight into a greased 6 inch springform pan or a parchment lined 6 inch cake pan if you are going crustless. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should be set with a matte surface, and the center should be slightly jiggly but not sloshy.
5. Cool, then chill. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for several hours or overnight so the texture settles.

On pans: a 6 inch springform pan is the easiest choice because the ring releases cleanly. A regular 6 inch cake pan works too. Line the bottom with parchment paper, the same way you would for a basque cheesecake, so you can lift the finished cheesecake out.

Pull the cheesecake when the edges look set and matte and the center still wobbles slightly. If the middle sloshes, it needs a few more minutes in the oven.

On chilling: you can eat this warm, and it is perfectly pleasant that way, but I prefer it fully chilled. That is when the texture turns denser and creamier and the pumpkin spice settles into the dairy.

Storage and serving suggestions

Chill the cheesecake fully before you serve it. Two hours in the fridge is the minimum, and overnight is better. That resting time is what turns a soft, just baked custard into a dense, creamy slice.

Leftovers keep well. Store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least one week. I do not recommend freezing the baked cheesecake, because the texture does not come back the same way after thawing.

Here is how I like to serve it:

• A spoonful of whipped cream with a dusting of cinnamon
• Crumbled gingersnaps scattered over the top
• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream alongside a warm slice
• A drizzle of caramel sauce for a dessert that feels a little more special
• The crustless version stirred into Greek yogurt as a quick snack

The crustless cheesecake is also very good eaten plain, straight from the fridge, with a cup of coffee. If you made the graham crust version, it needs nothing at all.

One last thought on leftovers: because the filling holds its shape so well, this slices cleanly even on day four or five, which makes it an easy dessert to keep on hand for unexpected guests.

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake If you love the warm spice of a pumpkin dessert but want something lighter than a classic slice of cheesecake, this is the recipe I keep coming back to. Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake is built on cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese and sour cream, so it brings real protein to the table and still bakes up smooth, creamy, and gently spiced.

• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

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For the graham crust (optional)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp sugar
pinch kosher salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Greek yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream for topping

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Instructions

For the graham crust (optional)
1-Preheat oven to 350 and grease a: Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 6-inch springform pan. Alternatively, you can double this recipe and use a larger pan, like an 8 or 9-inch cake pan.
2-Combine 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1: Combine 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tbsp sugar and pinch kosher salt in a small bowl. Stir in the 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted until evenly moistened.
3-Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of: Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake cheesecake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.

For the cheesecake
4-Combine all ingredients (1 cup cottage cheese,: Combine all ingredients (1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice*) in a high-powered blender and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
5-Pour cottage cheese mixture into prepared crust: Pour cottage cheese mixture into prepared crust (OR into a greased 6-inch springform pan OR parchment-lined 6-inch cake pan). Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are set with a matte surface. The center should be slightly jiggly, but not sloshy.
6-Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating: Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating for several hours or overnight to let the texture settle. You can enjoy this warm, but I prefer the texture once it’s fully chilled.

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: slices
• Calories: 214