Healthy Cheesecake Recipe (high protein, sugar free, gluten free) (2024)

Feb 14, 2013

Happy Valentine’s Day! Single, married, dating, whatever your relationship status is, this Healthy Cheesecake is going to be delicious and you are going to enjoy it 🙂

Creamy, tangy, smooth and sweet. It’s everything you would expect from a cheesecake, except this one is guilt-free! Trust me, you’dnever suspect it, though.

The perfect bite.

This Healthy Cheesecake is so rich, so thick, so decadent, so sinful tasting… but it’s totally sinless!

Can you believe a generous slice of cheesecake has only 320 calories, plus a whopping 14g of protein?! Heck yes!

And don’t you worry about eating an extra slice. You’re still an angel 😉

Feel free to make whatever pie crust you like. I prefer graham cracker crusts, but I’ve also made an animal cracker crust in my Key Lime Cheesecake, and sometimes make a gingersnap crust when I make Pumpkin Pie.

Enjoy!

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Be happy.

Live fully.

Feel naughty, eat nice.

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–Jess

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35 comments on “Healthy Cheesecake”

1. Mila @ Simple Harmonic Motion — February 14, 2013 at 3:46 pm

   This is actually incredible looking like I want to be your friend NOW

   Reply

2. shannon c — February 15, 2013 at 6:49 am

   Do you think you could recommend a specific brand for the fat-free cream cheese, or maybe an alternative ingredient? The major brands of fat-free cream cheese actually have a ton of artificial ingredients and additives like carageenan which I don’t really see as healthy to eat.

   Reply

   • Jessica | Desserts With Benefits — February 15, 2013 at 7:44 am

     I haven’t tried it but you can most likely use any alternative you like, such as the Healthful Pursuit’s homemade cream cheese, or storebought vegan ones.

     Reply

3. Ruxandra — February 15, 2013 at 9:06 am

   This looks so good!! Awesome recipe 🙂

   Reply

4. Margot @ Coffee & Vanilla — February 15, 2013 at 10:35 am

   Looks amazing! 🙂

   Reply

5. Rachel @ Bakerita — February 15, 2013 at 5:51 pm

   This looks so sinfully delicious, and the fact that it’s guilt free makes it so much better!

   Reply

6. Annie @ Natural Sweet Recipes — February 15, 2013 at 7:59 pm

   Oh my goodness, this looks incredible! I would be so thrilled to make this and tell people it was healthy!

   Reply

7. cookingrookie — February 16, 2013 at 2:22 am

   Beautiful cheese cake! I love Greek yogurt cheesecake, they are much lighter and fluffier than the heavy cream cheese ones. Not to mention the calories… Gorgeous photos too 🙂

   Reply

8. Pauline — March 5, 2013 at 12:52 am

   See Also

   Holiday Reader Recipe Challenge Winner: Cranberry Pear Tart - My New Roots

   Just wanted to let you know that your blog always inspires me! I used your cheesecake graham crust recipe as inspiration for the pumpkin cheese pie I made yesterday. I had to give you a plug in my blog (http://lambentdream.blogspot.com/2013/03/cooking-with-love-steamed-flounder-and.html) for all the wonderful, tasty, and nutritious things you post! As always, thanks for the inspiration and feasts for mine eyes! Keep writing!

   Reply

   • dessertswithbenefits — March 5, 2013 at 10:07 am

     Aww thanks so much Pauline! That pumpkin pie looks amazing 🙂

     Reply

9. Ruta — March 9, 2013 at 5:24 pm

   Truthfully, I’ve never had New York Cheesecake and don’t actually think I’d like it. But this recipe looks so great (I can’t believe it’s healthy) that I just might try it. Yum!!!

   Reply

   • dessertswithbenefits — March 15, 2013 at 5:14 pm

     I hope you try it soon!

     Reply

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11. munchi — May 27, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    great looking cake, simple to make but I would use cream cheese and yogurt with some fat its not healthy without any fat, body needs fat it has nutrients.

    Reply

12. artania — June 7, 2013 at 2:36 am

    OMG I want to make this. for the 1/4 tsp Lemon Flavor can I change it with squeeze lemon?

    “16g (2 tbs) Arrowroot Starch” is there any substitute for this? I dont mind some fats 🙂

    Thank You

    Reply

    • dessertswithbenefits — June 10, 2013 at 9:44 pm

      You can try replacing the lemon flavor with about 2-3 tbs of lemon juice… don’t add too much otherwise the cheesecake won’t set. I haven’t tried this cheesecake without the starch, maybe you can replace it with more protein powder!
      Good luck, hope you like the recipe 🙂

      Reply

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16. jessica — November 14, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    Hello, this looks the great. However, I see you use agave as a sweetener. Agave is synonymous with high fructose corn syrup and is highly processed. What is your opinion on this and do you have any alternatives? Honey, molasses, maple syrup?

    Reply

17. Janice — April 18, 2014 at 8:58 am

    Hello! Thanks for your site, it’s pretty amazing!

    I was wondering, does the protein powder contribute anything other than protein content to the recipe? I don’t have it on hand and was wondering whether i can leave that part out. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jessica | Desserts With Benefits — April 18, 2014 at 12:05 pm

      Many cheesecake recipes require starch in the filling because it provides the cheesecake with some texture and a little bit of lift. The protein powder does a similar thing, except it adds protein and some flavor too 🙂 If you don’t have protein powder, I would recommend increasing the starch to 1/4 cup, the vanilla extract to 1 tsp and the stevia extract by about 10-20 drops. I haven’t tried this, but I’m sure it will work out just fine 🙂
      Hope you like the cheesecake!
      -Jess

      Reply

18. Trish — May 6, 2014 at 10:57 am

    Hi Jess,

    Just made this yum! I reduced crust by 1/3. If your readers can’t find arrowroot, tapioca flour works great as well. Question for you, would this benefit from some egg whites? I always have them on hand. Just to give it a little lift? It’s dense and I wouldn’t mind the extra calories/protein of egg whites.

    Reply

    • dessertswithbenefits — May 6, 2014 at 9:07 pm

      Trish-
      YAY I’m so glad you got to try the recipe!!
      I’m not sure why it was gloppy… perhaps it needed a little bit more time in the oven?
      And egg whites can be added no problem! You could probably use around 3-4? If you try that out, I hope you like it 🙂
      Thanks!
      -Jess

      Reply

19. Kajsa Eriksson — June 29, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Jessica 🙂
    I’m a sixteen year old girl from Sweden. At first i want to thank you for all your amazing recipes. Because they really are AMAZING!

    I have both casein and whey protein powder at home, but since this recipe just calls for “protein powder”, I wonder which one to use…
    Whey protein.. . or am i right? Thanks! 🙂

    Reply

    • dessertswithbenefits — June 30, 2014 at 1:38 pm

      Thank you so much, I’m glad you like the recipes!! Sorry about the confusion. I used whey protein powder in this cheesecake. I’ll add “whey” to the recipe 🙂
      I hope you like the cheesecake!
      -Jess

      Reply

20. Kajsa Eriksson — June 29, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    Was commenting from my phone and didn’t see the link to the protein powder you use, but now i could see it. Whey was it… 🙂

    Reply

21. shweta — January 9, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    can fat free ricotta cheese be used for this? or fat free cottage cheese?

    Reply

    • Jessica | Desserts with Benefits — January 12, 2015 at 8:03 pm

      I haven’t tried this recipe using ricotta or cottage cheese so I can’t be sure, but if you’re up for some recipe testing I’d use 32oz of ricotta or cottage cheese instead of the cream cheese and Greek yogurt.
      Hope this works out for you!
      -Jess

      Reply

22. Camila — June 17, 2015 at 9:05 pm

    Do u think I could use all purpose flour instead of arrowroot? Also is the protein powder optional?

    Reply

    • Jessica | Desserts with Benefits — June 19, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      I’m pretty sure flour can substitute the arrowroot starch, but if you have corn starch on hand, I’d recommend that instead.
      As for the protein powder, it’s not optional… you may be able to replace it with 2 eggs though. I haven’t tried that though. I hope these substitutions work out for you! 😀
      -Jess

      Reply

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