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

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

Every fall I end up with a half empty can of pumpkin puree in the fridge and no clear plan for it.

That is exactly how this pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake started, and after a few rounds of testing I am happy to report it is now the dessert I make most in October.

It uses cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese, so it brings real protein to the table without any of the heaviness of a classic cheesecake.

The recipe came together after a reader asked for a pumpkin version of my cottage cheese cheesecake, and it kept the best part of the original: everything goes into the blender.

You need six basic ingredients plus a few spices, one blender, and about 10 minutes of prep before it bakes for 30 minutes.

It also uses exactly 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, which makes it a genuinely useful way to finish that leftover can instead of letting it sit in the fridge until Thanksgiving.

There is no water bath, no softened cream cheese, and no long list of dairy to buy. If you have cottage cheese in the refrigerator and pumpkin spice in the cabinet, you are most of the way there.

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you have ever made a traditional cheesecake, you know the drill: softened blocks of cream cheese, a water bath, and a long chill before you can even think about slicing. This one skips almost all of that.

• It comes together in one blender. You measure, blend, and pour. Assembly takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and the oven does the rest.
• No water bath is needed. A steady bake gives you a smooth, creamy surface without the foil wrapping and the boiling kettle.
• There is no cream cheese or sour cream in the filling. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt carry the whole thing, which means more protein per slice and a lighter feel.
• The pumpkin flavor is cozy, not overwhelming. Just 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg keeps it gently spiced and unmistakably fall.
• It works as dessert and as breakfast. A slice with coffee in the morning feels completely reasonable, and the crustless version stirred into Greek yogurt is one of my favorite quick snacks.

It also bakes in about 30 minutes and serves 6, so it fits neatly into a weeknight when you want something that feels special but does not take over your whole afternoon.

Ingredient notes

None of these are hard to find, but a few small choices change the final texture, so here is what I learned while testing.

Cottage cheese. This is the backbone of the filling. I tested with 2 percent, and nonfat and full fat both work fine. Any fat level will set properly, but the higher the fat, the richer the flavor and the silkier the bite. Blend it well so no curds survive.

Greek yogurt. Nonfat and 2 percent both worked in my tests, and again any fat content is fine. It adds tang and helps the filling stay creamy without thinning it out.

Pumpkin puree. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. You need 1/4 cup, and yes, it really is that little.

Sweetener. Six tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup. Dark or light brown sugar both work. I tested both sweeteners side by side and the maple syrup version came out slightly ahead for its soft maple note.

Cornstarch or flour. One and a half tablespoons of either binds the filling and gives it structure. Cornstarch was my slight favorite because it thickens without any floury taste.

Pumpkin spice. One and a half teaspoons of your favorite blend. If you do not have any on hand, stir together 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

The optional crust. Three quarters of a cup of graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter. If you are crushing whole crackers, about 10 to 11 full sheets will get you there.

Recipe notes

This recipe went through a couple of versions before it earned a spot in my fall rotation. The first attempt added 6 tablespoons of pumpkin puree to the base recipe, kept the brown sugar at 1/4 cup in place of the original 2.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and added pumpkin spice.

It smelled promising and tasted flat. Too savory, not sweet enough, and watery enough that the texture never firmed up the way I wanted.

The fix was almost the opposite of what I expected. I cut the pumpkin back to 1/4 cup and raised the brown sugar to 6 tablespoons. That gave me the sweetness and the body I was after, and the pumpkin still came through clearly.

I also ran a side by side test with brown sugar and maple syrup. My tasters and I slightly preferred the maple syrup version, which adds a soft caramel note that plays nicely with the spice.

Both work, so use whatever you keep in the pantry. This recipe is adapted from The Pancake Princess, where the original cottage cheese cheesecake lives.

How to make this pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake

Prep time is about 10 minutes, bake time is about 30 minutes, and the recipe makes 6 slices. Here is everything you need.

For the crust, if you are using one:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 6 inch springform pan. If you want a larger cheesecake, you can double the recipe and bake it in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan.
2. 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.
3. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and fragrant.

For the filling:

1. Combine 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, 6 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup, 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch or flour, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice in a high powered blender. Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides so everything is fully incorporated.
2. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, or straight into a greased 6 inch springform pan, or into a parchment lined 6 inch cake pan for a crustless version.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and have a matte surface. The center should be slightly jiggly, but not sloshy.
4. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight so the texture can settle. You can eat it warm, but I prefer it fully chilled.

The center should look slightly jiggly, not sloshy. If it is still moving like liquid when you nudge the pan, give it a few more minutes in the oven.

One pan note: a springform pan makes removal easy, but a regular cake pan works too if you line the bottom with parchment. If you double the recipe, use an 8 or 9 inch pan.

Storage and serving suggestions

Chilling is not optional if you want the best texture. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature first, then refrigerate it for at least two hours, and ideally overnight. The wait lets the filling set into something denser and creamier, and the flavor deepens too.

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least a week, which makes this a handy make ahead dessert for a busy stretch. I do not recommend freezing the baked cheesecake, since the texture suffers once it thaws.

For serving, a few of my favorite pairings:

• Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon
• Crumbled gingersnaps for crunch
• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
• A drizzle of caramel sauce

The crustless version is just as good eaten plain with a fork, or broken up and stirred into Greek yogurt with a little extra cinnamon. Made with the graham crust, the nutrition works out to about 214 calories per slice across 6 slices.

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cheesecake Every fall I end up with a half empty can of pumpkin puree in the fridge and no clear plan for it. That is exactly how this pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake started, and after a few rounds of testing I am happy to report it is now the dessert I make most in October.

• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 6 slices 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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 (dark or light will work) OR maple syrup
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
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

• Calories: 214kcal