Chocolate Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

You can whip up this rich yet light chocolate cottage cheese cheesecake in a blender in 5 minutes! Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt give this an extra boost of protein (no cream cheese needed!) with cocoa powder and melted chocolate for a rich flavor.

If you love my regular cottage cheese cheesecake, you’ll love this chocolate version! Chocolate cheesecake was my gateway into liking cheesecake–if you don’t love the flavor of plain cheesecake, this one’s for you. Once this settles overnight, this has the creaminess and tang of regular cheesecake but with a less heavy feel and a light chocolate flavor.

You’d never know this was made with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese. And it only takes a few minutes to make the filling in a blender!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick to make: Made entirely in a blender or food processor, this cheesecake is a breeze to make. It only takes 5-10 minutes to assemble and 35-40 minutes to bake. Even without a water bath, this bakes up nice and creamy.
• Packed with protein: Thanks to simple ingredients like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, you get all the smooth creaminess of a classic cheesecake with extra protein. No cream cheese or sour cream needed–a great option for a healthier dessert!
• Rich in flavor: This cheesecake uses cocoa powder and melted chocolate for a flavor that’s just as delicious as regular chocolate cheesecake but feels much lighter!

How I developed this recipe

Using my original cottage cheese cheesecake as a starting point, I started by adding cocoa powder and melted semisweet chocolate to the base while omitting the lemon and cornstarch (figuring that the cocoa could add the structure that cornstarch provides). However, I found this result a little too wet with a curd-like structure.

For my next test, I added the original amount of cornstarch back in and using milk chocolate because I ran out of semisweet chocolate. This achieved the texture I wanted, but I found the milk chocolate too sweet.

Finally, using the cornstarch along with a 60% semisweet chocolate achieved my ideal texture and flavor! I also baked all of my trials in a loaf pan rather than my usual 6″ cake pan as I wanted to test it in a more common baking pan. This worked very well, and I love the aesthetic of cutting the final cheesecake into little triangles (or rectangular slabs would look cute as well).

Equipment note: Although it’s easiest to bake cheesecake in a springform pan for easier removal, you can also bake this in a regular cake pan. Make sure to line the cake pan with a sheet of parchment creased to fit the pan (like a basque cheesecake) for easy removal.

For other baking pan options, a double batch of this cheesecake can also be baked in an 8×8, 9×9 or 8″ or 9″ round pan (thickness will vary slightly depending on what size pan you use).

To adjust the baking time for any of the above pan options, I would start checking on the cheesecake at 30 minutes, but plan to add 10-15 minutes more of bake time OR until you reach all the visual indicators–the cheesecake is puffed with set edges and a slightly jiggly (not sloshy) middle.

Ingredient notes

• Cottage cheese: This is the key ingredient that provides structure and flavor to the cheesecake. I’ve tried using both full-fat and low-fat cottage cheese (2%) for this recipe, but you can use any fat content. More fat will yield a richer flavor.
• Greek yogurt: I’ve tried this with both nonfat and 2% Greek yogurt successfully. Again, you can use yogurt of any fat content without significantly changing the texture.
• Large eggs: Just one egg is crucial for body and structure in the cheesecake. I always bake with large eggs.
• Granulated sugar: I’ve only used granulated sugar in this recipe for a neutral flavor base. I successfully made my pumpkin cheesecake version with maple syrup, but I wouldn’t recommend this unless you want a maple flavor in your cheesecake. I haven’t tried substituted another dry sweetener like Monkfruit or Stevia (but several commenters have tried this in my original cottage cheese cheesecake with success!).
• Cocoa powder: Both cocoa powder and melted chocolate add a rich depth of flavor in this cheesecake. You can use either natural or Dutch-process cocoa–I slightly prefer Dutch-process for a richer color, but either works.
• Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate: Semisweet chocolate varies wildly in sweetness. I tested this with a 60% semisweet chocolate and enjoyed the flavor, though I could have gone even higher with the cocoa percentage. I also tested this with milk chocolate and found it too sweet (but some chocolate labeled semisweet can contain as little as 35% cocoa solids and may give you a result similar to using milk chocolate). If you prefer a less sweet flavor, I would choose a semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate with a cocoa percentage between 60-70%.
• Cornstarch: The tiny bit of starch is key for binding the filling and helping to keep it creamy–otherwise the texture can get a little wet and almost curd-like.
• Chocolate sandwich cookies: An Oreo crust felt like the natural pairing for this cheesecake, though you can also swap in graham crackers, Biscoff cookies, shortbread cookies, or the cookies of your choice if you want a different vibe.
• Unsalted butter: You’ll just use a small amount of butter to bind the cookie crust together. You can also use salted butter and omit the pinch of salt, or sub refined coconut oil for the butter.

How to make chocolate cottage cheese cheesecake

This chocolate cottage cheese cheesecake is super easy to make. Once you par-bake the Oreo crust, you’ll just add all the cheesecake ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend them until smooth, then bake!

Serving and storage

Although you can enjoy this cheesecake right away, I find the texture is much better after chilling the cheesecake overnight, or at least for a few hours. When fresh, the texture has a slightly bouncier, airier texture, but once it sits, it settles into a creamier consistency closer to traditional cheesecake.

Try serving this with a drizzle of chocolate and fresh raspberries or strawberries! A fruit compote would also work well.

Cheesecake can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. I wouldn’t recommend freezing the baked cheesecake.