Healthy No Bake Protein Cheesecake Cups (5 flavors)

I've never had such a highly requested recipe in my four years of food blogging and I'm so excited to share it!

I posted about my mini protein cheesecakes in my Instagram stories a few days ago and it got reposted on an account with over a million followers. All of a sudden I had dozens of DMs asking for the recipe and so I literally wrote the blog post in 24 hours, which I've never done before.

But these cheesecakes are THAT good that it's totally worth the rush! And I actually prefer these mini cheesecakes over a normal cheesecake because they're pre-portioned for easy snacking and they're no-bake, which means the fridge and freezer do all the work.

The next time your taste buds are craving a sweet treat, these high protein cheesecakes are the perfect dessert!

‍

Why you'll love this recipe

• High protein: each mini cheesecake has 6g protein to keep your blood sugar balanced and help you feel fuller longer.
• Easy to make: shape the crust, pour in the filling, and chill. That's it!
• Real food ingredients: no pudding mix, no weird ingredients, just real food thanks to Just Ingredients protein and Simple Mills crackers!
• No bake: no cracked cheesecake, no water baths, and no eggs.
• Anti-inflammatory: this recipe is naturally gluten free and refined sugar free, so even people with insulin resistance, diabetes, or [some] autoimmune diseases can enjoy them!

‍

‍

​Ingredients you'll need

Note: these are the ingredients that the recipe has been tested and perfected with. If you want to know about certain substitutions, see the FAQ section below.

​For the cheesecake filling

• Just Ingredients protein powder: the star of the show. This is the best protein powder because it's made with real food ingredients and doesn't have any artificial flavorings or sweeteners, emulsifiers, gums, or food dyes. This means that it blends really well into the cream cheese!
• Cream cheese: exactly one block, no more, no less. I prefer the neufchatel (1/3 less fat) cream cheese so it still has some flavor from the fat but it's not fat heavy. You can use any cream cheese, including fat free cream cheese, but I don't recommend the latter because the cheesecakes won't be as rich or flavorful.
• Greek yogurt: to make the recipe make exactly 12 cheesecakes, I needed a bit more bulk in the filling but I didn't want to use half of a block of cream cheese. I found that just 1/4 cup of greek yogurt adds more filling, more creaminess, more protein, and more flavor in just the right proportions. For the best results, I recommend nonfat vanilla, but any will work.
• Almond milk:​ to thin out the cream cheese filling. Feel free to use any milk you'd like.
• Nut butter:​ depending on the flavor you choose, you could use peanut, almond, or cashew, but you only need 1 tablespoon.
• Stevia: to sweeten the filling without adding extra sugar or calories.  

For the crust

• Simple mills graham crackers: I love these because they're naturally gluten free, low sugar, and made with real food ingredients. I also wrote the recipe to use exactly one box, so it's really easy to multiply the recipe! (aka no counting sleeves of graham crackers lol). You can find these crackers at almost any major grocery store, and depending on the cheesecake flavor you choose, you'll either want the original graham crackers or the chocolate ones.
• Butter: I prefer grass fed butter but any butter will work. I haven't tried this recipe with coconut oil, so let me know if you try it and it works!
• Coconut sugar: ​to sweeten the graham cracker crust. I prefer this sugar because it's unrefined and has more nutrients in it, but you could use granulated sugar too.

​

Tools you'll need

• Food processor
• Silicone cupcake liners
• Hand mixer with large bowl
• Measuring spoons
• 12 ct. muffin tin
• Airtight container (optional)

‍

‍

How to make this recipe

Note: this is the simplified version of the instructions. For the entire recipe, including the nutrition facts, see the recipe card below.​

Step 1: make the cheesecake crust

Melt the butter in the microwave until completely liquid, then let cool five minutes.

Pulse the crackers, coconut sugar, and salt in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Slowly drip in the butter while running the food processor until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Line a muffin tin with silicone cupcake liners, then spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons crust into each cup. Gently but firmly press the crust along the bottom and sides of each silicone liner. Repeat until all the crumbs have been used.

Flash freeze the crust for one hour.

Step 2: make the cheesecake mixture

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature cream cheese and protein powder until mostly combined. Add in the greek yogurt, milk, stevia, and nut butter, mixing until completely combined and smooth.

Your filling should easily slide off a silicone spatula but not be runny. Depending on what protein flavor you chose, you might need a tablespoon extra milk to help the filling get to the right consistency.

Step 3: fill the crusts

Once the crust has frozen for an hour, remove from the freezer and fill each cup with a heaping 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling.

You should have exactly enough for each cheesecake to completely cover the crust but not overflow out of the mold.

If you want to add fruit, mini chocolate chips, or a chocolate ganache, this is the time to do it.

Step 4: freeze and chill

Once the cheesecakes are assembled, flash freeze for 1.5-2 hours to set the filling.

Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Store in the fridge until ready to serve, up to one week.

​Step 5: garnish and serve

When you're ready to eat, just eat them straight out of the fridge! No need to soften or thaw.

If you want to go the extra mile, you could make some homemade whipped cream (or just use cool whip lol) to go on top.

‍

‍

Try different flavors

The cheesecake images are the lemon cheesecakes, but I've made so many different versions of them! Just pick your favorite Just Ingredients protein powder (each flavor is linked) and get baking!

For each flavor below, I'll specify which protein you'll need, which cookies, and which nut butter you'll need for the perfect combination.

• Vanilla mint (seasonal protein flavor) with chocolate cookies and cashew butter
• Chocolate mint with chocolate cookies and almond butter
• Mixed berry with graham cookies and almond butter
• Lemon swish (pictured) with graham cookies and cashew butter
• Pumpkin spice (seasonal flavor) with almond butter
• Vanilla peppermint (seasonal flavor) with chocolate cookies and cashew butter
• Chocolate peppermint (seasonal flavor) with chocolate cookies and cashew butter
• Peanut butter chocolate with chocolate cookies and peanut butter
• Strawberries and cream with graham cookies and almond butter
• Salted caramel with either cookies and cashew butter
• Snickerdoodle with graham cookies and almond butter
• Chocolate or coconut chocolate with chocolate cookies and cashew butter
• "Just Plain" or vanilla with graham cookies and cashew butter for a classic cheesecake flavor

TLDR: there's lots of flavors to choose from. Click the underlined green text to shop and use my code "thewellnourishedmama" for 10% off at checkout!

Need a recommendation? The reader favorite is the vanilla mint and my other two favorites are the lemon and pumpkin spice!

‍

‍

Frequently asked questions

​Is this recipe gluten free?

Yes! If you make the recipe as written, it is naturally gluten free, grain free, and refined sugar free.

​Can this recipe be made dairy free?

Unfortunately not. If you're looking for a dairy free protein cheesecake, you could try this vegan protein cheesecake recipe.

Can this recipe be made nut free?

No. Every Just Ingredients protein powder uses coconut milk in their formula. However, you can use a different seed butter, regular granulated sugar, and nut-free milk.

What can I use instead of greek yogurt?

I think whipped cottage cheese would be the best substitute. If you choose to use more cream cheese, try another 2 oz cream cheese with 2 tablespoons milk (I haven't tested this though).

What can I use instead of stevia?

You can use half as much granulated sugar, but it might not be as sweet.

Can I use another protein powder brand?

You could, but the liquid ratio will be different. Other protein powders have different consistencies, especially if they have gums in it or if they're vegan, so you'll have to be mindful of the consistency of the cheesecake filling. For the best results, use Just Ingredients protein powder!

What can I use in place of the simple mills crackers?

Equal amounts (by weight) of graham crackers, Oreo cookies, or even biscoff cookies will work. Just make sure to measure them by weight, not volume!

Can these mini cheesecakes be made into one big cheesecake?

Sure! I'd double the crust and triple the filling to make enough for a traditional springform pan, then double the freeze time and the chill time.

How long do these cheesecakes last?

These will last up to one week in the fridge, either in an airtight container or just in the original uncovered muffin tin.

‍

‍

If you made it this far, that means it's time to bake! Grab your grocery list and make these no bake cheesecake cups ASAP!

Head to the Just Ingredients website and use my discount code "thewellnourishedmama" for 10% off your order.

As always, please leave a five star rating and review if you loved the recipe so other readers know how you liked it!