Love pumpkin cheesecake? These pumpkin cheesecake protein bars are just like the real thing, only no cream cheese! Made with greek yogurt, these are packed with protein, gluten-free, and complete with a gingersnap crust.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
2 cups non-fat greek yogurt
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned pumpkin)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
2 Tbsp gluten free flour (or if not gluten free use all purpose)
½ cup stevia for baking (or I used 12 packets of NuNaturals) *use whatever sweetener you prefer & taste for sweetness and add more if needed
For the Crust
¾ cup crumbs from gluten-free gingersnap cookies (I used 3 of these PatsyPie Snappy Ginger Cookies) *could also use graham cracker crumbs
½ cup whey protein, vanilla (I used Whey Gourmet, vanilla) *or sub for extra cookie crumbs if preferred
3 Tbsp ground flax seed (or whole chia seeds)
5 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil), melted
30 drops stevia (I used NuNaturals vanilla stevia drops) *optional
For the Topping (optional)
1½ squares of Baker's White Chocolate, melted (or 42 grams white chocolate chips)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), whisk the eggs, add in the greek yogurt, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and whisk until smooth. Then, add in the stevia and flour a little at a time, whisking after each addition.
Once the cheesecake filling is whisked until smooth, set aside
Next, start the base. Mist or lightly oil an 8x8 pan.
In a bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, flax, whey protein and liquid stevia (if using).
Once dry ingredients combined, drizzle in the melted butter and stir until its all combined.
Press the graham crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the 8x8 square pan. Ensure you pack it down firmly.
Then pour over the cheesecake filling and spread it around so its even.
Place in the oven and bake for approx. 45-50 minutes
When its done, it will just start to go golden around the edges, start pulling away from the pan, and won't jiggle when wiggled slightly.
If it still seems too liquidy in the middle, bake for a few minutes longer.
Allow to cool completely.
If drizzling with white chocolate (optional), melt the chocolate in the microwave or on the stove, then drizzle over the entire cheesecake with a fork or spoon.
Then put into the fridge and allow to chill completely. It will take 2+ hours to completely chill in the fridge.
Keep stored in the fridge with tin foil over top of the pan, or cut into bars, and transfer to a container.
Notes
Nutrition for 1 square (with white chocolate) Calories: 124 Fat: 6.6 g (3.4 g saturated) Sodium: 74 mg Carbs: 10 g Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 5.5 g Protein: 7.2 g
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 square Calories: 110 Saturated fat: 3 g Carbs: 8.7 g Sugar: 4 g Sodium: 72 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 7.2 g
Recipe by Busy But Healthy at https://busybuthealthy.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-protein-bars/