Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake
If you're craving a rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake but you don't want all the calories, you have found the perfect fall dessert! My Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake has only 267 calories per slice. There's 17 grams LESS fat than the Cheesecake Factory's Pumpkin Cheesecake. Plus today's recipe has the added bonus of 9 grams of protein thanks to my favorite secret ingredient! You won't believe your taste buds!
Ingredients
- 5 ounces gingersnap cookies plus more for garnish if desired
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 16 ounces non-fat cottage cheese
- 12 oz Neufchatel cheese 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons powdered tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3 eggs
- 15 ounces unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray. See note*. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
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Grind cookies to a fine meal in food processor. Drizzle in butter and process, scraping sides as needed until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set the springform pan into a roasting pan and set aside.
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Clean food processor and add cottage cheese. Process the cottage cheese in the food processor until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scraping down sides once.
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Beat Neufchatel cheese, sugar, brown sugar, tapioca and pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low until the tapioca and spice is incorporated.
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Add in eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and the cottage cheese. Beat on medium low, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionallyuntil no streaks remain.
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Pour the batter into the spring-form pan over the crumb crust. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan to create a hot water bath for the cake and carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until set but slightly wobbly in the center when gently shaken, 70 to 78 minutes.
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Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let cake cool in the water bath until the water is room temperature. Remove the spring-form pan from the water bath and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight if desired.
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Run a knife along the edge of the pan. Remove sides of the spring-form pan. Transfer cake to a cake stand if desired or just leave it on the pan bottom. Garnish with whipped cream and gingersnaps if desired.
Recipe Notes
For Leaky Springform Pans: If your springform pan is older and doesn't form a tight seal, you can double-wrap the outside of it with aluminum foil to prevent the water bath from seeping into the cracks and making your cheesecake watery.
Prep Ahead: You'll need to refrigerate the cake after it is baked for about 4 hours or until it is very cold. This will set the tapioca starch to give the cake firm texture. If you want to make it in advance, you can refrigerate it overnight. However, after a day or two the liquid in the dairy will start to weep and the crust will get wet so we suggest serving this cheesecake within the first 24 hours after baking it.