These low carb sopapilla protein cheesecake bars are full of flavor, and the layers make them so easy to pick up for a quick keto-friendly snack. Each piece has 8g protein and only 1g carbs!
Traditional sopapilla cheesecake bars call for pastry dough crust filled with cheesecake. So for the top and bottom layers here, I wanted to create a layer that would be lighter than a crust and have a higher fat content than a cake. Adding some Neufchâtel cheese (low-fat cream cheese) to a cake-like mixture worked well! And I added a few drops of toffee flavored stevia to add a little sweet, buttery flavor. Topped with a cinnamon stevia blend, these cheesecake bars are delicious!
This protein cheesecake filling here is similar to the one I use for my Creamy Protein Cheesecake Recipe and my Single Serve Protein Cheesecake Recipe.
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Ingredients
This recipe has three layers and a cinnamon stevia topping. The top and bottom layers are the same, and the middle layer is the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake recipes come out best when all ingredients are at room temperature.
For the top and bottom layers:
- Neufchâtel or cream cheese
- egg whites
- toffee flavored stevia
- vanilla vegan protein powder
For the cheesecake filling:
- Neufchâtel or cream cheese
- stevia
- an egg
- Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
- vanilla whey protein powder
- vanilla extract
Cinnamon topping
- ground cinnamon
- stevia
The recipe card below has the full recipe details.
Equipment
You'll need bowls and spoons to mix the ingredients. And it would be easier if you had a hand mixer to get the cream cheese fully combined with the other ingredients.
I also highly recommend using an oven thermometer. You'd be surprised at the actual temperature of your oven when you use a thermometer!
I used a glass baking dish, but any baking pan of similar size (7" or 8" square) will do.
And you'll want to line the bakeware with parchment paper so you can remove the bake easily.
How to make the sopapilla cheesecake bars:
- Preheat your oven to 325F (163C), and line your baking pan.
- Begin preparing the top and bottom layers by mixing Neufchâtel (or cream cheese) with egg whites and toffee stevia until combined.
- Add the vanilla plant protein and mix well.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the pan, and set aside.
- Prepare cheesecake filling by mixing all the filling ingredients on low speed (or by hand) until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon cheesecake filling over the bottom layer. Smooth out with your spoon.
- Spoon the remaining top/bottom layer over the cheesecake layer. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and stevia for the topping, and sprinkle over the top layer.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or just until firm.
- Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate.
- Cut into bars, and enjoy!
Substitutions
The vegan protein used in the top and bottom layers is a pea protein blend. I don't think whey protein would work as well, since it would essentially be the the same as the cheesecake filling. If you do try using whey, omit the egg whites.
Feel free to substitute your favorite sweetener in place of the stevia.
Variations
The same inclusions or toppings that you'd add to cheesecake would taste great here, as well. Try adding to the cheesecake filling:
- sugar free chocolate chips
- blueberries
- cherries
- pecans
Storage
🥶 These definitely need to be refrigerated! And they'll be even better the next day.
Top tip
Different protein powders bake very differently, so please follow the notes about substitutions when making protein powder recipes. For more info, see my post about The Best Protein Powders for Baking.
More protein cheesecake deliciousness:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
- Healthy Cheesecake Brownies
- Strawberry Protein Cheesecake Bites
- Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars
- Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse
Recipe
Sopapilla Protein Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- glass baking dish 7" or 8" square, or similarly sized
- hand mixer recommended
- bowls
Ingredients
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Top and bottom layers:
- 1 oz Neufchâtel or cream cheese 2 tablespoons or 28g
- 4 large egg whites 132g
- 4 drops toffee flavored stevia
- ⅓ cup vanilla pea protein blend 33g
Cheesecake filling:
- 4 oz Neufchâtel or cream cheese ½ package or 112g
- 1 packet stevia
- 1 large egg whole (50g)
- ¼ cup fat-free Greek yogurt 57g
- 2 tablespoons vanilla whey protein powder 12g
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon topping:
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2.5ml
- 4 packets stevia
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C).
- Line a 7" or 8" square (or similarly sized) pan with parchment paper.
- Begin to prepare the top and bottom layers by mixing Neufchâtel cheese with egg whites and toffee stevia until combined.
- Add vegan protein powder, and mix well.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the pan, and set aside.
- Prepare cheesecake filling by mixing all the filling ingredients on low speed (or by hand) until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon cheesecake filling over the bottom layer. Smooth out with your spoon.
- Spoon the remaining top/bottom layer over the cheesecake layer. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and stevia for the topping.
- Sprinkle over the top layer.
- Bake at 325F (163C) for about 20 minutes, or until firm. (Try not to overcook, as the cheesecake layer will get more spongey and less creamy.)
- Let cool completely (at room temperature, then refrigerate).
- Cut into bars, and enjoy!
Notes
- sugar free chocolate chips
- blueberries
- cherries
- pecans
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