Healthy Crustless Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Nutty and creamy, this cheesecake recipe is made with a Quick and Easy Chickpea Cookie Dough loaded with chocolate chips. It's a delicious way to get your cheesecake fix all the while enjoying the benefits of a dessert that's gluten-free, high in fiber and lower in calories.

If you can say in one breath Healthy Crustless Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake, I salute you, but bear with me in this one. We’re making cheesecake with chickpea cookie dough, and it matters because many of us are trying to stay clear from excess calories and gluten. Still, we all deserve a creamy, sweet treat from time to time.

This is no regular cheesecake, though. Forget about the classic pie crust and the wobbly cheesecake filling; this is a proper rustic cheesecake made in a loaf pan — you’ve never tried a cheesecake like this one, and I’m sure you’ll love it. It’s so compact and silken smooth you just want to bite into it.

The best part? This pretty, not-so-common cheesecake is quite easy to put together, especially if you make the chickpea cookie dough beforehand (I always have some in the freezer). The rest is protein-rich Greek yogurt, cream cheese, one large egg and some chocolate chips. Everything is better with chocolate chips!

Before we get started, let me tell you this cheesecake is as pretty as it is tasty. It’s a fantastic housewarming gift, and it’s stable enough to carry around to your next dinner party. This is a cheesecake reinvented — healthier and tastier!

Ingredients Used to Make This

_{**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

• Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) – Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, phosphorous, chickpeas have a satisfying nutty flavor and great additions to a healthy diet. I used canned chickpeas but you can also use chickpeas you’ve cooked yourself.
• Almond flour – I used blanched almond flour. But you can also make your own by blending raw or blanched, slivered almonds in the food processor and sifting them through a sieve.
• Almond Butter - like this one. You can also use other natural nut butters like pecan butter, walnut butter, cashew butter, mixed nut butter, or even seed butter like sunflower. So many choices!
• Maple Syrup or Honey - I used honey for this recipe but you can use other liquid sweeteners of choice like maple syrup, agave syrup, or liquid stevia
• Chocolate Chips - you can use any kind. I like the low-carb, keto friendly chocolate chips these
• Cream Cheese - I used regular, but dairy free should work, too
• Greek Yogurt - I used Fage Greek Yogurt, but other yogurts should work
• Egg - I used regular large eggs

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins for Chickpea Cookie Dough Cheesecake:

• There are so many add in options for this recipe. Add some nuts, dried fruits or different types of chocolate chips to keep this cheesecake interesting.
• Double Chocolate Chip cheesecake! Just add 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder when folding in the chocolate chips to the batter.
• Coffee or mocha? Add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder.
• Chai or Cardamom? Add 1 tsp of Cardamom or Chai Tea Powder.
• Add natural flavoring / extracts. You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I didn't feel like it was essential so I left it out in this recipe), or other flavorings or extracts, such as caramel flavoring, hazelnut extract or almond extract.

How to Make this Cheesecake Healthier

• Add antioxidants: Did you know that cinnamon, matcha and turmeric are all good sources of antioxidants?  Add a teaspoon or two of some of these superfood powders to make this recipe even better!
• Increase fiber: Add a Tablespoon of ground flaxseed or coconut flour.. Add a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition to the cake.
• For a protein boost, you can also add 1 scoop of protein powder of your choice. I've tried using an unsweetened plant-based protein powder. You can also use chocolate protein powder 
• Reduce sugar: You can also reduce the sugar by half (to make this less sweet), or replace it altogether with a sugar-free substitute.

What are some ways you can eat this Cheesecake?

• Plain and cold
• Served with fruit
• Drizzled with chocolate syrup, honey or maple syrup

How to Store

• You can store this cheesecake in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze up to 4 months.

Final Tips

• Be sure to line your baking pan with a parchment pan to get the best results!

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