This healthy pumpkin cheesecake is made with thick Greek yogurt instead of pounds of cream cheese. It has no eggs, no crust and no refined sugar, and it still slices like a real cheesecake. It’s all mixed in one bowl, and it bakes without a water bath.

It’s built on my Baked Yogurt Cheesecake, the same creamy base, now with pumpkin puree and warm pumpkin pie spice for fall. Each slice has about 9 g of protein, most of it from Greek yogurt and milk powder. There’s no protein powder in it.

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Quick recipe overview


Prep time	15 minutes
Bake time	30–35 minutes
Cool time	1 hour
Chill time	4 hours minimum
Total time	About 5 hours 50 minutes
Servings	4 slices
Pan	5×5-inch springform or removable-bottom pan
Calories	About 171 per slice
Protein	About 9 g per slice
Diet	Eggless, gluten-free, vegetarian, no refined sugar

Why you’ll love this recipe

No eggs. Cornstarch and milk powder set the filling, so there are no eggs to overbake or crack.
No refined sugar. It’s sweetened with monk fruit sweetener or allulose.
About 9 g protein per slice from Greek yogurt and milk powder, with no protein powder.
One bowl, no water bath. You whisk everything together, pour it into the pan and bake.
Crustless and naturally gluten-free. There’s no graham cracker crust to press or pre-bake.
Small batch. Four slices, so you can make it for two or three people without a full 9-inch cheesecake in the fridge.

Ingredients

Greek yogurt, ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (200 g). This is the base and the main protein source. Choose plain, thick Greek yogurt with no added sugar. Strain thin yogurt through a coffee filter for 1–2 hours first, because runny yogurt gives a soft, weepy set. Nonfat or 2% both work, and full-fat makes it creamier. A higher-protein brand raises the protein per slice.
Cream cheese, 3 oz (90 g), softened. It gives the classic cheesecake flavor and richness. Use a regular brick, not whipped or spreadable cream cheese from a tub. It must be at room temperature, because cold cream cheese makes lumps.
Pumpkin puree, ⅓ cup + 2 teaspoons (90 g). Use canned 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Blot it on paper towels to remove extra moisture.
Monk fruit sweetener, 3 tablespoons (35 g). Use a granulated monk fruit blend or allulose. Allulose browns faster, so watch the top.
Cornstarch, 2½ tablespoons (20 g). This does the job eggs normally do and sets the filling. Don’t skip it or cut it.
Nonfat dry milk powder, 4½ tablespoons (30 g). It adds protein and body. Look for nonfat dry milk in the baking aisle. Weigh it if you can, because instant and regular powders measure differently by the spoon.
Lemon juice, 2 teaspoons. It brightens the flavor and gives the classic cheesecake tang.
Pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon. Or use ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, and a pinch each of nutmeg and cloves.
Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon.
Salt, 1 pinch.

Equipment

5×5-inch springform pan or removable-bottom pan. A 6-inch round pan has a similar area, so start checking it 5 minutes earlier.
Mixing bowl and whisk, or a hand mixer
Parchment paper
Skewer or toothpick for the swirl
Kitchen scale (recommended)

How to make healthy pumpkin cheesecake

Prep. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line the pan with parchment. Take the cream cheese and yogurt out of the fridge ahead of time so they come to room temperature.
Make the base batter. Whisk the cream cheese alone until completely smooth and lump-free. Add the Greek yogurt, milk powder, cornstarch, monk fruit, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Whisk until thick and creamy. It should hold soft ribbons, like thick frosting, not pour like pancake batter.
Reserve the swirl batter. Scoop 3 tablespoons of the plain batter into a small bowl and set it aside.
Add the pumpkin. Whisk the blotted pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into the remaining batter until the color is even, with no orange streaks.
Fill and swirl. Pour the pumpkin batter into the pan and tap it gently to level it. Dot the reserved plain batter on top and drag a skewer through the dots to make the swirl.
Bake 30–35 minutes. It’s done when the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble, like set gelatin. Don’t wait for the center to firm up in the oven, and don’t let the top brown.
Cool. Let it cool to room temperature on the counter, about 1 hour.
Chill at least 4 hours. This is when it turns from soft custard into a firm, sliceable cheesecake. Don’t judge the texture while it’s warm.
Slice. Unmold, then cut with a hot knife, wiping it clean between cuts.

Tips for the best pumpkin cheesecake

Room temperature matters most. Cold cream cheese causes lumps, and lumps now mean a grainy cheesecake later.
Beat the cream cheese first, before anything else goes in.
Blot the pumpkin. Extra liquid is the most common reason the center stays soft.
Pull it with a wobble. It keeps setting as it cools and chills.
Taste the batter. Pumpkin is less sweet than berries, so add up to 1 more tablespoon of sweetener if you like.

Common mistakes

Problem	Why it happens	Fix
Lumpy, grainy texture	Cold cream cheese	Bring it to room temperature and beat it smooth before adding anything else.
Soft or runny center	Wet pumpkin, thin yogurt, or not chilled long enough	Blot the pumpkin, use thick yogurt, chill a full 4 hours or overnight.
Rubbery or cracked top	Overbaked	Pull it while the center still wobbles.
Browned top	Oven runs hot, or allulose	Check your oven with a thermometer, and tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Messy slices	Cut warm, or with a cold, dry knife	Chill fully, then use a hot, wiped knife.

Substitutions

Original	Substitute	Effect	Recommended?
Greek yogurt	Skyr or strained plain yogurt	Similar thickness and protein	Yes
Monk fruit blend	Allulose, same weight	Browns faster	Yes, watch the top
Cream cheese	Light (Neufchâtel) cream cheese	Slightly softer set, fewer calories	Yes
Pumpkin puree	Pumpkin pie filling	Too sweet and pre-spiced, and changes the set	No
Cornstarch	Arrowroot	Untested here	Not yet tested
Milk powder	Protein powder	Untested and changes texture	No

Variations

Maple pumpkin: Add ½ tsp maple extract (not syrup, which adds sugar and liquid).
Chai spice: Swap the pumpkin pie spice for chai spice.
Pecan topping: Scatter chopped toasted pecans on top after chilling.

Storage

Store it covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. To freeze, wrap slices individually for up to 1 week, then thaw overnight in the fridge. The texture may soften slightly after freezing.

Make-ahead

This is a good make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving. Bake it the day before and let it chill overnight. It slices best cold.

Serving suggestions

A dollop of Greek yogurt and a pinch of cinnamon
Toasted pecans or walnuts
Lightly whipped cream for a holiday table

Nutrition (per slice, 1 of 4)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	About 171
Protein	About 9 g
Carbohydrates	About 14 g (plus ~9 g from erythritol in the sweetener, not counted)
Fat	About 9 g
Saturated fat	About 5 g
Fiber	About 1 g
Sugar	About 7.5 g, all from the dairy and pumpkin
Added sugar	0 g
Sodium	About 166 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the brands and ingredients used. It assumes 2% plain Greek yogurt, regular cream cheese, canned pumpkin, and an erythritol-based monk fruit blend.

What the numbers mean: Most of the protein comes from the Greek yogurt and nonfat dry milk. There’s no added sugar, and the natural sugars come from the milk and pumpkin. Most of the fat comes from the cream cheese, which is why only 3 oz is used.

FAQ

Can I make pumpkin cheesecake without eggs? Yes. Cornstarch and milk powder set this one, so it needs no eggs at all.

Do I need a water bath? No. The low oven temperature and the eggless batter mean it bakes without one.

Is this pumpkin cheesecake gluten-free? Every ingredient is naturally gluten-free and there’s no crust. Check your cornstarch and spice labels if you need a certified gluten-free dessert.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree? No. It’s already sweetened and spiced, and it will throw off both the flavor and the set.

Why is my cheesecake soft in the middle? Usually wet pumpkin, thin yogurt or too little chilling. Blot the pumpkin and chill it at least 4 hours.

How much protein is in it? About 9 g per slice when cut into 4. Cut it into 3 for about 12 g.

Can I double it? yes you can

Can I make it less sweet? Yes. Reduce the monk fruit to 2 tablespoons.

Can I make it ahead? Yes, a day ahead is ideal. It slices best after an overnight chill.

Final thoughts

If you love pumpkin cheesecake but not the eggs, the sugar or the crust, this is the version to make this fall. It’s one bowl, has about 9 g of protein per slice, and slices clean after a night in the fridge. Make it, then tell me how it turned out in the comments.