High Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars

Introduction

High Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars are a smart, flavorful twist on a classic dessert. With a creamy, protein-packed filling and a tender, spiced crust, these bars offer satisfying nutrition while indulging your fall cravings. They’re perfect for meal prep, holiday gatherings, or as a wholesome treat to power you through the week—all without sacrificing any pumpkin pie flavor you love.

Why High Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars Are a Winner

This recipe stands out for its irresistible combo of comforting pumpkin pie flavors and extra protein, thanks to the surprise addition of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese not only adds a boost of protein but also creates a luxuriously creamy filling without the need for heavy cream, making these bars both lighter and more nourishing than traditional pumpkin desserts.

Preparing the Creamy, Protein-Rich Filling

For a smooth and luscious filling, blend cottage cheese until completely creamy before folding it into the pumpkin mixture. This takes only a few minutes but creates a texture similar to a classic custard. Enhanced with just the right blend of pumpkin spice, the end result is a perfectly balanced filling—rich, satisfying, and full of autumn flavor.

Assembling Your Pumpkin Pie Bars

A simple crust forms the foundation for these bars; you’ll layer the creamy pumpkin pie filling right on top before baking to perfection. Once baked and cooled, the bars become neatly sliceable—great for sharing, snacking, or layering into your weekly meal prep rotation.

Serving Suggestions for a Crowd-Pleasing Dessert

Serve your Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars chilled with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of cinnamon for a festive finish. These bars are easy to pack for lunchboxes and make an impressive tray-bake option for potlucks, while also being nutritious enough for a post-workout snack.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 12 bars. Each serving contains approximately 140-160 calories, 8 grams of protein, 4g fat, and 15g carbohydrates—an excellent nutritional profile for a sweet treat, especially compared to traditional pumpkin pie.

High Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars (Recap)

These bars combine all the nostalgic flavor of pumpkin pie with modern, high-protein ingredients. What you get: the perfect make-ahead snack or dessert—full of flavor and built to fuel.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—ideal for efficient grocery trips and healthy meal planning.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up.
2. Make the Crust: In a large bowl, mix the oats, almond flour, protein powder, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven while you make the filling.
3. Blend the Filling: In a blender or food processor, blend cottage cheese until completely smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch. Blend until fully combined and smooth.
4. Pour the pumpkin pie filling over the pre-baked crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
5. Bake for 32-36 minutes, or until the filling is set and just slightly wobbly in the center.
6. Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing.
7. Cut into 12 bars and serve chilled, with a dollop of whipped cream or extra cinnamon if desired.

Weekly Meal Planning

These High Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie Bars fit right into your weekly meal prep routine—perfect for breakfast, post-gym snacks, or healthy desserts. Save and schedule this recipe to automatically generate smart shopping lists, plan your baking day, and see how your ingredients overlap with other healthy meals in your week.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically consolidate ingredient totals for all your planned meals
• Organize shopping lists by grocery aisle for fastest shopping trips
• Eliminate duplicate ingredient purchases and reduce food waste
• Streamline weekly meal planning—making healthier eating easy and sustainable

Pro tip: Schedule your baking and meal recipes together to manage overlapping items like eggs or maple syrup—so you buy exactly the right amount every week.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (including chilling)