High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes: 13 Cozy Fall Favorites Made With Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese

High-protein pumpkin recipes bring together two of the biggest food trends of the season. Searches for high protein pumpkin cheesecake have jumped about 350 percent in the last month, and everyone seems to be adding cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to their favorite foods. The good news is you do not need protein powder. Everyday foods like eggs, milk, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese can turn pumpkin bread, pancakes, oats and even dessert into something that keeps you full until lunch. Below are cozy fall favorites, each with a full recipe and a rough protein count per serving. Which one are you making first..

High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes Start With This Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Pumpkin season meets protein season: these fall favorites get their boost from Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs, not powders. Start with the dessert everyone is searching for. This pumpkin cheesecake swaps much of the cream cheese for blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, and a slice has about 12 grams of protein. Protein needs vary from person to person, as the Harvard Nutrition Source explains, so talk to your doctor before a big diet change..

You will need: Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 3 tbsp melted butter. Filling: 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, 8 oz light cream cheese (softened), 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup maple syrup or sugar, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F. 2. Press the crust into an 8 or 9 inch pan and bake 8 minutes. 3. Blend the cottage cheese until totally smooth. 4. Add everything else and blend just until mixed. 5. Pour over the crust and bake 50 to 60 minutes until the center barely jiggles. 6. Cool, then chill at least 4 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats With Greek Yogurt

Overnight oats are the easiest of all high-protein pumpkin recipes. Mix oats with milk, plain Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree, and by morning you have a creamy jar that tastes like pumpkin pie. One jar has roughly 17 grams of protein. Make five on Sunday and breakfast is done for the week. Do you eat yours cold or warmed up?

You will need: 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, pinch of salt, chopped pecans for topping.

How to make it: 1. Stir everything except the pecans in a jar. 2. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. 3. Stir in the morning and add a splash of milk if thick. 4. Top with pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.

High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes for Breakfast: Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Blending cottage cheese into pancake batter is a trick that took over social media this year, and it works beautifully with pumpkin. The pancakes come out fluffy and tender, and a stack of three has about 15 grams of protein from the eggs, cottage cheese and milk. Nobody can taste the cottage cheese, we promise. Syrup or yogurt on top?

You will need: 1 cup cottage cheese, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup rolled oats or flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, butter for the pan.

How to make it: 1. Blend everything until smooth. 2. Let the batter rest 5 minutes. 3. Heat a buttered skillet over medium-low. 4. Pour 1/4 cup per pancake and cook about 3 minutes until bubbles form. 5. Flip and cook 2 minutes more.

High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes to Bake: Greek Yogurt Bread

Greek yogurt takes the place of most of the oil in this pumpkin bread, so it stays moist with more protein in every slice. Searches for high protein Greek yogurt banana bread are up almost 200 percent this month, and pumpkin is the cozy fall cousin. Each slice has about 5 grams of protein. Spread with a little peanut butter for more.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups flour (or half whole wheat), 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×5 loaf pan. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients. 3. Whisk the pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, sugar, syrup, butter and vanilla. 4. Fold together just until mixed. 5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 6. Cool before slicing.

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Bowl With Granola

This is the five minute breakfast for busy fall mornings. Swirl pumpkin puree, cinnamon and a little maple syrup into thick Greek yogurt, then top with granola, pumpkin seeds and fruit. A one cup bowl of plain Greek yogurt has around 20 grams of protein on its own. It tastes like dessert. A) Granola B) Pecans C) Both?

You will need: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 cup granola, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, berries or banana slices.

How to make it: 1. Stir the yogurt, pumpkin, maple syrup and spice until smooth. 2. Spoon into a bowl. 3. Top with granola, pumpkin seeds and fruit. 4. Eat right away so the granola stays crunchy.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups

Baked oatmeal cups are the grab-and-go high-protein pumpkin recipes, like soft muffins you can eat on the way out the door. Eggs, milk and Greek yogurt give them their protein, about 9 grams for every two cups. Bake a batch on Sunday, keep them in the fridge and warm one up in 20 seconds. Kids love them with a few chocolate chips on top.

You will need: 2 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/3 cup chopped pecans or chocolate chips.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. 2. Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, milk, yogurt and syrup. 3. Stir in the oats, baking powder, spice and salt. 4. Fold in the pecans or chips. 5. Fill the cups and bake 22 to 25 minutes until set.

High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes for Dessert: Cottage Cheese Mousse

Cottage cheese blended until silky is the secret behind this mousse, one of the most surprising high-protein pumpkin recipes. With pumpkin, maple and spice it tastes like pumpkin pie filling, and each glass has about 9 grams of protein. Spoon it into small glasses and add whipped cream on top for a holiday dessert.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, pinch of salt, whipped cream and cinnamon for topping.

How to make it: 1. Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, about 1 minute. 2. Add the pumpkin, syrup, vanilla, spice and salt and blend again. 3. Spoon into 4 small glasses. 4. Chill 1 hour. 5. Top with whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls

Protein balls are trending again, with one homemade version pulling over 100,000 views in a week. These are made with oats, peanut butter, pumpkin and a spoon of Greek yogurt, with no powder needed. Two balls have about 6 grams of protein. They keep in the fridge for a week, so they are perfect for lunch boxes and after school snacks.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter, 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

How to make it: 1. Stir everything together in a bowl until it holds together. 2. Chill 20 minutes if sticky. 3. Roll into 18 balls. 4. Store in the fridge in a covered container for up to a week.

Savory Pumpkin and Sage Egg Muffins

Not all high-protein pumpkin recipes have to be sweet. These egg muffins mix eggs and a little cottage cheese with roasted pumpkin, spinach, sage and cheese. Two muffins have about 12 grams of protein. They reheat in 30 seconds and are great with toast. Among high-protein pumpkin recipes, this is the one to try if you do not like sweet breakfasts.

You will need: 8 eggs, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup small cubes roasted pumpkin or butternut squash, 1 cup chopped spinach, 1 tsp chopped fresh sage, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or parmesan, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. 2. Whisk the eggs and cottage cheese with salt and pepper. 3. Divide the pumpkin, spinach, sage and cheese among the cups. 4. Pour the egg mix on top. 5. Bake 20 to 22 minutes until set.

Pumpkin Spice Chia Pudding

Chia pudding sets by itself overnight in the fridge, which makes it one of the lazy high-protein pumpkin recipes. Use milk and a scoop of Greek yogurt and it becomes a creamy, filling breakfast with about 15 grams of protein per jar. Pumpkin and warm spices make it taste like fall. Layer it with yogurt and granola in a glass jar and it looks like a coffee shop parfait.

You will need: 3 tbsp chia seeds, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp vanilla, berries or granola for topping.

How to make it: 1. Whisk everything except the toppings in a jar. 2. Wait 10 minutes and whisk again to break up clumps. 3. Cover and chill overnight. 4. Stir and add toppings before eating.

Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt Smoothie

When you have two minutes, blend this. Frozen banana makes it thick and cold, Greek yogurt and milk bring about 20 grams of protein, and pumpkin with cinnamon makes it taste like a slice of pie in a glass. It is one of the quickest high-protein pumpkin recipes on this list. Freeze leftover pumpkin puree in ice cube trays just for this.

You will need: 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup milk, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tbsp peanut butter (optional), a few ice cubes.

How to make it: 1. Add everything to a blender. 2. Blend until smooth and thick. 3. Add more milk to thin it if needed. 4. Pour and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Crustless Pumpkin Custard

Love pumpkin pie but not the crust? Bake the filling on its own in small cups. With eggs and milk, plus a little Greek yogurt for creaminess, each custard has about 6 grams of protein and much less work than a pie. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped cream. Want more ideas like this? See our high protein desserts.

You will need: 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, 3 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup brown sugar or maple syrup, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and place 6 ramekins in a baking dish. 2. Whisk everything until smooth. 3. Pour into the ramekins. 4. Pour hot water into the dish to come halfway up the sides. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until just set. 6. Cool, then chill or serve warm.

High-Protein Pumpkin Recipes for a Crowd: French Toast Bake

Of all the high-protein pumpkin recipes here, this make-ahead breakfast is perfect for Thanksgiving morning or a holiday weekend with family. Bread soaks overnight in a custard of eggs, milk and pumpkin, then bakes golden in the morning. A serving has about 13 grams of protein, more if you serve it with Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream. Is French toast a holiday tradition at your house?

You will need: 1 loaf (about 1 lb) day-old French bread or brioche cubed, 8 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, Greek yogurt and berries to serve.

How to make it: 1. Butter a 9×13 dish and add the bread. 2. Whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, syrup, spice, vanilla and salt. 3. Pour over the bread and press down. 4. Cover and chill overnight. 5. Heat the oven to 350 F, add the pecans and bake 45 to 50 minutes until puffed and set.