THE SPLIT PLATE / RECIPE

High-Protein Cheesecake Fudgy Bars

Inspired by Nora's fudgy bars, rebuilt Split Plate. 8 bars across 2 containers, 170 cal / 15g protein each, three cold layers.

YIELD8 servings
TOTAL TIME20 min prep + 3 hours freeze (1 hr per layer)
COOK METHODSee method
EST. / SERVING~170 cal | ~15g protein

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BASE (bottom layer, split across 2 containers)

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 cup black cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup ultra-filtered whole milk (Fairlife)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

FUDGY TOPPING (top layer)

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup

PROTEIN CHEESECAKE CENTER (the tiramisu cream — NO coffee)

  • 150g 2% cottage cheese
  • 150g nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 112g Neufchâtel cheese (4 oz)
  • 2 scoops (62g) vanilla whey-casein protein powder
  • 3 tbsp (36g) allulose + monk-fruit sweetener

Allergens: dairy, tree-nuts.

You want a batch of cold, sliceable protein dessert bars that build over an afternoon and eat all week. 8 bars, 15g protein each, no bake, no egg. Inspired by Nora's original fudgy bars — the tiramisu-style protein cheesecake center and the formula changes are my Split Plate variation.

Method

  1. 1.MIX THE FUDGE BASE. Stir the almond flour, black cocoa, sugar-free maple syrup, Fairlife whole milk, and vanilla into a thick, fudgy dough. It should hold together like brownie batter that's been chilling — scoopable, not pourable.
  2. 2.PRESS INTO TWO CONTAINERS + FREEZE 1 HR. Divide the base between two parchment-lined containers and press into even, firm bases (a flat-bottomed glass helps pack it down). Freeze 1 hour. Packing it firm here is what lets the bars cut clean later.
  3. 3.BLEND THE CHEESECAKE CENTER — NO COFFEE. Blend the cottage cheese ALONE first until completely silky (no surviving curds). Then add the Greek yogurt, Neufchâtel (in chunks), whey-casein, and allulose+monk. Blend thick and smooth. This is the protein-tiramisu cream with an extra ounce of cream cheese and zero coffee — it reads as pure cheesecake here.
  4. 4.SPREAD THE CREAM + FREEZE 1 HR. Divide the cheesecake cream over the two frozen bases and spread even. Freeze another 1 hour so the center firms up before the topping goes on — otherwise the warm topping melts a groove into it.
  5. 5.MIX THE FUDGY TOPPING. Stir the unsweetened cocoa and sugar-free maple syrup until glossy and smooth. Equal parts — it thickens into a spreadable fudge as you stir.
  6. 6.SPREAD THE TOPPING. Spread the fudgy topping over both set cheesecake layers in an even coat. Work quickly and gently so you don't drag the cream up into it.
  7. 7.FREEZE 1 FINAL HR, CUT + SERVE COLD. Freeze one last hour. Cut into 8 bars total across the two containers. Serve fridge-cold, NOT frozen solid — let them sit a few minutes out of the freezer so the cheesecake center goes creamy between the two fudgy layers.

SPLIT PLATE SERVING

Adult: Serve the adult portion as described above.

Kid: Serve the kid portion as described above.

If something fails

Bars crumble when I cut them: The base wasn't pressed firm enough, or you cut them frozen solid. Pack the base hard with a flat glass before the first freeze, and let the bars sit out a few minutes so they're cold-firm, not rock-frozen, when you slice.

Center is grainy: You didn't blend the cottage cheese alone first. It must go silky-smooth by itself before the other center ingredients — surviving curds don't break down once the yogurt and Neufchâtel are in.

Layers bled into each other: You skipped a freeze. Each layer needs its full hour to firm before the next goes on — base, then center, then topping. Spreading the center on a warm base or the topping on a soft center mixes the bands.

Base is dry / falls apart: Too much almond flour or a coconut-flour sub. Coconut flour drinks far more liquid — use almond flour. If it's still dry, add a splash more Fairlife milk until it holds like brownie batter.

It tastes like coffee / tiramisu: Coffee got into the center. This recipe uses the tiramisu cream WITHOUT the coffee — leave it out entirely for the plain-cheesecake read.

Storage and reheating

Store: Keep covered in the fridge after the final freeze/set. For longer storage, freeze the bars and move them to the fridge before eating.

Reheat: None. Serve fridge-cold, not frozen solid — a few minutes out of the freezer gets the center creamy.

Lasts: About 5 days refrigerated once set. They also freeze well — thaw in the fridge, don't microwave.

Estimated nutrition

~170 cal | ~15g protein.

Per bar (170 cal / 15g protein) estimated from the logged finished batch of 8 bars. Component protein comes from the cheesecake center (cottage cheese + Greek yogurt + Neufchâtel + whey-casein) plus the almond-flour base; the fudgy topping adds negligible protein. Because the base and topping use sugar-free maple syrup and the sweetener is allulose/monk, net carbs run low but were not independently lab-verified. Recheck against your specific brands — sugar-free syrups and protein powders vary batch to batch.

thesplitplate.com/cookbook/high-protein-cheesecake-fudgy-bars

High-Protein Cheesecake Fudgy Bars
Split Cook Method™Dessert

High-Protein Cheesecake Fudgy Bars

Inspired by Nora's fudgy bars, rebuilt Split Plate. 8 bars across 2 containers, 170 cal / 15g protein each, three cold layers.

Make this when

You want a batch of cold, sliceable protein dessert bars that build over an afternoon and eat all week. 8 bars, 15g protein each, no bake, no egg. Inspired by Nora's original fudgy bars — the tiramisu-style protein cheesecake center and the formula changes are my Split Plate variation.

Total time
20 min prep + 3 hours freeze (1 hr per layer)
Yield
8 servings
Protein / serving
~15g
Cal / serving
~170
Allergens and safety

Contains: dairy, tree-nuts

Packaged ingredients change formulas — check the label on what's actually in your kitchen.

Ingredients

Batch cookYields 8 servings — quantities below are the full batch.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BASE (bottom layer, split across 2 containers)

PROTEIN CHEESECAKE CENTER (the tiramisu cream — NO coffee)

FUDGY TOPPING (top layer)

Method

  1. 1
    MIX THE FUDGE BASE

    Stir the almond flour, black cocoa, sugar-free maple syrup, Fairlife whole milk, and vanilla into a thick, fudgy dough. It should hold together like brownie batter that's been chilling — scoopable, not pourable.

  2. 2

    PRESS INTO TWO CONTAINERS + FREEZE 1 HR: Divide the base between two parchment-lined containers and press into even, firm bases (a flat-bottomed glass helps pack it down). Freeze 1 hour. Packing it firm here is what lets the bars cut clean later.

  3. 3

    BLEND THE CHEESECAKE CENTER — NO COFFEE: Blend the cottage cheese ALONE first until completely silky (no surviving curds). Then add the Greek yogurt, Neufchâtel (in chunks), whey-casein, and allulose+monk. Blend thick and smooth. This is the protein-tiramisu cream with an extra ounce of cream cheese and zero coffee — it reads as pure cheesecake here.

  4. 4

    SPREAD THE CREAM + FREEZE 1 HR: Divide the cheesecake cream over the two frozen bases and spread even. Freeze another 1 hour so the center firms up before the topping goes on — otherwise the warm topping melts a groove into it.

  5. 5
    MIX THE FUDGY TOPPING

    Stir the unsweetened cocoa and sugar-free maple syrup until glossy and smooth. Equal parts — it thickens into a spreadable fudge as you stir.

  6. 6
    SPREAD THE TOPPING

    Spread the fudgy topping over both set cheesecake layers in an even coat. Work quickly and gently so you don't drag the cream up into it.

  7. 7

    FREEZE 1 FINAL HR, CUT + SERVE COLD: Freeze one last hour. Cut into 8 bars total across the two containers. Serve fridge-cold, NOT frozen solid — let them sit a few minutes out of the freezer so the cheesecake center goes creamy between the two fudgy layers.

Adult plate | Kid plate

Adult plate

Adult

Full bar — all three layers, cut from either container. Meal-prep the batch and pull one per day.

Kid plate

Kid

Kid-friendly as written — there's no coffee anywhere in this recipe (that's the change from the tiramisu cream). Same bar works for the whole family; just cut a smaller square for a kid portion.

Go deeper

Storage and nutrition

Storage: Keep covered in the fridge after the final freeze/set. For longer storage, freeze the bars and move them to the fridge before eating.

Reheat: None. Serve fridge-cold, not frozen solid — a few minutes out of the freezer gets the center creamy.

Lasts: About 5 days refrigerated once set. They also freeze well — thaw in the fridge, don't microwave.

Watch the full cook

Brands I use

King Arthur
Almond Flour
Fine blanched almond flour is the structural base — flourless, grain-free, no egg. Any fine almond flour works; this one is consistently milled fine enough to press into a clean base.
King Arthur
Black Cocoa
Gives the fudge base its dark Oreo-like color and deep roast. Sub regular unsweetened cocoa if you don't have it — the base just reads lighter.
Lakanto
Sugar-Free Maple-Flavored Syrup
Used in both the base (binder) and the topping (gloss). Sugar-free maple-style syrup keeps the macros clean while doing the sweetening and binding work.
Fairlife
Ultra-Filtered Whole Milk
Higher protein, lower sugar than regular milk. It hydrates the base into a fudgy dough without thinning the macros.
Daisy
2% Cottage Cheese
The protein backbone of the cheesecake center. Blended silky it disappears into a smooth cream. 2% for mouthfeel — 0% tastes hollow, 4% is over budget.
Fage
Total 0% Greek Yogurt
The tang in the cheesecake center. 0% is intentional so the Neufchâtel carries the fat and the macros stay lean.
Philadelphia
Neufchâtel Cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cheese)
The fat carrier and the extra ounce of cream cheese that makes this center higher-protein and richer than the base tiramisu cream. Don't sub fat-free — the center goes gummy.
PEScience
Select Protein (Vanilla)
Whey+casein blend thickens the center better than pure isolate, which goes chalky in cold dairy. This is what sets the cheesecake texture.
Whole Earth
Allulose + Monk Fruit Sweetener
Sweetens the center without crystallizing in the cold. Allulose dissolves clean and stays smooth in the set cream.
Ghirardelli
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
The fudgy topping is just cocoa + sugar-free maple stirred glossy. Any unsweetened cocoa works for the top layer.
#Make-ahead#Dessert#Meal-prep#High protein#Cutting-friendly