Chocolate & Peanut Butter Breakfast Cheesecakes

 
To kick off our weekend, my guy and I set aside our typical homebody plans for a spur-of-the-moment date night. We packed a couple of baskets overflowing with the essentials, loaded everything into the truck, and drove across town to a storefront we’d never visited before. The two of us strolled over to the door, pulled it open, and…  
 

 
Washed our piles of dirty clothes at the laundromat.

With our broken dryer refusing to turn on for 2 weeks (compounded by a fairly unresponsive rental office and landlord), we tried to make the best of the situation and wandered around the shopping center while our t-shirts tumbled around the machines.

My guy stopped by an Asian restaurant for a teriyaki bowl before we amused ourselves by meandering around the grocery store aisles next door. Although quiet while my guy ate, my stomach started angrily growling as we passed by boxes of breakfast cereals and bags of Oreos, so I caved and bought a deli sandwich to munch on while the last load finished.
 

 
Okay, so not exactly the greatest start to our weekend… But these healthy Chocolate & Peanut Butter Breakfast Cheesecakes really turned things around! Smooth and creamy with a rich dark flavor, these individual portions taste like an indulgent dessert, but they contain no refined sugar and are packed with 15 grams of protein. What a heavenly way to start your day!

Just like with my other breakfast cheesecakes, these begin with an oatmeal crust. (Because everyone agrees that oatmeal is undeniably a breakfast food, right?) Made with just oats and applesauce, this crust is slightly chewier than your typical graham cracker variety, but it creates a hearty breakfast feel. And if you use gluten-free oats, the entire cheesecake is gluten-free too!
 

 
The low-fat cheesecake filling is fairly easy as well. It contains no eggs (so sneak as many spoonfuls from the bowl as you’d like!), and I thickened it with cornstarch instead of flour to ensure it stayed gluten-free. For the chocolate flavor, I turned to cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate, which helps lower fat and calories while still providing a decadently rich taste.

To eliminate refined sugars, I sweetened the creamy filling with agave. I only added 1 tablespoon—I much prefer slightly bitter dark chocolate over milk! If you crave a sweeter cheesecake, add another teaspoon. It shouldn’t really affect the baking time, and we want your taste buds to be happy!
 

 
Just like with a standard size cheesecake, you’ll bake these at a low temperature: only 300°F until the centers barely jiggle. It’s really important to avoid overbaking; nobody wants to wake up to rubbery cheesecake for breakfast! Cool them all the way to room temperature before chilling for at least 2-3 hours in the fridge. Although it feels like pure torture, this helps the cheesecakes set and preserves their thick creamy texture.

To avoid waking up at the crack of dawn, I usually bake these the night before and let them chill while I snooze. In the morning, with my bleary-eyed half-asleep state, all I have to do is pull one out and eat! Plus they’re perfect for make-ahead brunches and serving to company. You’d receive the most priceless surprised looks when you set down plates of cheesecake in front of your guests at the breakfast table!
 

 
But my favorite part? The peanut butter drizzle on top! It’s super simple—just warm some peanut butter in a zip-topped bag in the microwave, snip off the corner, and drizzle to your heart’s content. You can never have too much peanut butter when chocolate’s around!
 

 
So rise and shine to these skinny Chocolate & Peanut Butter Breakfast Cheesecakes! Their rich flavor will trick you into thinking that you’re throwing your mother’s rulebook out the window and eating dessert for breakfast, but the 15 grams of protein will keep you full and fueled all the way ’til lunch.

Mornings just got a whole lot better!
 

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