Now I will say that a decadent dessert every once in a while is absolutely part of flexible living. I’m never going to tell you that you can’t have the original version.
But if you’ve got a sweet tooth like me, dessert isn’t something that happens once in a blue moon. It’s something I want to be able to enjoy regularly.
And when a single serving of a dessert comes in around 500+ calories, with a pretty significant amount of fat and sugar, it can be tough to fit into your day if you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight.
That’s exactly what we do here in the Macro Makeover club.
We take decadent recipes like this and make a few strategic changes so you can still have the dessert you actually want, just in a version that fits your macros a WHOLE lot easier.
The Big Swaps
Light Cream Cheese Instead of Full Fat
Cream cheese is essential here. It gives the filling that rich, tangy cheesecake flavor and creamy texture, so I didn’t want to eliminate it completely.
Instead, we’re simply using light cream cheese. (honestly such a calorie saving swap)
It’s one of those easy swaps where you still get the ingredient that makes the dessert taste like the dessert, but with significantly fewer calories and fat.
Light Whipped Topping Instead of Heavy Cream
The original recipe uses two full cups of heavy whipping cream to create that light, fluffy texture.
Heavy cream is delicious, but it’s also incredibly calorie dense, so by using a light whipped topping gives us the airy texture we’re looking for without bringing along all of those calories from heavy cream.
And because we’re already using cream cheese for the richness, I don’t think you miss the heavy cream here.
Zero Calorie Sweetener Instead of Sugar
This is one of the easiest places to make a big difference and you’ll see this adjustment in most of my macro makeover recipes. The original filling uses granulated sugar, and then there’s even more sugar in the raspberry compote and lemon curd.
I’m using a granulated zero calorie sweetener instead, which lets us keep the dessert plenty sweet without using hundreds of calories from sugar.
And as always, sweeten to taste. Different sugar substitutes vary in sweetness, so this is one ingredient where I wouldn’t blindly follow a measurement.
And if you want a protein boost, you can swap some of it for a protein powder!
Keep the Lemon Curd
I know what you’re thinking: if we’re making a Macro Makeover, why not just eliminate the lemon curd?
The lemon curd is what gives this its intense lemon flavor, sweetness, richness and honestly an integral part of the recipe.
We’re just using less of it overall, with enough in the filling to make the lemon flavor obvious and a smaller amount for the beautiful swirl on top.
Sometimes the best makeover isn’t replacing the ingredient you love, it’s just using it more strategically.
Raspberry Compote
The raspberry compote is already a pretty macro friendly part of this recipe, so there’s no reason to mess with it too much.
We can replace the sugar with honey or zero calorie sweetener and letting the natural tartness of the raspberries do more of the work. And if you want a fiber boost and don’t mind a less ‘pretty’ dessert, throw some chia seeds in!
Ingredients
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
8 oz light cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese, blended completely smooth
⅓ cup granulated zero calorie sweetener, or sweeten to taste (can sub for protein powder)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup lemon curd
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
8 oz light whipped topping
Raspberry Compote
2½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp granulated zero calorie sweetener, or honey
½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
(optional- 1-2 tbsp chia seeds)
For Assembling
24 individual graham cracker squares
¼ cup lemon curd
Raspberry compote
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Raspberry Compote
Add the raspberries, zero calorie sweetener, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Make the Filling
Beat the softened light cream cheese until completely smooth, and mix in blended cottage cheese.
Add the zero calorie sweetener, vanilla, lemon curd, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined.
Gently fold in the light whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Assemble
Arrange a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of your dish.
Spread a layer of the lemon cheesecake filling over the crackers, followed by some of the raspberry compote.
Repeat the layers until you’ve used all of the filling and compote.
Finish with the remaining lemon curd and a few spoonfuls of raspberry compote. Use a knife or skewer to swirl them together for a marbled effect.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Slice into 9 servings and enjoy!
Macro Makeover — 9 servingsPer serving:
236 calories
9g protein (more if you sub for protein powder)
29g carbs
10g fat
17g sugar
For the original recipe by Scientifically Sweet:If cut into 9 servings:
Calories: 509
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 45g
Fat: 36g
Sugar: 32gThe exact numbers can vary by brand, but the difference is still significant.
This is the difference between a dessert that’s difficult to fit into your day and one you can actually enjoy on a regular basis.
You still get the creamy lemon cheesecake filling, sweet tart raspberry compote, graham cracker layers, and lemon curd swirl.
Just with a whole lot more room left in your calorie budget for the rest of the day.
If you make it, I’d love to see your version! Tag @2explorewellness on Instagram so I can share it with everyone else trying to hit their goals without giving up dessert!