High-protein desserts work best when they’re built on dairy that’s already high in protein, Greek yogurt and ricotta, rather than on protein powder and sweetener. A chocolate Greek yogurt pudding gives about 150 calories and 15 grams of protein per cup, and baked lemon ricotta cups with raspberries come in at about 255 calories and 17 grams. Both take under 10 minutes of hands-on time and keep for several days in the fridge.
Chocolate Greek yogurt pudding
Makes 4 small cups. Five minutes, plus 30 minutes in the fridge if you want it firmer.
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Greek yogurt, 0% | 500 g | 2 cups |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 30 g | ⅓ cup |
| Maple syrup | 30 ml | 2 tbsp |
| Dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped | 20 g | ¾ oz |
| Vanilla, pinch of salt | to taste | to taste |
- Sift the cocoa into a bowl so there are no lumps; this matters more than any other step.
- Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla and salt to make a thick paste, then whisk in the yogurt a third at a time until smooth and dark.
- Spoon into four small glasses or jars and top with the chopped chocolate.
- Chill. It’s ready right away but sets to a mousse-like texture after half an hour.
Approximately 150 calories, 15 g protein, 18 g carbs and 4 g fat per cup. If it tastes too bitter, add a little more maple syrup; each extra 15 ml (1 tbsp) across the batch adds about 13 calories per cup.
Baked lemon ricotta cups with raspberries
Makes 4 ramekins. Ten minutes prep, 25 to 30 minutes baking.
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Part-skim ricotta | 1 tub (475 g) | 1 tub (about 1 lb) |
| Large eggs | 2 | 2 |
| Honey | 40 g | 2 tbsp |
| Lemon zest | 1 lemon | 1 lemon |
| Lemon juice | 10 ml | 2 tsp |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| Raspberries, fresh or frozen | 200 g | 1½ cups |
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease four 175 ml (6 oz) ramekins.
- Whisk the ricotta, eggs, honey, lemon zest, juice and vanilla until smooth. A stick blender makes it silkier, but a whisk is fine.
- Divide between the ramekins and set them on a baking sheet.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed, set at the edges and with only a slight wobble in the centre.
- Cool 15 minutes, then top each with 50 g of raspberries. Eat warm or cold.
Approximately 255 calories, 17 g protein, 20 g carbs and 12 g fat per cup with the berries.
How the numbers add up
All totals are approximate and come from standard per-100 g values in USDA FoodData Central and the Canadian Nutrient File. In the pudding, the yogurt carries almost all the protein; in the ricotta cups, the cheese supplies about 13 g of each cup’s 17 g and the eggs the rest.
Five-minute dessert options with no recipe
When you want something sweet after dinner and won’t bake:
| Option | What’s in it | Calories, roughly | Protein, roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick chocolate yogurt | 175 g (¾ cup) 0% Greek yogurt, 1 tsp cocoa, 1 tsp maple syrup | 125 | 18 g |
| Berries and cottage cheese | 125 g (½ cup) 2% cottage cheese, 80 g berries, 1 tsp honey | 150 | 14 g |
| Banana “ice cream” | 1 frozen banana blended with 100 g Greek yogurt | 165 | 11 g |
| Chocolate milk | 250 ml (1 cup) 1% chocolate milk | 160 | 8 g |
| Frozen yogurt bark | 0% Greek yogurt spread thin, berries and dark chocolate, frozen and broken up; a 100 g piece | 90 | 9 g |
Cottage cheese also works blended into a cheesecake-style dip; see the whipped dip and pancakes on the cottage cheese recipes page.
Dessert as part of the plan
Dessert isn’t the enemy for most men; the unplanned 10 p.m. trip to the pantry is. Having a planned dessert ready in the fridge often stops the grazing that follows dinner. If evenings are where your eating goes off track, read how to stop late-night snacking and the guide to sugar cravings.
Getting your evenings and treats to fit a calorie target is part of what a coach plans with you; monthly 1:1 coaching builds that into your week.
Questions people also ask
Are high-protein desserts good for weight loss?
They can help if they replace a higher-calorie dessert you'd eat anyway. A 150-calorie chocolate pudding instead of a 400-calorie bowl of ice cream saves calories and adds protein. They don't help if they're eaten on top of the usual dessert.
Can I use protein powder in these desserts?
You can stir 15 g of whey or casein into the chocolate pudding for about 12 g more protein, though it thickens it a lot; add a splash of milk. Neither recipe needs it.
How long do they keep?
The pudding keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge. The ricotta cups are best within 3 days; they firm up when cold, which most people like.