Protein Tiramisu: Every Swap Ranked by Protein Density

Classic tiramisu is soft cheese, egg yolks, cream and sugar-soaked ladyfingers, which makes it light on protein for its calories. These versions change one ingredient at a time and rank each tray per square, with a separate overnight-oats jar alongside. Everything is our own formulation, with macros computed from USDA ingredient data and the label panels of products we track. The mascarpone in the classic is the USDA Branded record for Vermont Creamery plain mascarpone (FDC 2755867).

How these were made: formulated by ProteinBenchmark; macros are computed from USDA ingredient data and, for products we track, their label panels. The recipes have not been kitchen-tested, and the images are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of the finished dishes.

Overhead of a square glass dish of layered tiramisu dusted with cocoa, one portion lifted out to show the layers — AI-generated illustration

The ranking

Per serving, sorted by Protein Density (% of calories from protein). Platinum 40%+ · Gold 25–39% · Silver 15–24% · Avoid under 15%. Every figure is an estimate (est.), for one square of the dish. Where the sources for a product panel disagree, each recipe card that uses it states the figure used and the disagreement.

#	Recipe	Protein	Calories	Density	g / 100 cal	Tier
1	Tiramisu Overnight Oats Branch 1 jar (1/4 of the batch), eaten cold	27.4g	279	39.2%est.	9.8g	Gold
2	Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	20.1g	357	22.5%est.	5.6g	Silver
3	Step 4 (alternative): Casein in the Filling 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	22.6g	411	22%est.	5.5g	Silver
4	Step 4: Protein Powder in the Filling 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	21.7g	411	21.1%est.	5.3g	Silver
5	Step 2: Cottage Cheese for Half the Soft Cheese 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	15.7g	411	15.3%est.	3.8g	Silver
6	Step 3: Skip the Yolks 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	13.9g	374	14.9%est.	3.7g	Avoid
7	Step 1: Greek Yogurt Replaces the Cream 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	12.3g	541	9.1%est.	2.3g	Avoid
8	Classic Tiramisu (baseline) 1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled	9.2g	655	5.6%est.	1.4g	Avoid

The swap ladder

Each rung changes one thing from the build it follows. Deltas are per serving against that build.

Step	Swap	Protein	Calories	Density
0	Classic Tiramisu (baseline)	9.2g	655	5.6%
1	Step 1: Greek Yogurt Replaces the Cream 240 g whipped heavy cream to 240 g Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt replaces the whipped cream; fold it in gently instead of whipping)	12.3g +3.1g	541 -114	9.1% +3.5%
2	Step 2: Cottage Cheese for Half the Soft Cheese 225 g of the mascarpone to 225 g Good Culture 2% cottage cheese, blended smooth (Replaces half the soft cheese; blend until no curds remain)	15.7g +3.4g	411 -130	15.3% +6.2%
3	Step 3: Skip the Yolks the egg yolks to nothing: yolks omitted (Drops the yolks, cutting fat and calories; the filling relies on the cheese and yogurt) Density falls 0.4% (protein -1.8g, -37 kcal); this is a trade for another reason, see the swap note.	13.9g -1.8g	374 -37	14.9% -0.4%
4	Step 4: Protein Powder in the Filling nothing to 56 g Naked Whey, unflavored (Whisk into a few spoonfuls of the filling as a paste first to avoid lumps)	21.7g +7.8g	411 +37	21.1% +6.2%
4 (alt)	Step 4 (alternative): Casein in the Filling nothing to 60 g Naked Casein, unflavored (Micellar casein thickens quickly; add a splash of milk if needed and whisk it as a paste first)	22.6g +8.7g	411 +37	22% +7.1%
5	Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers 180 g ladyfingers to 90 g ladyfingers, one thinner layer (No protein ladyfinger is held in the database, so this is a calorie lever: ladyfingers carry little protein per calorie in the USDA entry) Protein drops 1.6g but density rises 1.4% because calories fall 54 kcal.	20.1g -1.6g	357 -54	22.5% +1.4%

The recipes

Glass jar of layered oats and white yogurt topped with a cocoa dusting — AI-generated illustration

#1 Tiramisu Overnight Oats Branch

Gold

A separate jar recipe, not a rung: protein rolled oats, Greek yogurt, coffee and cocoa, set overnight. Four jars.

Per serving: 27.4g protein · 279 kcal · 39.2% (est.)

1 jar (1/4 of the batch), eaten cold · Prep 10 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Quaker Protein old fashioned rolled oats, dry (4 label servings of 42 g): 168 g
Skim milk: 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled: 120 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (2 label servings of 170 g): 340 g
Naked Whey, unflavored (0.9 label servings of 30 g): 28 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder: 8 g
Granulated sugar: 20 g

Products used (label panel values)

Quaker Protein Old Fashioned Rolled Oats — retailer label copies (bakersplus.com, foodlion.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies agree on 160 kcal and 10 g protein per half cup; fat is 2 g on some copies and 2.5 g on others.
Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24

Method

Stir the oats, skim milk, cooled coffee, protein powder, cocoa and sugar together until no dry powder shows.
Divide among 4 jars, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Top each jar with a quarter of the Greek yogurt and dust with a little extra cocoa before eating.

Tiramisu cut to show one biscuit layer under a tall cream layer — AI-generated illustration

#2 Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers

Silver

Half the ladyfingers, one layer instead of two. A calorie lever, not a protein one.

Per serving: 20.1g protein · 357 kcal · 22.5% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 225 g
Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth (2 label servings of 110 g): 225 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Naked Whey, unflavored (1.9 label servings of 30 g): 56 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 90 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.
Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, then beat it with the soft cheese and sugar.
Whisk the protein powder into a few spoonfuls of the filling as a paste, stir it back in and fold in the Greek yogurt.
Dip the ladyfingers briefly and line the base of an 8-inch dish in a single layer; spread all the filling over it and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Firm-set slice of tiramisu with tall clean layers on a plate — AI-generated illustration

#3 Step 4 (alternative): Casein in the Filling

Silver

Same rung as step 4 with micellar casein instead of whey.

Per serving: 22.6g protein · 411 kcal · 22% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 225 g
Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth (2 label servings of 110 g): 225 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g
Naked Casein, unflavored (2 label servings of 30 g): 60 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.
Naked Nutrition Naked Casein — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, with no curds left.
Beat the soft cheese smooth with the sugar, then mix in the blended cottage cheese.
Whisk the casein into a few spoonfuls of the filling to make a paste, then stir that back in and fold in the Greek yogurt.
Dip the ladyfingers, layer with the filling in an 8-inch dish and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Tiramisu slice with a dense matte cream layer and cocoa dusting — AI-generated illustration

#4 Step 4: Protein Powder in the Filling

Silver

56 g of unflavored whey goes into the cream.

Per serving: 21.7g protein · 411 kcal · 21.1% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 225 g
Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth (2 label servings of 110 g): 225 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g
Naked Whey, unflavored (1.9 label servings of 30 g): 56 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.
Naked Nutrition Naked Whey — manufacturer page (nakednutrition.com), seen 2026-10-24

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, with no curds left.
Beat the soft cheese smooth with the sugar, then mix in the blended cottage cheese.
Whisk the protein powder into a few spoonfuls of the filling to make a paste, then stir that back in and fold in the Greek yogurt.
Dip the ladyfingers, layer with the filling in an 8-inch dish and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Tiramisu slice with a smooth pale filling and cocoa top on a small plate — AI-generated illustration

#5 Step 2: Cottage Cheese for Half the Soft Cheese

Silver

Blended cottage cheese replaces half the mascarpone, adding protein while cutting fat.

Per serving: 15.7g protein · 411 kcal · 15.3% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 225 g
Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth (2 label servings of 110 g): 225 g
Egg yolks, raw (about 4 large egg yolks): 68 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, with no curds left.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar over a pan of barely simmering water until thick and pale, then cool. Use pasteurized eggs or cook to 160 F if serving anyone at risk.
Beat the soft cheese smooth, mix in the blended cottage cheese and yolk mixture, then fold in the Greek yogurt.
Dip the ladyfingers, layer with the filling in an 8-inch dish and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Square of tiramisu with a thick, cleanly cut cream layer — AI-generated illustration

#6 Step 3: Skip the Yolks

Avoid

The yolks are dropped, along with the step that cooks them over simmering water.

Per serving: 13.9g protein · 374 kcal · 14.9% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 225 g
Good Culture 2% low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth (2 label servings of 110 g): 225 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.
Good Culture 2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese — manufacturer page (goodculture.com, shoprite.com), seen 2026-10-28 Manufacturer page confirms the 110 g serving (1/2 cup), 90 kcal, 14 g protein and 2 g fat; retailer copies still disagree on calories (80 to 100 kcal), which is noted here rather than used. Good Culture also sells a non-organic Simply 2% line.

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth, with no curds left.
Beat the soft cheese smooth with the sugar, then mix in the blended cottage cheese and fold in the Greek yogurt.
Dip the ladyfingers, layer with the filling in an 8-inch dish and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Slice of tiramisu with a paler, slightly firmer cream layer on a plate — AI-generated illustration

#7 Step 1: Greek Yogurt Replaces the Cream

Avoid

Strained Greek yogurt replaces the whipped cream by weight. Protein rises and calories drop in one move.

Per serving: 12.3g protein · 541 kcal · 9.1% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 450 g
Egg yolks, raw (about 4 large egg yolks): 68 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Fage Total 0% plain Greek yogurt (1.4 label servings of 170 g): 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g

Products used (label panel values)

Fage Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt — retailer label copies (stopandshop.com, hannaford.com), seen 2026-10-24 Retailer copies for the 16 oz tub agree on 90 kcal and 18 g protein per 3/4 cup (170 g); the manufacturer page was not loaded, so this stays at retailer level.

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool and pour it into a shallow dish.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar over a pan of barely simmering water until thick and pale, then cool. Use pasteurized eggs or cook to 160 F if serving anyone at risk.
Beat the soft cheese smooth, mix in the yolk mixture, then fold in the Greek yogurt gently without whipping.
Dip each ladyfinger for 1 to 2 seconds, layer with the filling in an 8-inch dish and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

A square slice of classic tiramisu on a white plate with cocoa dusting and visible cream layers — AI-generated illustration

#8 Classic Tiramisu (baseline)

Avoid

The traditional build: soft cheese, egg yolks and whipped cream between coffee-dipped ladyfingers. This is the baseline every swap is measured against.

Per serving: 9.2g protein · 655 kcal · 5.6% (est.)

1 square (1/6 of an 8-inch dish), chilled; the dish makes 6 servings · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min

Ingredients (whole batch)

Mascarpone (Vermont Creamery, plain): 450 g
Egg yolks, raw (about 4 large egg yolks): 68 g
Granulated sugar: 75 g
Heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks: 240 g
Strong brewed coffee, cooled, for dipping: 240 g
Ladyfinger biscuits: 180 g
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and in the layers: 10 g

Method

Brew strong coffee, let it cool to room temperature and pour it into a shallow dish.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar over a pan of barely simmering water until thick and pale, 4 to 5 minutes, then cool. Use pasteurized eggs or cook to 160 F if you are serving anyone at risk.
Beat the soft cheese until smooth and mix in the yolk mixture; whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it in.
Dip each ladyfinger for 1 to 2 seconds, line an 8-inch dish, spread half the filling, repeat, and dust with cocoa.
Chill at least 6 hours before cutting.

Protein Tiramisu FAQ

Which protein tiramisu recipe has the most protein?

Step 4 (alternative): Casein in the Filling has the most protein among 6 of the 8 protein tiramisu recipes ranked here (excluding the baseline, Classic Tiramisu and the branch version, Tiramisu Overnight Oats Branch; they are shown for comparison): 22.6g per serving (411 kcal, 22% Protein Density, Silver tier). Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers has the highest density at 22.5%. The baseline, Classic Tiramisu, has 9.2g per serving at 5.6% (Avoid tier).

How much protein is in a serving of protein tiramisu?

Across the 6 rebuilt recipes (excluding the baseline, Classic Tiramisu and the branch version, Tiramisu Overnight Oats Branch), a serving has 12.3g to 22.6g of protein. The baseline (Classic Tiramisu) has 9.2g per serving. Serving sizes are defined on each recipe card and differ between recipes, and all figures are estimates computed from USDA ingredient data.

Can I make protein tiramisu without protein powder?

Yes. Step 2: Cottage Cheese for Half the Soft Cheese uses no powder and reaches 15.7g protein per serving (15.3% Protein Density, Silver tier). 3 of the 6 rebuilt recipes use no protein powder.

How do protein tiramisu recipes with protein powder compare with powder-free ones?

The highest-density recipe with protein powder is Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers at 22.5% (Silver tier); the highest-density powder-free recipe is Step 2: Cottage Cheese for Half the Soft Cheese at 15.3% (Silver tier). The recipes differ in other ingredients as well, so the gap is not attributable to the powder alone.

Which swap adds the most protein to protein tiramisu?

Among the main-ladder steps (alternatives to a step and serving ideas are not compared), Step 4: Protein Powder in the Filling adds the most protein in a single step: +7.8g per serving (13.9g to 21.7g), +37 kcal, taking density from 14.9% to 21.1%.

Can a swap lower protein and still improve density?

Yes. Step 5: One Thinner Layer of Ladyfingers: Protein drops 1.6g but density rises 1.4% because calories fall 54 kcal. Density rises because it is a ratio of protein to calories.

NEXT IN THIS GROUP Protein ice cream, ranked Another dessert rebuilt swap by swap, with store-bought tubs for comparison. CROSS THE DATASET High-protein Italian food The restaurant-menu version of this ranking. UNDERSTAND THE METRIC How Protein Density is scored The formula, tier thresholds and sources behind every ranking on this page.

All recipes Every recipe family, ranked by Protein Density. →

Estimate — honest disclosure: Estimate. Macros are computed from USDA SR-Legacy ingredient data (and, for protein powders, the manufacturer nutrition panel) for the ingredient weights shown, divided by the stated number of servings. Brands, ingredient substitutions and cooking losses change real-world numbers. These are our own formulations and have not been kitchen-tested. Ingredient FDC IDs are recorded for every USDA-sourced ingredient; protein powders use the manufacturer nutrition panel. Servings are as stated on each recipe, and syrup, butter on top and other toppings are not counted. See methodology for the scoring formula and sources.