Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

What makes this recipe “lighter”

First things first, this is a dessert recipe. It is not “healthy” but it is a bit lighter than a traditional cheesecake. The other good news? It’s still thick, creamy, and flavorful, AND it packs 9 grams of protein per slice.

How do I do it?

1. I swap some of the cream cheese with 2% plain Greek yogurt

2. I swap traditional full fat cream cheese for a reduced fat variety

The result is creamy cheesecake with a fraction of the calories than a traditional cheesecake.

This cheesecake is

• Thick and creamy
• Sweet and tangy
• Baked in a homemade graham cracker crust
• Super easy to assemble (we’re taking help from a food processor)
• Delicious with a wide variety of toppings (more on this below!)

Recipe overview

Crust: combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan. Place the crust in the freezer while you proceed with the filling.

Filling: Place Greek yogurt, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth and combined.

Bake: Bake in the center of the oven for 45-55 minutes.

Cool: Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Recipe tips

• Cream cheese and eggs should be at room temperature. This will ensure that the filling mixes up smooth and creamy with no lumps.
• Using a food processor for the filling helps ensure that it is extra smooth.
• Be sure to stop your food processor and scrape down the sides occasionally to ensure the filling is thoroughly mixed.
• Make sure your Greek yogurt and cream cheese have some fat content. Although you might be inclined to reduce the fat/calories even further by using fat free yogurt or cream cheese, don’t do it. This is a dessert, and it needs some fat to make it taste that way.
• This cheesecake should be baked until it is almost completely set. Remove it from the oven when the very center still has a slight jiggle.

Topping options

If you’re pairing this cheesecake with fruit or eating it plain, I recommend adding the optional lemon zest in the recipe. If you’re serving it with chocolate sauce or caramel, I recommend omitting the lemon zest.

Blueberry Sauce – This easy and flavorful sauce comes together on the stovetop in minutes. It is bursting with blueberries and absolutely delicious on this cheesecake.

Strawberry Sauce – This thick and flavorful sauce is packed with the flavors of fresh strawberries. 

Roasted Strawberries – These sweet and juicy strawberries make their own sauce while cooking. Made with only 2 ingredients and very little hands-on time.

Homemade Whipped Cream – Place a dollop on each slice or pipe a border of whipped cream around the perimeter of the cheesecake right before serving.

Easy Berry Topping – Stir together the fresh berry of your choice along with the same flavor of jam (about 1-2 tablespoons of jam for each cup of berries). Allow the mixture to sit at room temp for about 30 minutes so the berries can release some of their juices.

Serving and storage

Serve chilled with any of the toppings mentioned above. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

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