When you think of the word “cheesecake” what comes to mind?
5 lbs of butter?
a pound of sour cream?
2 tubs of cream cheese?
Yeah, me too. Well, that was until I discovered a little secret. And since I’m the best secret keeper around, I guess I’ll let you in on it, too. Did you know you can make silky delicious cheesecake by only using (gasp) greek yogurt?
Don’t tell anyone, mmk?
Would it be a bit much to say that this recipe has changed my life? It’s not like I’m normally overdramatic or anything. But seriously, after baking my first cheesecake in culinary school I vowed to myself never to bake another…it’s so time consuming! And that water bath? Really? Sure, it tasted good but I was thoroughly exhausted by the time it slid into the oven and not to mention, eat bite had about a bajillion calories (overdramatic, what?) and I could just feel the spandex waistline on my checkered culinary pants getting tighter.
Not anymore!
Instead of a traditional graham cracker crust, I used a pretty standard pate brisee dough (read: sugar cookie dough) that had a touch of lemon zest for added flavor. I love the way the crunchy texture pairs with the creamy cheesecake. It’s a party in every bite!
Note that you WILL need a springform pan for this recipe. It’s so worth it though! And then you can make this with it, too. See? So worth it.
I topped my cheesecake with peaches because that’s what I had laying around at the time, but you could also do a berry compote or just scatter fresh blackberries on top!
It’s hands down, the lightest cheesecake I’ve ever tried. I ate a slice for an afternoon snack yesterday after shooting it and was amazed that I didn’t feel full or sluggish after. Who knew? Usually eating a big slice of cheesecake makes me want to change into a hooded sweatshirt and crawl under the covers. But I’m sure you have no idea how that feels, right?
I didn’t think so.
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Peaches and Honey
serves 12
Ingredients:
for crust—
1 stick cold butter, cut into small chunks
1.5 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 T sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk
2 T cold water
for cheesecake—
2 cups whole milk or 2% Greek yogurt (not non-fat)
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out) or 2 tsp vanilla extract
1 T cornstarch
for topping—
1-2 peaches, thinly sliced
1 T honey
Directions:
Make the crust first. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Cut in the butter and blend in with your fingers until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg yolk and cold water. Mix until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball (dough may be dry). Cover in plastic wrap and let chill for half an hour.
Preheat oven to 375.
Roll out dough to same diameter as pan. You can do this easy by rolling out and placing the bottom of the springform pan on top and gently cutting around the pan with a dull knife. Place dough circle at the bottom of the pan.
Place tin foil on top of the dough circle and cover with dried beans or rice to weigh down. Bake for 15 minutes then take off rice/bean/tin foil and prick all over crust with a fork. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, sugar, yogurt and vanilla. Blend until smooth then add cornstarch and pinch of salt and blend again. Pour filling into hot crust, lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for 35 minutes.
When the cheesecake is done, it will still be jiggly in the center but will have a “done” look to it. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Make sure you don’t overbake.
Let cool then chill for 2-3 hours in the fridge before releasing springform.
Arrange the sliced peaches over top of the cooled cheesecake. Melt the honey in a small saucepot then drizzle on as well.
Time:
~4 hours (including cooling/chilling time)
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{ 125 comments… read them below or add one }
yum!! I just made ricotta cheesecake the other night which is also pretty light and healthier than the cream cheese version, but i wish i would’ve had this recipe…I will be trying this next time. THANKS!
You’re the best secret keeper around, huh? Show us your left hand! I am waiting for the day…
My husband and I were discussing cheesecake last night and how unhealthy it is. We were actually wishing for a more healthy version and this just might be it. Can’t wiat to try it!
You’re a genius. That is all.
YES. YES. YES.
that is all.
I don’t think it’s a bit much to say it changed your life because that’s literally the thought that went through my head while reading it
Incredible (as always Jenna!).
I’m loving all things peaches lately. Looks great!
This looks absolutely amazing! The fact that it’s made from greek yogurt makes it healthy enough to have 2 slices, right?
Your recipes impress me constantly, you are so talented Jenny! Since it’s made with Greek yogurt well I consider it healthy
I have tried a recipe that uses LESS cream cheese and incorporates greek yogurt, but never just greek yogurt! I have a tub that needs used, so this cheesecake may need to happen.
Yum! YUM!! haha I really dont think I can say anymore. Perfect summer dessert recipe! thanks
This sounds amazing, I love the sugar cookie crust! I definitely did not know you could make a cheesecake with just greek yogurt.
Wow – this is a definite must do! Thanks for sharing this gem…
I love how pretty that looks – and the sugar cookie crust!! How inventive! xoxo from Trinidad!
I’ve been making a no-bake greek yogurt cheesecake for a few years, but I always added a little cream cheese. I’m so excited to try your all-yogurt version, though I think I’ll stick with my favorite digestive biscuit crust
i’m impressed…i had no idea you could make a cheesecake out of greek yogurt! i do love the original but could always go for a lightened up version too!
I usually prefer Italian cheesecake because it’s lighter than the traditional kind. This looks like a great twist!
Okay Jenna. If this cheesecake is as good as it looks…you’ve changed my life!
Looks great! But does everything have to be about avoiding tight pants?
Jenna has posted plenty of recipes that are most definitely not about avoiding tight pants. I like that she strives for a balance–some decadent treats and some that are more health- and/or calorie-conscious.
To B&B,
Hope things brighten up for the rest of the day-
sending you a hug if you are feeling down.
(I amy be wrong,but just a vibe)
Keep smilin’ !
Hi Kelly,
Oh yes! I’m all for healthy recipes – it’s what I make myself of course! I was just saying that I feel we (women, people) need to constantly relate it back to body image somewhere and I wish that weren’t the association that’s all. I apologize if it came across as differently. It’s just everywhere in the media, magazines, books, etc.
Personally, I love yogurt, cream cheese and peaches
that’s understandable, but this is a lightened-up recipe of a traditionally really heavy dessert, so it seems only natural to mention not feeling bloated, etc.
And please explain what is so wrong about wanting to maintain a healthy body weight?! Sorry if I sound snappy, its just very frustrating to me that in this day and age with OVER HALF of the population being OVERWEIGHT that those of us that try to stay in the healthy range get criticized for it!
Genius. Your da bomb Jenna!
OH MY! I don’t even think I have words for this! I’m so making it this weekend
This would be such a hit if you brought it to parties (especially since everyone loves Greek yogurt right now)!
Brilliant!! A healthy cheesecake is a winner in my book!
Jenna, you’re a genius! I totally know what you mean about that heavy “where’s-my-sweater” cheesecake feeling. THIS sounds amazing. Do you think it would work to sub white sugar out and use sucanat instead?
I’ve always thought that cheesecakes were too thick. Even a regular one made 1/2 the size is much preferable. I love that you made this one with greek yogurt, making it healthy! Thanks
Great idea to use greek yogurt! Deborah Madison has a wonderful recipes for a yogurt tart in her book “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone”, you should check it out!
Oh yum! I love that you used greek yogurt!!
Jenna you are a genius!
This recipe looks…amazing! The fact that you made the middle w/ Greek yogurt AND then topped it with those perfect peach slices and honey…oh this screams: make me now!
I would love to try this b/c it’s truly such a unique dessert that you don’t see every day. Beautiful!
That looks incredible!!! And fairly simple to make. I never thought of using Greek yogurt for cheesecake, but I’m definitely going to try it now. So smart!
Oof, how yummy looking!
I know the texture and thickness of the Greek yogurt make it what it is, but do you think on an off chance it could be adapted with soy yogurt and some sort of thickener? If so, what would you suggest?
plain whole milk greek yogurt is my absolute favorite snack in the world. It’s so luxurious to eat and I feel like I’m treating myself to something special… but I think this cake would be an even better use for that yogurt of mine!
So here’s my question. I love how rich & creamy & delicious cheesecake is. With the greek yogurt does it taste lighter and less like real cheesecake?
I love making cheesecake. It’s so creamy and rich I would make it even if it took me all day. But this cheesecake I would love to make as well! Nothing wrong with a healthier cheesecake especially when it’s tasty! Oh and I love the peaches. They are one of my favorite fruits to put in Greek yogurt.
I know this isn’t a fashion post but I just had to share this since if anyone needs a cute sundress with little lemons all over it, it’s you…it just went on sale yesterday and I think you need it, Jenna…
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=21318456&catId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&pushId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&popId=CLOTHES&navAction=top&navCount=270&color=079&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&isSubcategory=true&subCategoryId=CLOTHES-DRESSES-PRINTED&templateType=subCategory&cm_mmc=PJN-_-Affiliates-_-Placement=20648-_-ShopAnthropologie
I’m pretty sure you just changed my life forever…greek yogurt is already my hero but you just elevated it to superhero status! I cannot wait to make this
Sheer genius. I love, love, love cheesecake but definitely don’t love how fattening it is! This is the perfect substitute.
This sounds so fabulous!! I love the idea of turning greek yogurt into a cheesecake. Who would have known?
OH.MY.HEAVENS. This looks amazing. Attempting it next week after I get my hands on a springform pan.
Cake looks superdelcious
Time to start your own Cheesecake Factory!
What a great recipe! I can’t wait to make this!
I have 3 6oz peach greek yogurt cups that JUST this morning I was trying to figure out how to get rid of!! It’s non-fat though. Deal breaker for this recipe???
I honestly wouldn’t do non-fat because the texture will be way off because in non-fat yogurt they use stabilizers (that’s what makes non-fat still creamy) but when you heat it, it will turn yuck. trust me.
That’s too bad. Thanks for the info though!!
What if I make my own nonfat yogurt and thus know that the only ingredients are skim milk & the yogurt from my last batch?
I’m not afraid of a little fat, mind you, I’m just wondering if I can make this from what I have on hand rather than running to the grocery store for 2%.
you can try, but skim milk (and skim products) will not lend the same creamy texture as whole milk will.
I made this yesterday, and my boyfriend didn’t buy enough 2% Greek yogurt, so I mixed the cup of 2% with about another cup of non-fat, and a splash of cream to thicken/richen it up a bit.
It turned out great, and was sooo delicious!!
MAKING. Done. and Done.
I checked your blog after just getting home hot n’ sweaty from a pumpin’ Zumba class and was greeted with this cold, scrumptious beauty! Holy YUM. I have everything needed to make it BUT a springform pan!
I’m in the same boat, but thinking about making mini cheesecakes instead using a cupcake tin and liners. A little tweaking required, but I’ll get creative if it means I can have guilt-free cheesecake
This is GENIUS! I just need to find a springform pan to try it…
Ummm I think you have changed my life. Wow.wow.
love love love.
What a great idea! And you could do flavored yogurt for a flavored cheesecake!
Very clever, my dear. And it’s definitely peak peach season, so good choice on the fruit topping! Now can you figure out how to make chocolate cake with less calories too?
That looks so creamy I want to dive right in!!
This looks amazing!!
Oh this is perfect timing! My boyfriend’s birthday is next week and I was planning to make him some sort of cake (that wasn’t a calorie bomb!), Thank you!
Super excited about this recipe!
I wish this was posted yesterday! I would have made it for my birthday dessert tonight! (yes… I insisted on making my own birthday dessert!)
Any way to make it chocolate?? Suggestions?
Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts, but I barely ever get it because of that hoodie / nap condition you mentioned. Greek yogurt? Don’t mind if I do. I can’t believe how creamy and awesome it looks.
This looks so delicious!!!!! I think I might make it for my birthday:)
This looks so fresh and summery! I wonder if I could get my boyfriend to eat it, since he usually shuns at anything not loaded with fat.
how would he know?
Umm, okay. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to concentrate on anything else today now.
Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, so this post makes me very, very happy. I’m always searching for healthier cheesecake recipes. Thank you, Jenna!
I love Greek Yogurt and now that I can put it in a cheesecake? love it even more!
Jenna, I love you. If I weren’t already married, I would propose to you.
Cheesecake is my one weakness. My sweet tooth vice. I LOVE cheesecake. I can’t wait to try this with recipe. I never would have thought of using Greek Yogurt. It just sounds and LOOKS light and refreshing even. so excited!
I love how easy this looks! Also, it looks super tasty too. Great recipe!
Yum. I can’t wait to make this.
So i have never been a fan of traditional cheesecake.. just way too heavy for me. Two bites and I’m OUT. However, I do like lighter versions and this recipe totally has me drooling at my work desk hahaha ON TOP of the fact my boyfriend LOVES cheesecake and would love me just that much more if I made this. Plus he is obsessed with honey. I have a potluck BBQ coming up and I think this may be what will make everyone swoon. Did Adam like it!!??
Will have to make this for my hubby! He loves cheesecake but I’ve been too intimidated (read: busy/lazy) to make him one
Looks incredible!
OMG I want to make this immediately. High protein cheesecake? How awesome is that! And yes, I totally know what you mean about the necessity of a hooded sweatshirt and a bed after cheesecake indulgence. Stretchy pants are usually good, too.
This looks amazing! I’ve been craving cheesecake lately but never want to indulge in that many calories, so this would be perfect!
I love peaches in yogurt, so this is an obvious winner in my book!
Oh yeah. I love using Greek yogurt in unexpected ways. Totally perfect! I need that pan.
I am so trying this!
Greek yogurt is honestly one of my new favorite foods. I am definitely making this recipe! Love from our blog runningwithmascara.com
ooooh great idea!
i love cheesecake, but i’ve been trying to cut back on sweets. so when i do bake, i try to keep it a little lighter. this will definitely be baked in my kitchen sooooon.
Yum! I’ve avoided cheesecake (even from the Cheesecake factory) b/c it sits like a brick for 4-6 hrs (digestion time)! Have you ever had ricotta cheesecake? I had some at a mom & pop Italian restaurant and OMG it’s to die for! It was the last cheesecake I had and have not wanted to spoil that culinary memory!
This looks AMAZING! Was wondering if I could use TJ’s flavored yogurts (strawberry, peach, etc) and top with the same fresh fruits too?
This is such a genius idea! I LOVE cheesecake.
I wonder if I can make my mom’s triple chocolate cheesecake using Greek yogurt…
What a beautiful cake, looks so fresh and summery.
Oh wow, that looks to die for! I love cheesecake!
I have got to make this for my dad! It combines his two favorite things….peaches and cheesecake!
This might just help me return to cheesecake after banning it from my life for so many years due to the “can’t take just one bite” effect.
This looks UNREAL!! I wonder if it will work well with pumpkin for the fall?? Cant wait to try it as is though, in the meantime! YUM!
YUM! Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. This looks incredible.
I just love cheesecake so I’m going to have to try this filling in my next one.
Oh the pictures look gr8 and the recipe just amazing!!!
I will difinitely give this one a try! Love that you use “Savannah Bee Company” honey, isn’t it the best? Love love love their soaps too!Orange Blossom is my favorite!
I can hardly wait to try this! I love cheesecake but rarely make it because, as you say, it’s incredibly time consuming and a huge calorie bomb. Maybe now I can get my cheesecake fix whenever I want!
OMG! Savannah Bee Company makes the best honey! Their tupelo honey is soooo amazing with plain greek yogurt, berries, and homemade granola! My favorite summer breakfast!
I was at the grocery today and, remembering this, bought a tub of Greek yogurt. Just curious – what % fat yogurt did you use? The only choices I had were 2% or 10%, so I went with the fattier one… after all, it IS still cheesecake, right?! Anyway, I’m super excited to see how it turns out!
This “cheese”cake was amazing! Everyone was raving about it. I just added a little lemon zest and mango extract and it was great. I actually am going to make another one tomorrow. I would have never thought to use greek yogurt in a cheesecake but I’m not going back!
I honestly can’t wait to make this! Do you have a good recipe for peach ice cream?
VM – this recipe isn’t Jenna’s, but I saw it on my Bloglines the other day and it looks incredible! You could leave out the pepper if you’re nervous about it: http://www.sassyradish.com/2011/07/peach-ice-cream-with-sour-cream-and-black-pepper/
I made this on Friday and it turned out delicious! Thanks for a great dessert option that I can feel good about! I used homemade yogurt, thinking it might not turn out very well. But I was pleasantly surprised! Thanks for the recipe!
this has been my “greek yogurt, peach, honey” summer….Lord have mercy, it just got better! <3
I saved this recipe for a few weeks and I used it to both inagurate my springform pan (received as a gift 6+ months ago) and to make a thematically appropriate dessert for a friend who works for one of the big greek yogurt companies. It was a big hit and I will definitely be making it again!
I am making this right now and I cant wait to try it.
I just thought you would like to know that you can substitute Agave Nectar for Sugar in most recipes. Which is what I sometimes do, on some of the “heavier” desserts I make.
Agave nectar is 1.5 times sweeter than sugar and the calories per teaspoon are about the same, so you will not need as much, thereby you can reduce the calories without losing any of the sweetness.
When using it in your baking you will have to experiment as to how much you put in. Start by substituting between 1/2 to 2/3 cups of nectar for 1 cup of sugar. You will also need to reduce other liquids, such as oils and water, by about 1/4 cup for every cup of agave nectar.
Its not a magic sugar substitute, it does have its negatives. It is still a sugar & if you are pregnant you should use agave with caution, as some species of agave contain anordin and dinordin steroids, which can lead to a miscarriage.
Happy cooking!
*sigh.
You are an angel.
I just tried a slice of this and I cannot believe how good it is. You are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Can you please list the nutritional information? This looks amazing! Thanks
I’m just wondering why you can’t use the non-fat version of Greek Yogurt. Would low-fat suffice? Otherwise, a great use of greek yogurt! One of the latest greatest flavours! Thanks for the recipe.
The texture isn’t the same with non-fat—trust me, I’ve tried it!
I just poured my cheesecake mixture into the pan and was very sad to see my cookie crust had shrunk! Hoping it still works out~ words to anyone else– build up the crust a little bit around the edges to compensate for any shrinkage…
I just made this over the weekend for my family and a couple neighbors. They couldn’t believe there was no cream cheese in it! It tasted amazing and I was so guilt-free afterwards.
thank you
This is delicious.I absolutely love cheesecake, however I will indulge in it a little to much when it is on hand. This is a wonderful substitute. I love that it is so simple to make. I did have to tweak it for what I had on hand. I only had 0% Greek yogurt so I used one cup of that and 8oz of the Philadelphia Neufchatel cheese instead. I also didn’t have any lemon zest and it was great even without a topping. Next time I will definitely add fruit. Thanks for the recipe.
I just made this – I used Oikos fat-free yogurt because it has no stabilizers at all – turned out amazing!! Used a crust made of shreeded wheat/bran – blened with splenda brown sugar and low fat butter (yes it exists). I also put a raspberry jame swirl in the batter before baking (microwave a little raspberry jam and 1 tsp lemon juice) then swirl into batter once in pan. Ong…amzing!!
Oh my goodness, you’ve made my day! I love the texture and infinite flavors of cheesecake, but I dislike the cream cheese flavor, excessive number of steps involved, and the insane calorie count. This solves all my cheesecake problems! I cannot wait to try it! You’re brilliant, Jenna.
It’s in my oven as I type. It has 10 more minutes to bake and I’m praying we don’t lose the electric. We are having a seriously wicked storm here on the East Coast right now!
I made this recipe but I left out the cornstarch and used a graham cracker crust. It was absolutely delicious, and I couldn’t believe that it was nutritious! Definitely a recipe I’ll use again!
Oh man! My husband LOVES cheesecake, but due to his IBS, can’t eat cheese or cream cheese of any type. Greek yogurt though, especially 2% greek yogurt, he can definitely eat! Thank you for helping me make his day.
This was an awesome recipe. Thanks!
How is it cheesecake when it doesn’t appear to have any cheese in it?
Just came across this recipe on the hunt for delicious, healthier desserts and I can’t wait to share it with our Cabot friends. It will be great with our Greek Style Yogurt!
Today marks the third time I’ve made cheesecake with your recipe. It’s so delicious. This time I used Toasted Coconut Vanilla Greek yogurt (by Oikos) and it made it even tastier. Thanks for such a great recipe!
A co-worker brought this in and couldn’t believe how much it tastes like traditional cheesecake! I double the filling ingredients, bake it in a 10″ spring form, and increased the bake time by 20 minutes. I made the crust a traditional graham cracker and added in some ginger to give it a little zip. I made it for a dinner party and the table went silent from everyone shoveling it in their mouths. When I told them it wasn’t the full-fat version, everyone requested a 2nd piece. GREAT recipe!
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