Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Hey everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. This one of the those recipes that I cannot wait to share for you all to try!

It is one of my most favorite desserts that I have made thus far. Instead of making the traditional birthday cake for a few of my family members; I made them this delicious cheesecake! Guess what? It was a hit and you would never know that this is a lighter form of enjoying cheesecake by just tasting it. It tastes just as good as your typical cheesecake recipes if not better! Also, substituted coconut oil instead of butter in the crust which gives amazing flavor and obviously better for you that butter! No water bath is necessary either which is a total bonus. This cheesecake is the perfect treat to bring to guests or serve as a host. Everyone will surely love it!

Ingredients

16 ounces (2 packages) 1/3 less fat plain cream cheese or neufchatel, Must be room temp.

16 ounces plain Non-Fat Greek yogurt, Must be room temp.

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 1/4 tsp corn starch

3 eggs, Must be room temp.

1 tbsp lemon zest

Crust

2 cups crushed Honey graham crackers

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

A little less than 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

Pinch of salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Topping

Homemade Berry Jam

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a food processor, pulse together all the crust ingredients till it looks sand like.
• Prep the 8 inch spring form pan but spraying with nonstick spray and cutting out a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan.
• With your fingers, press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and 1-2 inches up the side.
• Bake this in the center of the oven for 5-10 minutes till crust is lightly golden and firm. Allow to fully cool before placing cheesecake mixture. To quicken cooling, place in the fridge and work on cheesecake mixture.
• Reduce heat to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix together all the cheesecake ingredients but make sure only to mix one egg at a time. Initially use a rubber spatula and then use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps and that the mixture is smooth and creamy. If you have a kitchen aid mixer, use that entirely instead.
• Pour batter into cooled crust and smooth out the top. Cover the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil folding around the sides as well. Then place pan on top of a baking sheet.
• Place in center of 325 degrees preheated oven for approx. 55 minutes until the edges are set but the center is a little jiggly just like Jell O. This jiggle will stiffen when cheesecake is cooling afterwards.
• After cheesecake is baked, place aside to cool completely at room temperature, which takes about 3 hours.
• Then place in the fridge covered with plastic wrap overnight.
• Following day, take out of spring form pan gently by loosening the edges with a butter knife dipped in warm water.
• Top the cheesecake off with what you like. I topped it with my homemade berry jam and it came out amazing!
• Enjoy this slice of deliciousness!

I highly recommend purchasing spring form pans; its so much easier to take cheesecakes and cakes out when using these types of baking ware. Here is a product link for them: [WooZoneProducts asin=”B01FSKDYHW”][/WooZoneProducts]

If you want a mixer but don’t want to dish out the 300 hundred dollars for a kitchen aid; this is also a great choice: [WooZoneProducts asin=”B000R4LD1Y”][/WooZoneProducts]