Kefir Cream Cheese Cake

Time for a Healthier Greek Yogurt Cheesecake! We’re changing a few ingredients to lighten up this classic dessert and I know the cheesecake lovers out there will really enjoy this one. A standard graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling, top it with a berry compote for something extra special. Gluten-free friendly.

PREPARATION TIME:

Prep:1

Cook:1

Total:8

Ingredients:

for the crust

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, gluten-free if needed (about 10-11 sheets)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

for the filling

2 blocks cream cheese, 16 ounces, room temperature (low fat or regular)

1 ¾ cups plain Greek yogurt, room temperature (2% preferred)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Simple Berry Compote

1 ½ cups total strawberries and blueberries, or mix with raspberries

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon chia seeds, optional but thickens the mixture

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 ºF, prepare water bath pan and wrap 9″ springform pan tightly with foil; set aside.

Make crust: In medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar; stir until thoroughly mixed. Press evenly into the bottom of 9″ springform pan – use back of measuring cup to flatten. Bake for 8 minutes; remove from oven to cool before wrapping edges/bottom tightly in foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325 ºF

Make cheesecake filling: Meanwhile prepare the cheesecake filling. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat together cream cheese until smooth for about 2 minutes. Add in granulated sugar, greek yogurt, vanilla and lemon juice, beating again until completely smooth. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing on low-medium speed.Try not to overmix here. Stop mixing as soon as last egg is incorporated.

Pour cheesecake filling onto pre-baked crust in foil-wrapped springform pan; place pan in bottom of roasting pan with 1″ hot water.

Bake: Carefully transfer to oven and bake at 325ºF for 45-55 minutes or until middle has just set. The middle should jiggle slightly (like jell-o) but look firm.

Cool: Turn off oven, crack door, and allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1 hour before covering and transferring to fridge and chilling for 8 hours.

Make berry compote: For the simple berry compote, bring berries and juice in small saucepan to simmer and cook down for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chia seeds to thicken if desired. Serve with greek yogurt cheesecake.

Recipe Notes:

GREEK YOGURT: I used Tillamook 0% plain Greek yogurt, which isn’t nearly as tart as other 0% fat yogurts. If possible, use 2% of full-fat.SUGAR: I opted to cut the sugar down to ⅔ cup for this recipe. If using a tart 0% yogurt, you may want to use ¾ cup sugar. If you decide to use vanilla yogurt, you could ust ⅔ cup sugar or even ½ cup sugar.ROOM TEMPERATURE: Room temperature ingredients are not optional, everything must be the same temperature (eggs, Greek yogurt and cream cheese) to ensure a smooth cheesecake batter with no lumps.MAKE AHEAD: Cheesecake can be prepped a day in advance. Keep chilled just before serving.Nutrition approximate; calculated with 2% yogurt and full-fat cream cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 piece, Calories: 187 k cal (9%), Carbohydrates: 15 g (5%), Protein: 6 g (12%), Fat: 12 g (18%), Saturated Fat: 7 g (44%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 66 mg (22%), Sodium: 201 mg (9%), Fiber: 1 g (4%), Sugar: 12 g (13%)