This healthy Greek yogurt cheesecake recipe is luxuriously smooth, easy to prepare, and surprisingly good for you!
High protein cheesecake recipe
With a thick and creamy custard texture, this high protein Greek yogurt cheesecake is nutritious and filling, no cream cheese required!
Pour it into any store bought or homemade crust, or serve it in bowls as fancy cheesecake mousse.
A soft and delicious homemade cheesecake that just so happens to be healthy at the same time? It’s like a dessert dream come true.
Also try these Black Bean Brownies
Cheesecake is for sure my favorite non chocolate dessert.
I could happily eat cheesecake for days on end and still want more.
It’s like that scene from Friends where they accidentally drop an entire cheesecake on the floor and then continue to eat it…
I would totally be that girl.
Healthy Greek yogurt cheesecake ingredients
To make the recipe, you will need Greek yogurt (dairy free if desired), lemon juice, a pinch of salt, sweetener of choice, cornstarch or arrowroot (or almond flour), either cream cheese or silken tofu, and pure vanilla extract.
I normally use pure maple syrup, but any all purpose granulated or liquid sweetener is fine, including regular sugar, coconut sugar, honey, agave, or granulated erythritol or xylitol for a sugar free cheesecake. If using powdered sugar, increase the amount to equal the sweetness of granulated sugar.
For a vegan yogurt cheesecake, either vegan Greek yogurt or nondairy coconut yogurt work well in the recipe. To keep it plant based, use tofu or vegan cream cheese.
You can use vanilla yogurt if you wish. Simply omit the vanilla extract. Or change the recipe flavor by choosing strawberry banana, pineapple, French vanilla, peach, or any other flavor yogurt you wish.
Turn it into a low carb and keto Greek yogurt cheesecake by substituting two tablespoons of almond flour for the one tablespoon of cornstarch.
For the tofu version without cream cheese, I like silken firm tofu (look for shelf stable Mori Nu). If this is not available, refrigerated soft tofu will also work.
The cheesecake can be gluten free, oil free, low carb, low calorie, and vegan.
Use leftover yogurt to make Healthy Banana Bread
How to make Greek yogurt cheesecake
Gather all ingredients, and prepare your optional crust of choice.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all cheese pie ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
Either enjoy as mousse, or pour the filling into the prepared cheesecake crust.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven when it is still soft and under baked. Allow the cake to cool for about an hour.
Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and let it chill, uncovered, for six to eight hours, during which time it will firm up considerably.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Or slice and freeze leftovers in a covered container for up to three months.
Above, watch the Greek yogurt cheesecake recipe video
Greek yogurt cheesecake mousse
Since there are no eggs in the recipe, it’s fine to skip both the crust and baking steps if you prefer to save time and calories.
I mean, it’s basically cheesecake flavored yogurt, so why not???
Serve in bowls or glasses, topped with fresh strawberries and Homemade Nutella, raspberries, cherries, or blueberries and Coconut Whipped Cream.
Or eat the cheesecake filling straight from the blender with a spoon!
If you want to eat it for breakfast, you will get no judgement from me. This is mostly because I will be right there beside you, doing the same exact thing.
Crust options
If you do wish to bake the cheesecake and use a crust, feel free to use either a store bought graham cracker crust or a homemade crust.
Graham Cracker Crust: Stir 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with 6 tablespoons of butter or plant based butter (softened but not melted) and 2 tablespoons sugar of choice in a bowl. Press very firmly into a 9 inch pie pan or a springform pan. Refrigerate for at least an hour before adding filling. No need to bake.
Keto Almond Flour Crust: Stir 2 cups of almond or pecan flour with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 6 tablespoons of melted coconut oil or butter. Press down very firmly into a 9 inch springform or pie pan. Refrigerate for at least an hour before filling.
Traditional Crust: In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour (regular flour or whole wheat pastry both work), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/3 cup of sugar or xylitol, 1/2 cup of oil or melted butter, and 2-4 tablespoons of water so it sticks together but isn’t gummy. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Press into a 9 inch pie pan. Put in the oven and immediately increase the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool, then press down. Once cooled, the crust is ready to fill.
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, vegan if desired
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, or soft or firm tofu
- 1/4 tsp salt, just over level
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave (or 2/3 cup sugar or xylitol)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
- crust of choice (or use the crust recipe written out above in this post)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients until completely smooth – I highly recommend using a blender or food processor for smoothest results. Pour into any prepared crust. Bake 50 minutes, then remove from the oven. It should still look underdone. Allow to cool for an hour before moving the cake, uncovered, to the refrigerator to set for at least 8 hours, during which time it will magically firm up and become more flavorful.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More healthy cheesecake recipes
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars (reader favorite)
Wow! Greek style cheesecake…without cheese!!! I’m in! I hosted a baby shower this past Saturday with a yogurt bar instead of cake. We used Greek yogurt and regular. I think I am too simple. I enjoy just eating my Greek yogurt! But….with this recipe…I might be converted to more possibilities!
I LOVE greek yogurt! My favorite way is to eat in with granola mixed in for breakfast. I can’t wait to try this! 🙂
This recipe looks really good. I may have to give it a try.
I usually get Chobani flavored yogurts and then add MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS. My favorites are raspberry, orange, lemon and cherry. You could probably add some fruit preserves in your favorite flavor with the chocolate chips to your yogurt for a similar effect (or is it ‘affect’? I can never remember).
Oh man, oh man words cannot describe how excited I am for this recipe! Katie, I really want to make this a PUMPKIN cheesecake, do you think that is possible with this recipe? Do you think I could replace 1/4 cup or maybe all of the tofu with canned pumpkin?
I’d love a good pumpkin cheesecake using yogurt instead. Katie, do you have a recipe like that? It would be great for Thanksgiving….
She said you could try subbing pumpkin for the tofu and she’d be interested to see if it works. I for one would be interested as well. So if you try it, please let us know!
Looks sooooo yummy! I cannot wait to try it!
I love Greek yogurt!! I use it in making guacamole, sub it for sour cream in everything, and eat it as a snack! My recent fav is chopping a baby apple up with some stevia and cinnamon and a tsp of water and a drop or two of maple flavoring and cooking (or microwaving) for a minute (or until apples get a tiny bit soft) and mixing it with the yogurt. Tastes like apple pie!
I love making salad dressings too (garlic powder, dill, salt and pepper). Another great recipe I make is for a strawberry poppyseed salad. Using Greek yogurt as a base, adding stevia, salt, about 1 tbs poppyseeds, pepper and white wine vinegar (all to taste) mix together with baby spinach, sliced strawberries, sliced onions and chopped pecans-totally yummy!!!!
Another type of yogurt I have TOTALLY fallen for is called Siggi’s. It is an Icelandic style yogurt-not vegan though. So creamy, and only 100 calories-even the flavored kinds! I usually add a packet of stevia because I like my stuff sweet. I have only been able to find it at Wegmans here in New England. It is expensive for single serve portions, but SO worth it!
I make my own ranch dressing with greek yogurt. I use a small container of greek or plain yogurt, a tiny bit (to taste) of ranch powder seasoning that come in packets, dill weed, a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. Voila! Healthy Ranch!
Yum and thanks! I’ve made a low calorie cheesecake before from a fitness magazine and it was pretty tasteless; not even worth the calories to eat it. Can’t wait to try this tonight!
Katie,
I’m so excited about your website and all your recipes! They are amazing! I share them all the time. Greek yogurt works well when making onion dip. I also use it when I make chicken salad instead of mayo. I use Greek yogurt in my smoothies for a protein boost most often. I buy the plain and don’t add sweetener because the fruit is already sweet enough.
OMG Katie, these pictures ARE your best. So very pretty. I’m so excited about this recipe as cheesecake is my absolute fav!!! Thank you so so so much for posting this 🙂
OMGoodnees. I knew this before but you have proved it again – you are a genius! This is such a delicious cheesecake – I could not believe its healthy and has NO cream cheese!
I did not have mori-nu tofu so used the silken fridge version and it was delicious! My husband, who is so skeptical about any dessert that has tofu in it actually thought it tasted like an all dairy cheesecake!
I did not have the patience to wait 8 hours. It was all firm just after an hour in the fridge so I dived right in!
Thanks Katie!!! 🙂
Thank you for trying it! 🙂 🙂
My gawd thank you. Finally a reviewer that actually made the recipe and has feedback about the finished product. Thanks Kavli.
I’m a newbie vegan (6 months) and have been wondering if non-dairy yogurts could be drained/thickened like the “regular” yogurt. Thanks for answering that question!
I would probably make raita or tzatziki with the leftovers. I have missed those lovely yogurt-based condiments!
That cheesecake looks yummy, btw!