2 Ingredient No Bake Yogurt Cheesecake (Viral Japanese Cheesecake)

This creamy yogurt cheesecake doesn’t require any baking or cooking. It only needs 2 ingredients. It is creamy, tangy, and tastes like a lighter version of cheesecake. It is also high in protein and easy to customize.

This is my version of the viral Japanese cheesecake. This dessert is easy to make and you can make it as a single serving dessert or make a larger layer cake version to serve to guests.

I’ve tested dozens of variations of the viral no bake cheesecake and learned a lot along the way. While the original version makes for a quick dessert, I wanted to create a version that you can bring to an event or serve to guests. I also really wanted to feature the layers, which is one of the most visually appealing parts of this dessert. This version takes only a few minutes to prepare, but it looks very impressive with all of its layers.  I also share how to make the original version as well many tips for success.

Ingredients

• Vanilla Icelandic yogurt (can substitute with Greek yogurt)
• Biscuit cookies

Vanilla Icelandic Yogurt: This recipe uses Icelandic yogurt or Greek yogurt because they are thicker and hold up better. I prefer Icelandic because it is thicker than Greek yogurt. Avoid using regular yogurt. I also recommend using vanilla flavored and not plain. Many recipes use plain yogurt but the cheesecake will taste less sweet and will be less flavorful.

Biscuit cookies: I used Biscoff speculoos biscuit cookies. You can use other firm, thick biscuit cookies or shortbread cookies. You do want to use thick, firm cookies because thinner, softer cookies will soften too much in the yogurt.

What is the Viral Japanese Cheesecake

The viral Japanese cheesecake refers to a shortcut cheesecake dessert that first went viral in Japan. It is not the same as the Japanese souffle cheesecake. Instead, it is a quick dessert made with a thick yogurt and biscuit type cookies. The cookies are placed in the yogurt and left to soften for several hours or overnight. When you dig in, you get a mix a tangy yogurt and softened cookies, which ends up tasting a lot like a no bake cheesecake (the Japanese “rare cheesecake”). The US version is often made with Greek or Icelandic yogurt and Biscoff cookies, though you can use any type of biscuit cookie. The dessert has become quite popular in the US due to its ease of preparation and high protein content.

My Version

When I first saw this recipe on social media, I was immediately reminded of icebox cakes, which uses a similar concept. So, I thought, why not turn the yogurt cheesecake into an icebox cake? The preparation is still very simple and the end result is a beautiful layered dessert that looks impressive and tastes just like the original.

The original version creates vertical cake layers by placing the cookies directly into a cup of yogurt. My version creates horizontal cake layers, like a classic layer cake.

How to Make No Bake Yogurt Cheesecake

• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Add a layer of biscuit cookies across the bottom.
• Add 1/2 cup of yogurt on top of the cookie layer and use a spatula to spread it evenly across.
• Line another layer of biscuit cookies on top. Repeat this process until you have 6 layers of cookies and 6 layers of yogurt. You can also make the dessert with fewer layers.
• Place the cake into the fridge for a few hours or ideally overnight, allowing the cookies to soften.
• Cut the cake into approximate 1-inch slices with a sharp knife and serve.

Tips

• If you prefer to make a single serving of this dessert, you can use a single serving yogurt cup and put the cookies in vertically into the cup, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. This is the version that is often shown on social media. You can also scoop the yogurt into a ramekin and add the biscuits.
• I found the best ratio for yogurt to biscuit is to make the yogurt and biscuit layers about the same thickness. This allows you to get equal parts cookie crust/cake and yogurt cheesecake creating the sensation of eating a cheesecake. If your yogurt layers are too thick, then you get too much yogurt and it just tastes like you are eating yogurt. If making the layer cake version, it is especially important to keep the yogurt thickness about the same as each cookie layer, otherwise the cake will not be very stable.
• This recipe works best with a thick, firm biscuit-type cookie. Thinner cookies , softer cookies or more delicate cookies will become too soft from the yogurt. For example, graham crackers do not work well. I’ve used Biscoff speculoos cookies and shortbread cookies. Oreo cookies work well also.
• You can make this with Greek yogurt but I prefer Icelandic which is thicker than Greek yogurt so it holds up better and is higher in protein. This recipe will not work with regular yogurt which isn’t thick enough.
• Many versions use plain Greek yogurt but I highly recommend using vanilla Icelandic or Greek yogurt which adds more flavor and a little sweetness. I found the dessert not sweet enough with the plain unflavored. It does work with plain if you are okay with the dessert tasting less sweet.
• I used nonfat Icelandic yogurt. You can use whole milk Icelandic yogurt for a richer taste.

More No Bake Cheesecake Recipes

• 4 Ingredient No Bake Cloud Cheesecake
• 4 Ingredient No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

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5 from 12 votes

2 Ingredient No Bake Yogurt Cheesecake

This creamy, no bake cheesecake is inspired by the viral Japanese cheesecake. It only needs 2 ingredients and a few minutes to prepare. The end result is a creamy, layer cake that looks impressive for serving to guests but is so easy to make. No cooking or baking required.

Servings: 7 slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups (816g) non-fat vanilla Icelandic yogurt
• ▢ 30 Biscoff cookies

Instructions

 

• Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later. You want to use an 8 x 4 pan that is a little smaller across the bottom. I used this one that measures 7.5 x 3.25 across the bottom.
• Line the bottom with 5 biscoff cookies. There will be some room leftover on the sides of the baking pan. The baking pan is there to help the cake hold its form so it doesn’t tip over, but you don’t need to build the cake to the edge of the baking pan. Add ½ packed cup (136g) of yogurt over the cookies and use a small silicone spatula to spread it evenly across. Try to only spread the yogurt out enough to cover the cookies and not past the cookies. Add 5 more biscoff cookies over the yogurt layer, covering most of the yogurt layer. Add another packed ½ cup of yogurt and use offset spatula to spread evenly across. Repeat this process four more times, so you should have a total of 6 layers of Biscoff and 6 layers of yogurt. The final layer is yogurt. Lightly cover the surface of the baking pan with a cover or plastic wrap (if your cake is higher than the baking pan you'll want to create a little tent cover above it).
• Place into fridge for about 4 hours or overnight to allow the cookies to soften. Slice the cake with a large sharp knife. Try to cut the slices so you are cutting through the cookies. By cutting through the cookies, you get cake-like layers, similar to an icebox cake. You should be able to see the outline of the cookies to help you figure out where to cut. I cut my slices to be a little less than 1 inch thick. Serve immediately. Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

• I used nonfat vanilla Siggi yogurt.* They sell them in 24 oz containers and you’ll need 1 (24 oz container) plus a little extra (about 1/4 of another large container or 1-2 single serving containers). If you reduce the cake to 5 yogurt layers, one 24 oz tub of yogurt will be just enough to make 5 layers.
• *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 253kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 164mg, Sugar: 20g, NET CARBS: 34

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

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