This healthy cheesecake is so smooth and creamy. It is also just 3 ingredients and takes less than five minutes to prepare the batter. The cheesecake is low in calories and sugar.
Most lightened up cheesecakes will contain a mix of cream cheese and yogurt. However, this cake cuts down on calories even more by using just yogurt. This cheesecake is so creamy that you won’t miss the cream cheese at all. I also made this cheesecake crustless since a lot of the sugar and calories are in the crust.
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt
- Cornstarch
- Eggs
Greek yogurt: For best results use whole milk vanilla Greek yogurt. You want to use whole milk Greek yogurt because the cheesecake will not be as creamy if it is low fat or fat free. All the sweetness for the cake comes from the yogurt so if you want the cake to taste sweeter you will need to use a Greek yogurt that is very sweet. If you want to keep this low sugar, then use a yogurt that is low in sugar. You can also use a sugar-free yogurt that is sweetened with a sugar substitute. Also make sure to use Greek yogurt and not regular yogurt.
Cornstarch: A little cornstarch is used to absorb the excess moisture from the yogurt to prevent the cake from weeping. Cornstarch can be substituted for flour but I prefer using cornstarch because flour makes the cake less sweet and the cake is already only lightly sweetened.
Eggs: Eggs are used to provide structure for the cake.
How to Make Healthy Yogurt Cheesecake
The yogurt and eggs are first whisked together. The cornstarch is then mixed in. The batter is then poured into a greased cake pan and placed into a water bath. Baking the cheesecake in the water bath helps to make the texture of the cake extra smooth and creamy and helps prevent cracks or overbaking.
Texture and Taste
While this cheesecake doesn’t contain any cream cheese, the whole milk Greek yogurt is very rich, thick, creamy and a little tangy so it mimics the flavor and texture of cream cheese quite well. The texture is very creamy and smooth, just like cheesecake. However, it is not as sweet as regular cheesecake since this is meant to be a healthier cheesecake.
If you prefer sweeter, you can add some sugar or sugar substitute to the batter. You can also top with a sweet topping. For these photos, I decorated the cake with a sugar-free strawberry jam and fresh strawberries and raspberries.
More Cheesecake Recipes
- 4 Ingredient Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake
- 3 Ingredient Basque Cheesecake
- 4 Ingredient Air Cheescake
- 3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chocolate Japanese Cheesecake
3 Ingredient Healthy Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (583 g) whole milk vanilla Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs approx 95 grams without shells
- 3 tbsp (21 g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray the inside of a 7 inch one piece round cake pan (not a springform pan) with cooking oil spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment round. Don’t line the sides but make sure they are greased.
- Add yogurt and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until eggs are fully incorporated and no egg white streaks remain.
- Sift in cornstarch with a fine mesh strainer, one tablespoon at a time and whisk after each addition until cornstarch is fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into your prepared cake pan. Eliminate any bubbles if you see them on the surface of the cake batter.
- The cake will be baked in a water bath. To do this, place your cake pan into a slightly larger baking pan, such as a 9 inch square baking pan. Pour just enough cold tap water into the outer pan so that the water level reaches 1/2 inch. Make sure to add the water to the outer pan after you've put the cake in. If you add 1/2 inch of water before, the added weight of the cake pan and cake batter will push up your water level more than 1/2 inch. I recommend sticking in a ruler to measure the water level. It’s difficult to just “eye it” and looking at how far it reaches up the cake pan will also not be accurate. If your water level is too high, the cake will cook too fast.
- Place cake with water bath into your oven. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until center is just set and cake is starting to pull away from the edges. Let cake cool for about an hour and then place it in the fridge for several hours to set. Letting the cake cool in the fridge will help it set better and also help the flavors develop.
Notes
- This cake is meant to be only lightly sweetened. To make it sweeter, you can use a sweeter yogurt or add about 1/4 cup of sugar to the batter. You can also use a sugar substitute. You can also top with fresh fruit or a sweet jam.
- I recommend baking in a one-piece pan rather than a springform. When I tested this with a springform pan I found that the cake didn't bake as evenly and the cooked cake came out wetter. If you only have a springform pan, you can try it. You will need to wrap the bottom of the springform pan in 2 layers of foil to help prevent the water from seeping in. Your bake time will also likely be a little longer.
- To remove the cake, turn the cake pan upside down with a plate underneath. The cake should slide right out. Then flip onto another plate to make the cake right side up again.
- This recipe does work with low fat and nonfat Greek yogurt however the texture won't be as rich. It will taste and feel more like a yogurt cake rather than a cheesecake. Whole milk Greek yogurt is best for mimicking the cream cheese texture. The recipe also works with sugar-free Greek yogurt that has been sweetened with a sugar substitute.
- Nutrition estimate will vary depending on what yogurt you choose. This estimated nutrition is calculated with Amazon Fresh Whole Milk Vanilla Greek Yogurt.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
I made this using fat free vanilla Greek yogurt and it was amazingly good! The texture and taste were so close to cheesecake I couldn’t believe it. I am going to make this for Easter!
I’m so glad it worked out for you!
I’ve just tried this recipe. When should I remove the cake from the tin? Before or after it’s set in the fridge?
Either way should be fine.
I’m interested in giving this a try. Do you know how long it lasts in the fridge or if it’s possible to freeze?
It will last a few days in the fridge. We have not tried freezing it.
I have fat free vanilla Greek yogurt, will it work in this recipe?
It will work but the texture won’t be as rich and creamy as using full fat. We found that it tastes less like a cheesecake and more like yogurt.
This recipe sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try it.
My question is can you take it out of the pan for serving?
Yes you can. Turn the cake pan upside down to release the cake onto a plate and then carefully flip the cake again so it is right-side up.
Can I use arrowroot instead of cornstarch for cheesecake??
Sorry, but we haven’t tried that.
How do you remove from the pan. Looks great and plan on making it.
Turn the cake pan upside down to release the cake onto a plate and then carefully flip the cake again so it is right-side up.
I likell the recipys thankyow
You’re welcome!