A low point cheesecake made with Greek yogurt makes for guilt-free sweet dessert!
Makes 8 servings
How did this Low Point Cheesecake came to be?
Creamy rich cheesecake has always been a favorite of mine. In fact instead of birthday cake-I always prefer having cheesecake as my birthday dessert. I just love the rich, decadent dense, smooth, and creamy consistency it has.
After being a WW ( Weight Watchers) member for so many years, I was determined to create a cheesecake recipe that would curb my craving for cheesecake without having to use my weekly points for. I needed an alternative to the full fat cheesecake that I could enjoy weekly rather than on special occasions. I created this Low Point Cheesecake recipe just a few months after the Freestyle Program announced the new zero point foods which included eggs and non fat plain Greek yogurt. I spent months developing what I feel is the BEST alternative to cheesecake you’ll find that is low in points. To keep it low in points-I deicide to make it crustless. Now, you can add a crust if you desire. But-what I really love about this cheesecake recipe is that it’s low in calories, low in points, but high in protein, and makes for a delicious guilt free dessert.
What Ingredients do I use to make this Cheesecake?
- Non Fat Greek Yogurt:The non fat Greek yogurt is the main ingredient for this cheesecake. It is used as a cream cheese substitute that is usually found in a classic cheesecake recipe. I recommend using a thick non fat Greek yogurt-Fage or Chobani are both great brands. They are super thick-which is exactly what you want. The thicker the yogurt, the better the texture will be for this cheesecakes. The one thing to keep in mind is that all yogurt contains whey.
Have you have ever opened a container of yogurt and have notice a thin layer of clear liquid is sitting on top? That liquid is known as whey. Whey is rich in milk-protein and can also contain some of the milk’s nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D. Since yogurt tends to carry a lot of whey, you may notice the whey sitting on top of the cheesecake after it has chilled in the fridge for 12 hours. Let me reassure you..this is normal..and that “whey” or liquid will eventually evaporate after a few days. You can place a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the cheesecake which will help absorb some of the whey.
- Sugar Free Pudding:The sugar free pudding is used as a thickening agent and gives these low point cheesecake flavor. The non fat Greek Yogurt and the sugar free pudding are used as an alternative for cream cheese that is used to make the full fat cheesecakes. When the pudding is combined with the non fat Greek Yogurt and eggs it makes the texture nice and thick. You may substitute the sugar free Jell-o pudding for regular. The point value may vary with this substitution
- Eggs:These low point cheesecakes rely on eggs for their thickening power. Thickening will occur when raw egg proteins unwind and link together, which is what happens when eggs cook. If you are watching your cholesterol; you may substitute the whole eggs for egg whites, but you’ll need 6 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs.
Sweetener: For this cheesecake I use Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener to sweeten the cheesecake. This is my recommended sugar substitute. Lakanto MonkFruit Sweetener is a zero glycemic, zero calorie and all natural sugar substitute. It is by far the best tasting sugar alternative and has zero aftertaste or gritty texture like some of the sugar alternatives have.
You can find this online HERE.
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TASTES just like sugar | Zero net carbs, Zero calorie, Zero glycemic Sweetener
1:1 SUGAR REPLACEMENT | Lakanto has a perfect mix of monk fruit and erythritol to match the sweetness of sugar and maintain your baking and cooking needs
It’s WW FRIENDLY, Keto, Diabetic, Candida, Paleo, Vegan, Low Carb, Low Sugar, NON-GMO, and All Natural
What do I bake my cheesecake in?
I use this 9-inch Springform pan. You can also use a 9-inch pie dish if you wish.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs or 3/4 cup liquid egg substitute
- 3 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt or nonfat plain yogurt (I use Fage or Chobani)
- 1 (1 oz.) small box Jell-o sugar free/fat free butterscotch instant pudding
- 1 tsp vanilla or butterscotch extract
- 3 Tbsp sugar substitute ( I use Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener ) I recommend a granulated sugar substitute, if the sugar substitute is not granulated it tends to give a gritty texture to the cheesecake.
- Drizzle Smucker’s sugar free caramel sundae syrup, optional topping
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In mixing bowl add eggs, sugar substitute and extract & mix well using a wire whisk.
- Then add yogurt and dry pudding mix. Whisk well.
- Pour into a lightly greased with non stick cooking spray pie dish or springform pan. I used a 9 inch springform pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. ( It may look jiggly but once it’s chilled, it will set.)
- Let it cool for about 15-20 minutes. Leave the cheesecake in the pan and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Let it chill for at least 12 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Makes 8 servings
1 Point® per serving
How do I track this recipe in my WW app?
Click the link below to go to the recipe builder. You’ll first need to sign into your WW account and then the recipe builder will upload. The recipe builder is the most accurate way to create, obtain, and track the Points®
The recipe builder link only works for WW members located in the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, you’ll need to access the WW app manually to create the recipe in the recipe builder.
Butterscotch Cheesecake
A low point cheesecake made with Greek yogurt makes for guilt-free sweet dessert!
Author: thepounddropper.com
Ingredients
- 3 eggs or 3/4 cup liquid egg substitute
- 3 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt or nonfat plain yogurt (I use Fage or Chobani)
- 1 (1 oz.) small box Jell-o sugar free/fat free butterscotch instant pudding
- 1 tsp vanilla or butterscotch extract
- 3 Tbsp sugar substitute ( I use Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener )
- Drizzle Smucker's sugar free caramel sundae syrup, optional topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In mixing bowl add eggs, sugar substitute and extract & mix well using a wire whisk.
- Then add yogurt and dry pudding mix. Whisk well.
- Pour into a lightly greased with non stick cooking spray pie dish or springform pan. I used a 9 inch springform pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. ( It may look jiggly but once it’s chilled, it will set.)
- Let it cool for about 15-20 minutes. Leave the cheesecake in the pan and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Let it chill for at least 12 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Makes 8 servings
1 Point® per serving
Notes
- I recommend mixing the cheesecake by hand rather than a mixer. That way the yogurt stays nice and thick.
- You can substitute regular instant pudding mix for the sugar free pudding mix. The servings for that is: 10 servings / 2 points per serving.
- It can take up to 12 hours for the texture and flavor to completely set in. The longer it chills the better it tastes.
- Cover with a paper towel and then plastic wrap to help absorb moisture for up to a week.
- Freeze for 1-3 months in an airtight container
- I recommend a granulated sugar substitute, if the sugar substitute is not granulated it tends to give a gritty texture to the cheesecake.
- The overall point value is the same per slice regardless if you use a regular or sugar free cake mix.
- Toppings are extra points.
Smartpoints: GREEN: 2 SmartPoint per serving if using 3/4 cup liquid egg substitute or 2 servings for 4 SmartPoints or 3 SmartPoints if using 3 whole eggs, 2 servings for 6 SmartPoints BLUE: 1 SmartPoints per serving1 SmartPoints per serving or 2 servings for 3 SmartPoints PURPLE: 1 SmartPoints per serving or 2 servings for 3 SmartPoints
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 107Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 01gProtein: 9g
The point values and nutritional information is estimated and figured based off the brand of ingredients I used for the recipe using the WW app and can vary depending on ingredients used.
Michele Stiles
Saturday 21st of March 2020
These are a staple at my house. I’ve made several varieties. I noticed you talked about adding flour or cake mix. I started adding two boxes of pudding which to me helps with the texture and quicker setting up. Ups the points just by one per slice but it is worth it to me. I love these because it is such a great protein filled snack. So satisfying.
Merryl Frankel
Tuesday 20th of August 2019
The recipe looks yum but wondering about the addition of cake mix/flour. Can you just mix in 3Tb. Of flour no will that provide the same stability as cake mix? I don’t have a use for cake mix and would prefer not to purchase unless you feel the flour alone will have a negative impact on the cheesecake flavor. Thanks.
Gwen
Monday 19th of August 2019
I tried this recipe over the weekend and it was bitter. The only difference is that I used the individual packets of the sweetener but it was the same name brand. I also could not find the butterscotch abstract so I used vanilla. Any suggestions on what I could have done wrong. For the yogurt I used Fage.
Lindsay Kehl
Monday 19th of August 2019
Hi Gwen,
The only thing I could think of is maybe the individual packets aren’t as concentrated. The sweetness of the sugar substitute and the extract helps offset the bitterness of the Greek Yogurt. If you find it’s still too bitter..add a bit more sweetener to the batter. Hopes that helps! Thanks
Denise Young
Wednesday 7th of August 2019
I was wondering why this recipe has the cake mix? Just curious. Thanks
Lindsay Kehl
Wednesday 7th of August 2019
Hi Denise, I've recently started adding a bit of cake mix into my Greek yogurt cheesecake recipes which helps create a nicer thicker texture. Just a little bit of cake mix or flour in the cheesecake batter helps bond the cheesecake and makes the cake easier to cut into clean slices. The starch in the cake mix makes the cheesecake more firm and sturdy, while a cheesecake that relies on eggs alone has a softer, super-creamy texture. You can use any flavor of cake mix such as: White, Yellow, Spice or Sugar Free (the overall point value is the same per slice regardless if you use a regular or sugar free cake mix).
This is optional and if prefer you can omit it from the recipe if you choose to do so.
Thank you so much!
Christy
Monday 5th of August 2019
Do you need to add the sweetener if you use regular pudding mix (not sugar free)?
Lindsay Kehl
Monday 5th of August 2019
Hi Christy,
Not necessarily, but I like to still add 3 Tbsp. I make it for my kids who like the regular pudding and I usually add the sugar to help balance out the tanginess of the Greek Yogurt.
You can omit it if you choose!
Thanks so much, Linds