Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake

Creamy, light as a cloud Yogurt Cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust and crumbly topping

*This post is sponsored by Brown Cow Yogurt. All opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make Lion’s Bread possible

This recipe is very close to my heart, because I tried to recreate one of my favorite desserts that my dear childhood friend’s mother used to make. This type of lightened up cheesecake, with the crumb topping is very common growing up in Israel, and it seems like almost everyone’s mom made a version of it. Customizable recipes like this are the ones that I come back to again and again because they are universal hits, and they can easily be adapted to any occasion or gathering!

Ingredients

Cream Cheese – This recipe only calls for 8 ounces of cream cheese, compared to most cheesecake recipes that call for 24 ounces or more. I use full fat cream cheese because the richness is really important for the texture of the cake. Plan ahead, and remember to take your cream cheese out of the fridge at least 3 hours before you begin making the cheesecake. Using room temperature cream cheese is actually really important so it incorporates evenly into the rest of the ingredients.

Yogurt – The star of this cake is the Whole Milk Cream Top Plain Yogurt from Brown Cow. It’s truly unlike any other yogurt, because it is so creamy and rich, but light at the same time. I love using it to make this cheesecake because it lightens up the texture of this cake so much, it’s like a cloud!

Graham Crackers – When it comes to graham crackers, I’m somewhat of a purist. I like to go with the standard honey graham crackers – they’re just sweet enough and make the crispiest crumb topping. If you can’t find graham crackers, you easily substitute digestif biscuits, petit beurre biscuits, or even spiced crispy gingersnap cookies.

Eggs – For the most consistent results, use AA large organic eggs here. Organic eggs are usually richer, as you can see by the color of their vibrant yellow yolks.

Sour Cream – You might notice a trend here, but I always go with full fat sour cream, just like everything else. I don’t believe in low-fat anything haha. Use the real deal, always! We’re folding the sour cream into lemony whipped cream for a luscious topping that will take your breath away.

Butter – I use melted butter for the cheesecake crust and crispy crumb topping. My favorite is salted Kerrygold Irish grass-fed butter

Lemon Zest – This cake absolutely needs the lemon zest, so don’t skip it. The citrus flavor is the perfect compliment to the rich creamy yogurt cheesecake. Be sure to wash you lemon really well before removing the zest, in case there is any dust, wax or pesticides on the peel of the lemon. If you’re making this in the winter time, try using Meyer lemons for their added sweetness!

ingredients

How to make Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake

Step 1: Start by making the crust and crumb topping – spoiler: they’re one in the same! Just process about 17 sheets of honey graham crackers in a food processor. Then add melted butter, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of ground cinnamon. I press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan, and bake them for 15 minutes until the crust smells nutty and is deeply golden brown. Reserve the rest of the crumbs for the topping, and set aside.

Step 2: Make the cheesecake filling. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and handheld mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Beat until the cream cheese is lighter and fluffier, about 2 minutes. Then add the yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. The batter is going much thinner than a traditional cheesecake. Don’t worry! This is exactly what makes the cake so light. Bake until the center is just a tiny bit wobbly. Allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour. If you put it in the fridge or freezer to speed things up, even better!

Step 3: The sour cream topping. Start by whipping up heavy cream in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add a bit of granulated sugar, the zest of a lemon. Beat until you’ve reached soft peaks. Turn off the mixer, and add the sour cream to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the sour cream into the whipped cream by hand, being careful not to deflate the cream.

Step 4: Add the reserved crumbs to the top! I highly recommend chilling the cake for at least an hour before serving it. At this point you can decorate the cake however you like, or enjoy just like this, because let me tell you, it’s perfect!

Tips to Bake the best Cheesecake

• Don’t worry about baking the cheesecake in a water bath. Most traditional cheesecake recipes have you bake the cheesecake in a bain-marie (or water bath) to ensure even cooking. It’s really not necessary here. If you know that your oven temperature is warmer towards the back, make sure to rotate your cake 180 degrees halfway through the cooking time.
• It’s ok if the top cracks a bit! We’re covering the top of the cheesecake with sweetened lemony whipped cream then a whole bunch of buttery graham crackers crumbs…no one will ever know! But, if it bothers you, just let the cake hang out in the oven with the oven door ajar, and oven OFF after it has finished baking, This will give a very slow and gradual cooling process, so that the cake doesn’t deflate right away, preventing cracks!
• Make sure the cheesecake layer is totally cooled before you add the whipped sour cream layer.. If the cheesecake is warm, it will melt that cream instantly, and you’ll have a mess on your hands.

The Tools I Use

• Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
• Vitamix blender
• 9-inch springform pan
• small offset spatula – perfect for creating smooth, even layers

Substitutions

There are plenty of ways to customize this Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake! You could use chocolate graham crackers for the crust and topping, gingersnaps, or nutty digestif biscuits. As far as the flavor os the cake, you could mini chocolate chips to the batter, do a caramel drizzle on top, or add plenty of fresh fruit or berries in the spring and summer. This cheesecake is kind of like a blank canvas, and you add as much or as little as you like. Customizable recipes like this are the ones that I come back to again and again because they are universal hits, and they can easily be adapted to any occasion or gathering.

How to Store

It’s very important to store this cake in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Before I serve this cake, I like to remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes prior, to take the chill off. I think you can taste the flavors even more when it’s not quite so cold.

You can also freeze a portion or all of this cake. I would freeze only the crust and cheesecake layers, wrapped tightly in plastic once the cake has cooled completely. Then, when you’re ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge, then add the sour cream layer, and the crumbly graham crackers crumbs on top.

Love this Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake? Be sure to check out:

Cherry Cheesecake Bars, Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish, Chocolate Cheesecake Rolls

Did you make this cheesecake? Rate and comment below to let me know how it went! Remember to tag me @lions.bread when you share so I can see my recipes coming to life in your kitchens! Want to save this recipe for later? Click the Pin it icon on any of the images to save it your favorite Pinterest boards

I’m so excited for you to try this New Classic and see your take on it! I know you’re going to love it as much as I do – LeAnne

5 from 1 vote

Print

Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake

Creamy, light as a cloud Yogurt Cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust and crumbly topping

Course Dessert

Keyword Cheesecake, yogurt

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

chill time 2 hours

Servings 1 9" cheesecake

Author LeAnne Shor

Ingredients

Crust and Crumb Topping

• 17 sheets of graham cracker sheets crushed about 2 1/4 cups of crumbs, 225 g
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 113 g
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional

Filling

• 8 oz full-fat cream cheese 226 g
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar 66 g
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large organic eggs
• 1 cup Brown Cow Cream Top Plain Yogurt 245 g
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Sour Cream Topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 232 g
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest the zest from a full lemon
• ½ cup full fat sour cream 60 g

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ° F, and position the rack directly in the middle of the oven. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.

2. Start by making the crust and crumb topping. Add the graham crackers to a blender or food processor, pulse until they are fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a medium size bowl.

3. Then add melted butter, a pinch of kosher salt, and pinch of ground cinnamon. Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and bake them for 15 minutes until the crust smells nutty and is deeply golden brown. Reserve the rest of the crumbs for the topping, and set aside to cool.

4. Make the cheesecake filling. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and handheld mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Beat until the cream cheese is lighter and fluffier, about 2 minutes. Then add the yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. The batter is going much thinner than a traditional cheesecake. Don't worry! This is exactly what makes the cake so light. Bake until the center is just a tiny bit wobbly, but set, about 45-50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour. If you put it in the fridge or freezer to speed things up, even better!

5. While the cake is cooling, make the sour cream topping. Start by whipping up heavy cream in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the granulated sugar, and the zest of a lemon. Beat until you've reached soft peaks. Turn off the mixer, and add the sour cream to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the sour cream into the whipped cream by hand, being careful not to deflate the cream.

6. Lastly, add the reserved crumbs to the top. Chill the cake for at least 1 hour before serving it. At this point you can decorate the cake however you like, or enjoy just like this, because let me tell you, it's perfect!

Recipe Notes

It's very important to store this cake in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Before I serve this cake, I like to remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes prior, to take the chill off. I think you can taste the flavors even more when it's not quite so cold. 

You can also freeze a portion or all of this cake. I would freeze only the crust and cheesecake layers, wrapped tightly in plastic once the cake has cooled completely. Then, when you're ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge, then add the sour cream layer, and the crumbly graham crackers crumbs on top.

* This post contains affiliate links. This means that a small portion of the profit goes to me, without any additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Lion’s Bread!

The post “Creamy Yogurt Cheesecake” first appeared on Lion’s Bread.