You'll never believe that this no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake was made entirely from Greek yogurt! The silky smooth texture with a buttery graham cracker crust and raspberry sauce makes this cheesecake not only delicious but unique!
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What makes this recipe special
Did you ever have that moment when you tried a familiar dessert only to discover that it tasted out of this world delicious? I experienced that moment last year when I was visiting Germany. We were having dinner at a Greek restaurant and ordered a cheesecake for dessert. I've made and tasted many, many cheesecakes in my life but this...this was nothing like what I ever had before. The cheesecake was so incredibly silky and smooth, almost like panna cotta but infinitely better. When I asked the waiter what kind of cheese was in the cake, he smiled and replied, "It's just yogurt and white chocolate." It was such a revolutionary moment that I thought about it for weeks until I came home and recreated it. Try this no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake and hopefully, you'll be as impressed as I was!
When I was trying to replicate the cheesecake I had in Germany, I initially thought it was a baked cheesecake. It took two tries before I realized I was taking the wrong approach. Although a baked Greek yogurt cheesecake is very delicious, the texture wasn't right. And so, with a little tweaking, I created this no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake. I'm happy to say, it was a great success. And for another delicious no-bake cheesecake, try this different but equally delicious banana cheesecake pudding!
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs: Graham crackers are finely crushed and combined with sugar and butter to make the crust. You can substitute with other cookie crumbs like digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, or even chocolate cookies for a different flavor.
- Gelatin powder: A colorless and flavorless powder derived from animal collagen, used to set liquids in recipes like this cheesecake. You can also gelatin sheets instead.
- Whole milk plain Greek yogurt: I used Fage Total Greek Yogurt for this recipe; however, you can use another brand as long as it's whole milk and Greek yogurt.
- White chocolate chips: The sweetened chocolate sweetens the cheesecake, balancing the tartness of the yogurt.
- Raspberries: You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries for the sauce. Feel free to experiment and use other fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, peaches, or plums.
- Cornstarch: The thickening agent helps achieve the correct consistency in the raspberry sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Bake the crust
To make this dessert, first, you have to make the crust. The restaurant in Germany used a Biscoff cookie crust, but, in my opinion, it was too dense and buttery. And so, I went the traditional way and used graham cracker crumbs.
Since we're not going to bake the cake later with the filling, we need to fully bake the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar until well combined. Then, press the mixture into a 10-inch springform pan to create the walls and crust. Bake until golden brown and let cool completely.
Step 2: Prepare the filling
While the crust cools, make the filling. Since there's no cream cheese in the cake, we need to add gelatin to the filling to thicken it up. Bloom the gelatin powder in cold water with vanilla and lemon juice.
Whip the whole-fat Greek yogurt with heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Make sure you use whole-fat yogurt to get the right consistency.
Melt white chocolate chips with the remaining heavy cream until the chips melt. You can use a double boiler but I just pop it in the microwave. Stir the chocolate every 20 seconds if you use a microwave.
While the melted white chocolate cools, heat the gelatin mixture until it liquefies. While the stand mixer is on, slowly add the gelatin to the yogurt mix. Keep whipping the mixture until stiff peaks form, then fold in the white chocolate.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust and let the cheesecake sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours. I highly recommend letting it sit overnight.
Step 3: Make raspberry sauce
Now, this no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake is already delicious on its own, but to make it extra special, serve it with a raspberry sauce. The restaurant in Germany had either a strawberry or raspberry sauce on their dessert. I decided to go with raspberries for a little tartness.
Simmer the berries in water and sugar until the berries soften. Then, blend the berries with the liquid and strain the seeds. Return the berries to the saucepot and simmer it with cornstarch until it thickens.
Once the no-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake sets up, top it with fresh berries. Slice the cheesecake and serve it with raspberry sauce on the side. Alternatively, drizzle it right on top!
I'll admit, I was nervous when I took my first bite. Luckily, this cheesecake was exactly what I wanted. I served this cake to my friends who were with me in Germany and they gave me the stamp of approval. In fact, they said my version was slightly better!
The texture is so incredibly creamy and smooth and it has a hint of tartness from the yogurt. Unlike other no-bake cheesecakes that use cream cheese, this one only uses Greek yogurt. That means this is a healthier version, right?
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Since the dessert needs time to set, it's best to make it the day before serving.
- Store: Wrap the cheesecake tightly or keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can customize the crust based on your preference. A classic graham cracker crust is used in this recipe, but you can experiment with nut crusts, a chocolate crust, or a Biscoff cookie crust.
If you prefer not to use gelatin, you can try agar-agar as a vegetarian alternative. Follow the package instructions for substitution ratios, as they can vary.
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen raspberries for the sauce. You can add the frozen berries directly to the pot with the other ingredients and simmer to make the sauce.
More cheesecake recipes
Looking for more cheesecake recipes? Try these:
Recipe
No-Bake Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham cracker crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (185 grams)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted (85 grams)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (36 grams)
Cheesecake filling
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons gelatin powder (12 grams)
- 24 ounces whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided (250 ml)
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar (130 grams)
Raspberry sauce
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup water (125 ml)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch cheesecake pan with cooking spray.
- Prepare the graham cracker crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the crumbs into the pan and up the sides to create a crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Make the filling. Combine the cold water with vanilla and lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- Add the Greek yogurt, ¾ cup heavy cream, and the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment and whip the mixture until medium peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine the remaining ¼ cup heavy cream with the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until the white chocolate is fully melted. Let cool slightly.
- Heat the gelatin mix in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or until it melts and becomes liquid. While the mixing is running, slowly add the gelatin mix to the yogurt until fully incorporated. Continue to whip the yogurt and heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the white chocolate mixture until fully combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the raspberry sauce. Combine the raspberries, ¼ cup water, and sugar in a medium saucepot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for 5 minutes or until the raspberries soften and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the sauce from heat and transfer to a blender. Puree the sauce until smooth, then pour through a strainer, discarding the seeds.
- Pour the sauce back into the saucepot and bring it back to a simmer over low heat. Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl mixing until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add the mixture to the sauce and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Top the cheesecake with fresh berries and serve with raspberry sauce.
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