Indulge in this mini cheesecake recipe that is both delicious and healthy. Made with creamy Greek yogurt and a gluten free or whole wheat graham cracker crust, these mini treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth in a healthier way!
This fall my healthy pumpkin cheesecake bites were wildly popular with my readers, and here at home, too! But with summer coming and backyard parties and BBQs filling up the calendar, I wanted to share a non-pumpkin version that would make a great warm weather dessert option and, welp, I am obsessed with the results.
I mean, what’s not to love about yummy mini desserts, right? I cannot wait for you to try!
Why You Will Love This Easy Mini Cheesecakes Recipe
- They are made with protein packed Greek yogurt and laughing cow cheese or low fat cream cheese instead of full fat cream cheese or sour cream.
- Despite being lighter than traditional cheesecake, they are still sweet, creamy, tangy, and delicious with the perfect crunchy base.
- This is a super easy recipe to make – just fill up your muffin cups and bake, no water bath needed!
- The jammy strawberry topping comes together in minutes, but you can easily customize these with your favorite toppings.
- They are perfectly portioned, portable, and freezer friendly!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Full ingredients and amounts are listed in the recipe card below! Here’s what you will need:
Graham Cracker Crust:
- melted butter – regular butter or vegan butter works great in this recipe. I have not tested it with coconut oil, but I assume that would also work.
- gluten free or whole wheat graham cracker squares – I use this brand of gluten free crackers, but you can sub what you have on hand or what you can find at your store.
- sugar – I use raw organic cane sugar for this recipe, but any granulated sugar will work
- salt – just a pinch to bring out the sweetness
Cheesecake Filling:
- original or light laughing cow cheese, softened at room temperature – you can sub this with 6 oz of low fat cream cheese. Just note for anyone on the 21 Day Fix, cream cheese is not technically on the list, but also I have seen it used in Fixate recipes.
- plain Greek yogurt, at room temp – low fat or fat free plain Greek yogurt is what I use. Fage is my favorite brand, but I also often use Aldi brand.
- 2 large eggs, room temperature – eggs are a key ingredient in this filling, so I wouldn’t sub them in this recipe.
- pure vanilla extract – for extra flavor
- sugar – I have not tested this recipe with maple syrup or honey so I wouldn’t recommend using those. Regular or raw sugar is perfect.
- gluten free or whole wheat flour – if you don’t have this ingredient, don’t panic, but it helps the cheesecakes to set. I have made them without it, though, and they have worked out perfectly fine.
Topping
I love the combination of strawberries and cheesecake – like in my strawberry cheesecake bites – so making a quick strawberry jam is my favorite topping and it’s really SO simple. You need:
- diced strawberries – fresh or frozen would work
- sugar – to thicken and sweeten
- water – and a splash lemon juice if you want a sweet-tart flavor profile
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by making the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with 12 parchment liners. You can use paper liners or silicone liners if that’s what you have.
- Also, be sure to allow your cold ingredients come to room temperature – this is super important for your cheesecake filling to be smooth without lumps.
- Using a food processor, pulse graham crackers, sugar, and salt until you are left with fine crumbs, then mix with the melted butter. Alternately, if you don’t have a food processor or blender, you can put the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a ziplock bag. Crush with a rolling pin until reduced to crumbs, then add in melted butter.
- Press around 2 teaspoons of graham cracker crumbs into each cupcake liner. Bake crusts in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and a medium bowl, whip laughing cow cheese until smooth, then add in sugar and flour. Whisk again.
- Slowly add in Greek yogurt one dollop at a time, continuing to whisk. Once it’s smooth, add in egg and vanilla and continue to whisk on low.
- Using an ice cream scoop, spoon cheesecake batter over crusts. Return muffin tin to oven and bake mini cheesecakes for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake bites have set.
- While the cheesecakes are baking, make strawberry topping. In a small saucepan, cook strawberries, sugar, and a tablespoon of water, stirring and crushing strawberries for about 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and jammy. Let cool.
- Cool muffin pan for 1 hour on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Top with jammy strawberries, sliced strawberries, and or whipped topping before serving.
Mini Cheesecake Recipe Variations
- Add some whipped cream topping – optional, but we love adding cocowhip to these cheesecake bites.
- Swap the jammy strawberries for fresh berries or make a different fruit sauce with your favorite fruit.
- Short on time? These are good even with diced strawberries added right to the batter.
- Top cheesecakes with this vegan caramel sauce for a decadent twist.
- Mix chocolate chips into the creamy cheesecake filling if you are a chocolate lover like me.
- Swap the gluten free graham crackers for a gluten free vanilla wafer crust.
- Want a more traditional cheesecake recipe? Check out this easy philadelphia no bake cheesecake from Beth at The First Year!
Expert Tips + Tricks for the Perfect Mini Cheesecakes
- I cannot stress enough the importance of the room temperature ingredients for best results. If you are in a hurry, you can spread laughing cow cheese or cream cheese on a plate and microwave for a few seconds.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, submerge eggs in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.
- Using parchment liners or silicone muffin liners is key to getting your mini cheesecakes out of the tin easily!
- Your cheesecakes should be set before removing from the oven, but they should not be browning. They also should still jiggle a bit in the center if you move them.
- As tough as it might be to wait, for best results definitely allow your cheesecakes to fully cool before enjoying. They are worth the wait, I promise!
Meal Prep and Storage
To prep ahead: this is the perfect dessert to prep ahead before a party or just for a meal prep dessert! Just bake according to the directions, but leave off any topping until you are ready to enjoy.
To store: cover cooled cheesecakes with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze: these mini cheesecakes can be frozen for up to three months. Freeze first in the muffin tins, them remove and place cheesecakes in a freezer bag or freezer safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator or enjoy frozen.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe works well with low fat cream cheese. I have not tested it with ricotta, but I think there is the potential for it to work, but the results may be more gritty instead of the smooth texture that these have. If you try it, let us know.
I have not tested this recipe with a liquid sweetener and would not advice doing so, as your cheesecakes may not set if you don’t use a granulated sugar.
Again – this goes back to being sure all cold ingredients are room temperature before you mix them. Also, mix in the Greek yogurt slowly, as stated in the instructions!
You can definitely swap your favorite berry in the fruit topping using the same instructions.
I have not tried this recipe in anything but standard size muffin tins, but in theory, you can use a springform pan. This is something I will test for the future.
Love strawberries? This strawberry bread recipe looks amazing!
More Healthy Delicious Dessert Recipes
If you love these delicious mini cheesecakes, you need to try these yummy summer treats:
Healthy Mini Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 1/2 Tbsp melted butter
- 12 gluten free or whole wheat graham cracker squares you should yield about 1 cup of crumbs
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar
- pinch of salt
Filling
- 8 triangles of original or light laughing cow cheese softened at room temperature, can sub 6oz low fat cream cheese
- 1 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt room temp
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp raw sugar
- 2 Tbsp gluten free flour
Topping
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Water
- Optional: Whipped topping and sliced berries
Instructions
- Before you begin, be sure to allow your cold ingredients come to room temperature – this is super important for your cheesecake filling to be smooth without lumps.
- Start by making the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with 12 parchment liners.
- Using a food processor, pulse graham crackers, 1 Tbsp sugar, and salt until you are left with crumbs, then mix with the melted butter. Alternately, you can put the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a ziplock bag. Crush until reduced to crumbs, then add in melted butter.
- Press around 2 teaspoons of crumbs into each muffin liner. Bake crusts for 5 minutes, then set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip laughing cow cheese until smooth, then add in sugar and flour. Whip again.
- Slowly add in Greek yogurt one dollop at a time, continuing to whisk. Once it’s smooth, add in egg and vanilla and continue to whisk on low.
- Pour cheesecake filling over crust. Return pan to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake bites have set.
- While the cheesecakes are baking, make strawberry topping. In a small saucepan, cook strawberries, sugar, and a tablespoon of water, stirring and crushing strawberries for about 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and jammy. Let cool.
- Cool cheesecake bites for 1 hour, then refrigerate. Top with jammy strawberries, sliced strawberries, and or whipped topping before serving.
Katie says
These were amazing!! I used light cream cheese and they turned out perfectly! Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Nancylynn says
Thank you, Katie!!
Robin Morgan says
Do you use pumpkin in the strawberry version, too? I noticed it’s mentioned in the directions but not listed in the ingredients. Just want to make sure before I try this one…it sounds SOOOO good!
Nancylynn says
Ahh – thank you for catching that! Def NOT! 😂
Robin Morgan says
Glad I asked…thanks!
Sarah Williams says
I love your recipes as-is and don’t usually make substitutions, but … I’d love to serve these at an “Easter” brunch with some Jewish friends LOL. They can’t eat anything with wheat because it will be Passover. Do you think I could substitute almond flour for the whole wheat flour?
Nancylynn says
Hi! No almond flour wont work the same, but if you use gluten free flour it will not have wheat in it! I love the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour.
Nicole says
Loved the pumpkin ones, can’t wait to make these!