This 2-ingredient Yogurt Cheesecake is a simple, no-bake dessert that went viral in Japan for its creamy, cheesecake-like texture. Made with Greek yogurt and cookies, it thickens in the fridge into an easy, creamy treat—perfect with honey, jam, or fresh fruit!
I usually don’t lean on viral trends, but this one caught my eye because it’s something similar I’ve been eating for years—just in a more casual way. I eat a bowl of Greek yogurt with granola almost every night, and sometimes I mix in pudding mix to get that creamy, cheesecake-like texture. I’ve also experimented with rare cheesecake using yogurt—which is basically a Japanese-style cheesecake that isn’t baked, has a delicate, creamy texture, and sits somewhere between cream cheese, panna cotta and mousse.
Years ago, we would make thick yogurt using mizukiri yogurt strainer, which is popular in Japan. Back then, there weren’t many options for Greek yogurt, but mizukiri yogurt is naturally thick and creamy, similar to rare cheesecake or cream cheese. By no means does this replace a rich, decadent cheesecake—but if you love yogurt and cheesecake, you’ll enjoy this lighter, easier version!
Cheesecake
- 1 1/2 cups (375 g) Greek yogurt, plain or flavoured*
- I like using 5% fat for the creamiest texture. I recommend at least 2% fat but you can also use 0%. Higher fat = richer and more cheesecake-like
- 2 tbsp (30 g) cream cheese, optional
- 12–16 coconut sable cookies
- Biscoff, Oreos or any type of drier cookies can be used
Optional Flavouring (choose any!)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean pod
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 tbsp honey, or to taste
- 1–2 tbsp jam
Optional toppings
- Honey
- Jam
- Berry compote
- Cocoa powder
- Fresh fruit
- Crushed cookies
Instructions
- Mix the filling: If using cream cheese, whisk it together with the Greek yogurt until completely smooth and creamy. This is also a good time time to add any sweetener or flavoring if you’d like.
- Prepare the container: Arrange the cookies upright in your container, leaving about 1/2 cm of space between each cookie. Place a few cookies around the edges as well, pressing them firmly into the yogurt. You can leave a bit of the cookie sticking out of the yogurt (~1 cm) which will give it a bit of crispy texture. The more cookies you add the thicker and sweeter it will come out.
- Chill and set: Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until set.
Serve: Run a knife or spatula around the edges and flip to unmold, or simply enjoy it straight from the container. Top with honey, jam, berry compote, or fresh fruit as desired. Enjoy!!
Notes
- *The outcome of this ‘cheesecake’ will highly depend on the type of yogurt you use. Use one with a mild flavour that is not too sour and not too liquid-y. I like to use President’s Choice 5% Greek yogurts.