Healthy no bake mini cheesecake bites are naturally sweetened and made with lower-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt for a lightened up but super creamy and delicious cheesecake dessert!
Hey, hey my friends!
We've had a busy week with the kids at two different morning camps, meaning two drop-offs and two pick-ups every day. And my husband has had all kinds of work commitments keeping him away.
Plus me with my work-from-home job (I'm a health/nutrition editor; it's all online content) plus some blog work and a dentist appointment to juggle. Oh and there's swim lessons this afternoon. 😬
But the weekend is almost here and we've got some delicious mini desserts to discuss.
These healthy no bake mini cheesecake bites are sweet and creamy and rich and delicious and full of all your favorite flavors, just lightened up a bit!
So we can have more! 🙌
And cause mini desserts are just fun. See chocolate strawberry pretzel fudge cups (also no-bake!) and healthy double chocolate mini cupcakes. Good things come in small packages, right?
These healthy cheesecake bites are naturally sweetened, with no added sugar.
They're also lower in fat - no heavy cream or sweetened condensed milk here. We're using a reduced fat cream cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt and they still come out super creamy!
Plus you can add any fun toppings you want to these mini cheesecakes! Keep reading for some ideas.
OK, let's get to not baking, ha!
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make no bake mini cheesecake bites. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Honey: These are naturally sweetened with honey but you could try maple syrup or agave syrup.
- Butter: This is used to help the graham cracker crust come together. You could try substituting coconut oil, but I haven't tested it that way.
- Cream cheese: I use the â…“ reduced fat kind. You can definitely use full fat for a richer flavor. I haven't tried this with nonfat cream cheese. Oh, and be sure to let the cream cheese soften a bit; it helps it blend more smoothly!
- Greek yogurt: Nonfat plain Greek yogurt has no added sweeteners and works great for the consistency here. Or you could substitute a flavored yogurt to change the flavor of the cheesecake. You may want to reduce the amount of honey if you don’t want these overly sweet.
- Graham crackers: I always use graham crackers for my cheesecake crust, but you can substitute a crushed cookie if you desire: shortbread, vanilla wafers and gingersnaps should all work.
Also, as mentioned, you can get creative with your cheesecake toppings.
Here are a few ideas.
Topping Ideas
- Fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
- Crushed graham crackers
- Drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce (or both!)
- Strawberry sauce or other jam
- Mini chocolate chips
- Crushed candy bars
Pick your favorites or get creative with some other ideas.
As for storing cheesecake bites...
Keep extras of these mini cheesecakes stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. This ensures they don’t soften and fall apart or get runny.
You can pop them out of the muffin tin once they are set up and put them in a covered container or ziploc bag. Don't forget to label and date it.
Also, bring them to room temp for at least 5 minutes before serving, especially if they are decorated with fruit so that it’s not solid.
You'll have a creamy little treat ready and waiting anytime you want to pop one!
I hope you give these no bake bites a try for a new fun mini dessert that everyone will go crazy for!
You'll love the flavor, you'll love the size, you'll love how easy they are to make, with no oven needed. (Hello, summer in the South.) And you'll love knowing they are lightened up a bit!
Wishing you all a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
XO,
Kathryn
Healthy No Bake Mini Cheesecake Bites
Healthy no bake mini cheesecake bites are naturally sweetened and made with lower-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt for a lighter but super creamy dessert!
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil), melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 1 (8 oz.) package plain cream cheese (I use â…“ reduced fat), softened
- ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Toppings:
- Chopped fresh fruit and/or mini chocolate chips or chocolate sauce
Instructions
- Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- To make the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and stir well to combine.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the crumb mixture into each mini muffin cup. Press down using a small bottle or shot glass to help it get packed in. Put the pan in the freezer to firm up the crust while you make the filling.
- To make the cheesecake filling: Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to mix all of the filling ingredients until creamy and smooth.
- Add about a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling to each muffin cup. I dollop it in with a spoon and this wet a couple of fingers and press down the tops to smooth them out.
- Top with desired toppings.
- Cover the pan and return to the freezer for 15-20 minutes or the refrigerator for at least an hour to set up. Use a spoon or knife to loosen the edges of each cheesecake then pop out of muffin tin and serve!
Notes
Honey: These are naturally sweetened with honey but you could try maple syrup or agave syrup.
Butter: This is used to help the graham cracker crust come together. You could try substituting coconut oil, but I haven't tested it that way.
Cream cheese: I use the â…“ reduced fat kind. You can definitely use full fat for a richer flavor. I haven't tried this with nonfat cream cheese. Oh, and be sure to let the cream cheese soften a bit; it helps it blend more smoothly!
Greek yogurt: Nonfat plain Greek yogurt has no added sweeteners and works great for the consistency here. Or you could substitute a flavored yogurt to change the flavor of the cheesecake. You may want to reduce the amount of honey if you don’t want these overly sweet.
Graham crackers: I always use graham crackers for my cheesecake crust, but you can substitute a crushed cookie if you desire: shortbread, vanilla wafers and gingersnaps should all work.
Storing: Keep extras of these cheesecake bites stored in the freezer so they don’t soften and fall apart. (You can pop them out of the muffin tin once they are set up and put them in a freezer-safe bag or container.) Bring them to room temp for at least 5 minutes before serving especially if they are decorated with fruit so it’s not solid.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
2 mini cheesecakesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 162Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 57mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Happy birthday to recipe redux! 😉 I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with cheesecake! And mini cheesecake bites at that! Aaaaand they are no bake! And and Aaaand they ate healthy!! Hold the dang phone, these are perfect for celebrating!!! It's been a long week, so I think I need a dozen. And a cocktail along side! Pinned! Cheers, Friend! Xoxo
Kathryn
I like celebrating with cheesecake too 😉 And yes, pairs great with a cocktail! Hope you have a lovely, relaxing weekend my friend! XO
Luci's Morsels
These look so dainty and delicious! Anything mini is automatically tastier!
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Kathryn
I so agree Luci! 😊
Sharon Kraynak
Really tastey little bites for the calorie counters. Def satisfied my sweet/savory tooth. I made these as written but substituted half the Graham crackers (I ground up my own) with same amount of salty crackers I had on hand! Really yummy with the bit of salt!!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you loved them Sharon! And thanks for sharing that swap - sounds yummy!
Lauren Grant | Zestful Kitchen
Love that they're no bake and patriotic!
Kathryn
Thanks Lauren! Such a fun dessert! 😊
Katherine
Yay, so fun! I love cheesecake, and these are in bite-size form and healthier - love! (Addictive.) 😉
Kathryn
They are definitely addictive!
Karman | The Nutrition Adventure
Yum! These look so satisfying!
Kathryn
Thanks! 😊
Christian A.
So I decided to try and make this for myself and it is amazing!! The only thing is that the amount that the recipe makes is not much, so I had to double the recipe to make 16, but other than that, this is great! It's fun, easy to make, light, and are very good for parties.
Kathryn
I'm so glad you enjoyed these Christian! I'm not sure why you had a problem with the quantity though if you were using a mini muffin tin... But making more is never a bad thing! 😊
Nicole
These are AMAZING!!! I hollowed out strawberries and put the filling inside for a little extra fun. My kids loved them! Thank you so much for publishing this!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed these Nicole! Love the idea of stuffing it in strawberries - yum!!
Dania
Do the bites need to be solid?
Kathryn
Hi there... these bites should be mostly solid. They may seem a bit soft if you go to eat them too quickly - the low-calorie substitutes here mean they won't get quite as hard, especially right away. But the time in the freezer should help them firm up nicely and keep their shape. I hope that helps!
Adriana
OMG! I have got a popular issue of my family. I’ll try this tomorrow. It has also a nice Nutrition fact. Thanks for sharing for a awesome presentation.
Regards Adriana
Kathryn
I hope you enjoy it!
Sara
Thank you so much for this recipe, it looks delicious! I`m using this for a school project for an example of a healthy meal. One of the questions for it is "What is the recommend serving size for a teenager?" What would you say?
Kathryn
I hope they enjoy them! I'd say 1-2 makes a good small dessert. Hope that helps!
B
Sounds delish. Wondering if I do not have mini muffin tin if I could double batch and make in regular cupcake/muffin tin. Any advice on adjustments to make? Thx.
Kathryn
Hi there! So, mini muffins are about 1/3 the size of regular muffins. If you triple the recipe, you'd get the same 24 regular sized muffins as there are mini muffins here. If you double the recipe, you'd end up with about 16 regular muffin-size cheesecake bites. They may not set up quite as well however - the bigger size means there's more area that needs to stay together. They'd be more messy probably, but still delicious. Would love to hear if you try it!
Renae Elizabeth Harrison
Could you use plain, whole vanilla wafers as a base instead of crushing them?
Kathryn Doherty
Sure! They won't be as sweet or have the same texture, but I think that would work just fine. Would love to hear if you try it!
Sue
Can I use fat free cream cheese?
Kathryn Doherty
I use the 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese and that works fine. I haven't tested these with fat free cream cheese, so I'm not sure if it would affect the texture or taste in a negative way. Would love to hear if you try it!
Katie
If I'm making these the day before, should I freeze them or refrigerate? Thanks!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Katie! I'd keep these in the freezer until you're ready to serve; that way they won't soften up too much or fall apart. I hope you enjoy them!
Theresa Peele
What can I sub out yogurt with or does it need to have anything else?
Kathryn Doherty
Hi there! I haven't tried this with a sub for the yogurt, so I can't say how that might change the flavor and consistency. Would love to hear if you do swap it though!
Christine
Great recipe, I can't wait to try it! Should I use muffin cup liners, or are those not necessary since we're not baking it?
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Christine! Nope, you don't need muffin cup liners for the mini muffin tin, you can put the crust and then the cheesecake right in and let it set up. They should pop out easily once they are set up. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy them!
Katie
I’m so sad because I tried to make these but they aren’t setting for me. Every time I try to pop them out of the tray, the cheesecake filling comes up but the graham cracker layer is stuck and crumbles. I don’t know what I did wrong as I follow the instructions exactly.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so sorry they didn't set up for you Katie, I know that's such a bummer. It's hard to know exactly what might have gone wrong. The graham cracker layer needs to be packed down and then frozen so it gets compacted (and then it's not crumbly). The cheesecake layer should also be added and then they are returned to the freezer, allowing it to thicken up a bit and adhere to the crust layer. (And you should definitely use Greek yogurt, for its thickness, not regular yogurt.) I use a butter knife to loosen each bite around the edges and then pop it out of the pan. Not sure if any of those tips might help for next time.
Dez
Hi there, I’m just wondering if I’m taking out of the freezer to serve these, should I keep them in the fridge for the day, or just serve them straight out of the freezer? Will leaving them out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes be enough?
By the way, these are delicious! I doubled the recipe and made 24 using regular sized muffin tins. They turned out great!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so glad you love them! And that's great they worked in a regular muffin tin as well. Since yours are on the bigger side, you'll want to pull them out of the freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Or, yes, you could move them to the fridge a few before serving. Hope that helps!