Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust lightened up with Greek yogurt

Lightened up with Greek yogurt, this delicious, chocolate-drizzled cheesecake will be a hit on your holiday table!

Today is one of the most important days of my life.  Probably on the same level as the day I got married and the days I gave birth (all three times!)  

Today is my birthday.  

Big deal, right?  Today I turn 43 years old.  

And why is that a big deal?  I lost my mother to cancer when I was 15 and she was only 43 years old.

My birthday is Friday the 13th (don't think that irony is lost on me).  It's a very strange feeling to reach the age that your mother (or father) died.  

You see, when you are a young girl and your mom dies, you think she's old.  Even when she's only 43.  And now that I have reached that age I realize just how young she really was.

I've had several health scares in the past 5 years (including two melanoma diagnosis in the past 6 months) that have forced me to ponder my mortality.  

I am now a mother and I can't imagine how my mother felt leading up to her final days.  I have been dreading this day for 28 years.  

But something changed in the last year.  I started to focus on all of the things that I am incredibly thankful for.

And I am approaching this birthday with a full heart and gratitude for everything that's important.

My mother loved cheesecake.  She was crazy about it!  

You know what's funny about this is that I hated cheesecake.  And I still do.  

Well, let me clarify, I hate cream cheese.  I made this cheesecake with love in honor of my mom.  

Of course the Greek yogurt lightened it up a bit (the recipe is right out of The Greek Yogurt Cookbook!) and I drizzled chocolate sauce on top because that's how I remember my mom making it.  

I don't remember what kind of crust she made but I made it with crushed ginger snaps because I thought it would be fun and festive.  I was right.  

And I really love this cheesecake.

So here I am, 43 years old, healthy, strong and blessed.  I feel so happy to have a job that I love where I can help others, a family that loves and supports me and friends that are truly like my family.  

And today is a day where I can eat as many desserts as I want, right?  Right.

Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Author: Lauren Kelly

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup graham ginger snap crumbs
• ▢ 1 ⁄2 cup butter melted
• ▢ 1 ⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tablespoon plus 3⁄4 cup unrefined sugar divided use
• ▢ 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• ▢ 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about 1⁄2 medium lemon’s worth
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ Chocolate Sauce:
• ▢ ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• ▢ ¼ cup honey
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9" pie pan and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together ginger snap crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pie pan, making sure to press evenly on the bottom and the sides of pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Mix the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. When the mixture is almost smooth, add the eggs, one at time, on low speed. Continue to beat on low speed until smooth. Pour into the pie pan and bake for 60 minutes until the edges are golden brown. The middle will not be completely set. Cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, prepare chocolate sauce by mixing the cocoa, honey and vanilla together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Drizzle over cheesecake. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9" pie pan and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker or cookie crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pie pan, making sure to press evenly on the bottom and the sides of pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Mix the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, remaining sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. When the mixture is almost smooth, add the eggs, one at time, on low speed. Continue to beat on low speed until smooth. Pour into the pie pan and bake for 60 minutes until the edges are golden brown. The middle will not be completely set. Cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with fresh berries if desired. Serve cold.
• Serve cold.

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This isn't one of my healthiest recipes but everything in moderation, right?  We have to remember that with the holidays coming up!

Thank you all for your support and allowing me to have a job that I truly love.

Please come back and let me now if you made this or any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!

Most importantly, thank you for allowing me to share my story and my tribute to my mom.

Thanks for stopping by!