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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust lightened up with Greek yogurt

    Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust lightened up with Greek yogurt

    Published: Nov 13, 2015 · Modified: Jan 23, 2022 by Lauren Kelly · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust is lightened up with Greek yogurt and will be a hit on your holiday table!

    Slice of Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust on a white plate.

    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?  My mother lost her battle to cancer when I was 15 and she was only 43 years old.

    Sharing this post as a tribute to my mom and in hopes that it might help anyone else grieving.

    Yes, this is a food blog and I normally share recipes so if you just want to skip to recipe, click on "Jump to Recipe" up at the top. If you are looking for some other delicious cheesecake recipes, try this Pecan Cheesecake Bars, No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, No Bake Low Carb Berry Cheesecake Bars and Mini Mint Chocolate Cheesecakes. These would all be even better with some Apple Chai Latte, Low Carb Bulletproof Hot Chocolate and some of this Spiked Apple Cider!

    If you are staying to read about me and my mom, just know that I only have a few pictures of her left. And this one is my favorite.

    Picture of my mom and me on the beach.

    Why This Birthday is Important

    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.  

    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 that have made me think about my mortality.  I am now a mother and I can't imagine how my mother felt leading up to her final days.

    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 is 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.  

    important relationship-mothers

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Ginger snap crumbs - You can use whatever cookies you'd like for this crust. I used these ginger snaps because they are gluten free, GMO free and don't contain any corn syrup.
    • Butter - I always use 100% grass fed, organic unsalted butter which just plain old tastes better!
    • Unrefined sugar - This can be whatever sugar you have in the house. I like to use unrefined sugar because it's minimally processed and contains some nutrients. You can use maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or even try a sugar free alternative such as Monk fruit.
    • Cream cheese - I always use full fat cream cheese for the taste quality, but using a lower fat variety wouldn't change this texture at all.
    • Plain Greek yogurt - I use plain, full fat Greek yogurt for these bars and loved it. I had some people write to me that they have also used vanilla Greek yogurt and even pumpkin Greek yogurt and they were delicious.
    • Vanilla extract -  I use pure vanilla extract which doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or additives, it’s just pure vanilla made from alcohol. I use this one.
    • Eggs - I like to use cage free, organic eggs for better taste and quality.
    • Cocoa - Make sure you read the labels on your cocoa, the ingredients should only say 100% cocoa and nothing else.
    • Honey - or other sugar of your choice.
    Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust on a white plate with one slice cut and towards the edge of the plate.

    Related Recipes

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    Please feel free to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram! Thanks for stopping by!

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    Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust

    This Cheesecake with Ginger Snap Crust is lightened up with Greek yogurt and delicious!
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: brunch, Dessert, treat, vegetarian
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 137kcal
    Author: Lauren Kelly

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup graham ginger snap crumbs
    • ½ cup butter melted
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon plus 3⁄4 cup unrefined sugar divided use
    • 8 ounces 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.

    Notes

    Make sure no to overcook the crust and to monitor it after 7 or 8 minutes as cooking times may vary.
    The cheesecake will be done when the edges are golden brown and the middle is set but still slightly jiggly.
    You can use whatever cookies you would like instead of the ginger snaps.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lkellynutrition or tag #lkellynutrition!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Trang

      December 16, 2021 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      So delicious! I've never done a cheesecake crust with ginger snap before and now I'm never going back to the Oreo crust. Ginger snap for the win!

      Reply
      • Lauren Kelly

        December 18, 2021 at 1:03 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    2. Andrea Thueson

      December 16, 2021 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      The gingersnap crust makes this tasty cheesecake!! So full of flavor. I will be making this one again!

      Reply
    3. Taylor

      December 16, 2021 at 10:35 am

      5 stars
      I loved everything about this cheesecake! The flavor, creamy filling and especially the gingersnap crust. So, so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Matt

      November 16, 2021 at 10:36 am

      5 stars
      It is such a yummy idea to use gingersnaps for the crust. And the addition of Greek yogurt is so awesome. A wonderful tasty cheesecake!

      Reply
    5. Toni

      November 16, 2021 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      This was so good and really easy to make!! Thanks!

      Reply
    6. Natalie

      November 16, 2021 at 9:43 am

      5 stars
      Delicious!! Love the crust & the cheesecake is creamy & tastes amazing! It will be a hit this Thanksgiving!

      Reply
    7. Lisalia

      September 06, 2021 at 2:05 am

      5 stars
      These flavors go together so beautifully. And who would have thought that Greek yogurt could be so delicious in cheesecake. This was wonderful! Thanks for another winning recipe!

      Reply
      • Lauren Kelly

        September 06, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Sp happy you loved it! Thank you!

        Reply
    8. Beth

      September 05, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      5 stars
      We loved the cheesecake. I made it for my sisters birthday. We had a grand time and really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for the great recipe.

      Reply
      • Lauren Kelly

        September 06, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Yay! Great to hear, thank you!

        Reply
    9. wilhelmina

      September 05, 2021 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      We really enjoyed this cheesecake! The ginger snap crust was a real treat!

      Reply
      • Lauren Kelly

        September 06, 2021 at 7:46 am

        Thank you for stopping by!

        Reply
    10. Jersey Girl Cooks

      November 14, 2018 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      You have a great attitude and the best is yet to come. The happiest of birthdays! Great way to honor your mom.

      Reply
    11. Barbara West

      November 20, 2015 at 1:24 am

      Hope you are still celebrating!!! God bless you and your beautiful Mom who is now, I'm sure, one of Gods most loved angels. Prayer and love will get you through just about anything life throws at you. You are beautiful!

      Reply
      • lauren.kelly

        November 20, 2015 at 1:44 am

        Oh thank you so much for the kind words Barbara!

        Reply
    12. Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella)

      November 16, 2015 at 12:57 pm

      What a beautiful post and tribute to your mom. Hope you had a nice birthday.

      Reply
    13. Paula - bell'alimento

      November 16, 2015 at 2:41 am

      Happy Birthday. What a very special post.

      Reply
    14. Isabelle @ Crumb

      November 15, 2015 at 4:14 am

      Happy birthday, Lauren! I can't even begin to imagine how bittersweet today must've been, and how much your mother must've been on your mind.
      I love that you chose to honour her today with this gorgeous cheesecake... may the rest of your year be just as sweet and delicious as I'm sure this cheesecake was!

      Reply
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