Healthy Cheesecake Jars

Fighting “The Sugar Battle” doesn’t mean you have to settle for boring, plain, and unsweetened food for the rest of your life. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Here is a recipe that proves healthy food is delicious. These no-bake Healthy Cheesecake Jars are full of protein, whole food ingredients, gluten-free, and contain no refined sugar, proving real food can be full of flavor, color, texture, and even the sweetness you crave. All while being beneficial to your overall health and wellness.

What makes us think that eating healthy means we have to deny ourselves foods we like and enjoy? If you read my most recent blog post on “The Sugar Battle” you might be surprised to see this recipe for Healthy Cheesecake Jars next. Somehow its hard for our brains to think of healthy whole foods as a dessert! Yet these cheesecake jars are full of protein, made with whole food ingredients, and sweetened with only honey and maple syrup. Making them both delicious and a healthier option than traditional cheesecake.

Additionally these no-bake Healthy Cheesecake Jars are easy to make at home and only require a few simple ingredients. They come together quickly and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, making them a great “grab and go” breakfast or snack. These will certainly satisfy your craving for something sweet, fill you up, and leave you with no guilt because they are made with whole food ingredients.

Instead of the traditional graham cracker crust, these Healthy Cheesecake Jars are made with a gluten-free crust which adds even more protein and fiber to the jar. The additional fiber and protein from the crust help fill you up and keep you full longer. All it takes to make this simple cheesecake crust is oats, almonds, spice, a bit of healthy fat, and a touch of sweetness. Super simple!

Here is a list of the ingredients and the kitchen equipment required to make these amazing Healthy Cheesecake Jars.

Ingredient List

• Organic Plain Greek Yogurt or Plain Cashew Yogurt
• Organic Cottage Cheese
• Organic Maple Syrup
• Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
• Organic Berries
• Organic Oats
• Almond Slices
• Organic Cinnamon
• Local Honey
• Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil

Equipment List

• Food Processor
• 8 – 4 oz Glass Jelly Jars w/ Lids or Large Glass Bowl with a Lid

Recipe

These Healthy Cheesecake Jars come together quickly and store well in the refrigerator for up to one week. I used 4 oz glass jelly jars because they make an easy grab and go snack or breakfast option. If you don’t have 4 ounce jars, fill 8 oz jars half full, or make this recipe in one large bowl and scoop out portions as needed. The mini jars are merely for convenience but they also look pretty cute in your fridge too!

Make the Crust: Add 3/4 cup Organic Oats, 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil or Melted Coconut Oil, 1 teaspoon Local Honey, and 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon to a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture comes together – the almonds and oats should be tiny pieces. If you are using glass jelly jars, place 2 Tablespoons of the crust in each jar. Press the crust down with the back of a spoon or clean fingers. This doesn’t have to be perfect, it will be covered with the cheesecake filling!

Next, give the food processor a quick rinse and dry the canister before making the filling.

Make the Filling: Add 1 cup of Organic Plain Greek Yogurt, 1 cup of Organic Cottage Cheese, 2-4 Tablespoons Organic Maple Syrup, and 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Bean Paste to the food processor and blend until smooth… really smooth! If you look closely at the jars you will see tiny specks of black in the filling. That is from the Vanilla Bean Paste…its tiny pieces of vanilla bean. Vanilla bean paste can be spendy so if you don’t have it, use vanilla extract instead.

A Note About Sweetness: As with any recipe that calls for Maple Syrup or added sweetness, I always recommend you start with as little as possible. Since Plain Greek Yogurt can vary in tartness by brand, I suggest starting with 2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup and only increasing it to 4 if needed. Also, to reduce the amount of dairy in these Healthy Cheesecake Jars, Organic Plain Cashew Yogurt works instead of Plain Greek Yogurt.

Using a spoon, add the filling on top of the crust. It should take about 4 tablespoons (approximately 1/4 cup) per jar. Tap the jar on the counter to settle the cheesecake filling and flatten the top.

Optional Berry Toppings: Top each jar with a few fresh organic berries of your choice. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries all work well. For the organic black berries shown above, I sliced them before placing them on top of the filling. This step is optional.

Here is what you will end up with – 8 Healthy Cheesecake Jars full of protein and ready for your next snack or grab and go breakfast. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to one week and ENJOY!

Below you will find my printable recipe for these amazing Healthy Cheesecake Jars. As always, I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own variation – cashews instead of almonds, with or without oats, etc. Please give this recipe a try first though. It’s a good one!

Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. Try making these delicious treats today. It only takes a few ingredients and a little bit of time!

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