Sometimes we need to take a step back to simple desserts because they are simply delicious. I’m sharing my New York Style Mini Cheesecakes today but in a skinny version, topped with strawberries.
You already know that my family and I love cheesecakes and I’ve shared plenty of them with you. I absolutely love experimenting with cheesecake flavors but sometimes, it’s just nice to make something simple and perfect. No extravagant flavor combinations, no bells and whistles, just a classic NY Style Cheesecake.
Well, okay, one “bell and whistle.” I added freshly made strawberry topping and made this cheesecake light.
How did I make it light? For starters, I used sugar free shortbread cookies for crust. Normally, a cheesecake crust would have graham cracker crumbs mixed with some butter and brown sugar. For these cheesecakes, I used applesauce instead of butter and it worked beautifully.
I also used 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese, non-fat Greek yogurt and skim milk as lighter alternatives for these mini cheesecakes. But wait, what about the topping? The topping is lightened as well! It has exactly two ingredients: strawberries and honey. Yes, honey is sweet, but it also contains many vitamins and nutrients that sugar does not, which makes it a nice alternative.
The cheesecakes turned out beautiful! Light, creamy and smooth. Strawberries add the special touch to every bite of this elegant dessert!
Skinny Strawberry Topped New York Style Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 6 oz Sugar-free Shortbread cookies
- 2 Tbsp. applesauce
- Cheesecake filling:
- 2 8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 2 Tbsp. non fat or low fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. skim milk
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- Topping:
- 3 cups of chopped fresh strawberries
- 2 Tbsp. honey
Instructions
- Crust: Pulse cookies in the blender or food processor to get fine crumbs. In a small bowl, mix the cookie crumbs with applesauce until all combined. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil cupcake liners (just the foil part). Gently press some of the cookie crust mixture on the bottom of each cup, covering the bottom and a little bit up the sides. (You would use roughly 1/2 Tbsp of mixture for each cup.)
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy (about a minute). Add milk, yogurt, vanilla extract and egg, beating until mixed after each addition. Add sugar and cornstarch and mix well.
- Divide the cheesecake mixture among the prepared cups, filling them to almost full.
- Bake for 18 minutes then turn off the oven and open the oven door about half way (however much it will allow you but not all the way.) Let the cheesecakes sit in there for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine chopped strawberries and honey on a small sauce pot, over medium-low heat. Stir well, cover and let them cook until soft and tender (about 15 minutes). Stir the strawberries occasionally. Take off heat and set side when they are done.
- Top cheesecakes with some strawberry topping as you serve them. This cheesecake can be served warm or cold!
Notes
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Looking for More Cheesecakes?
{No Bake} Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites
Peanut Butter Cookie Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
Mini Cannoli Cheesecakes
Nicky Mullery says
Can you tell me where you get foil cup case liners. Are ordinary cup cake cases no good to use? Is the amount of cream cheese 2.8oz?
lyuba says
I’m so sorry for missing your comment! Foil ones are just easier to peel off, paper ones would get pretty stuck on there. I’ve seen the foil lined ones at WalMart, Target and Michaels. I just take out the paper part. Good luck, hope you get a chance to make them!
Diane says
Lyuba, this looks so delicious!!! Will totally have to try this recipe!
Nannette says
Hi there mates, how is all, and what you wish for to say on the topic of this article, in my
view its truly remarkable in favor of me.
Jelli says
Hey Lyuba, I want to make these for a friend’s cafe. How do you manage to pop them out of the muffin cups looking so perfect without the paper peeling off the outsides of the cheesecakes? Any tips welcome!
lyuba says
HI Jelli!!
I get those cupcake liners that are foil and paper and take out the paper. I only use the foil part and they peel off nice and easy off of the cheesecakes 🙂 I hope everyone likes them!!
Caitlin says
How many calories in each?
Alexandra says
As much as I was excited about this being low in calorie (I did the math) they were just okay! They did not look that nice either. We will still eat them but won’t be making them again
lyuba says
I”m sorry you didn’t like them as much, Alexandra. I hope you will try something else and like it much more.
Sue says
Can I substitute graham crackers instead of shortbread cookies and substitute melted butter instead of applesauce? Can I use fat free cream cheese?
LyubaB says
Yes, you can substitute the graham crackers and butter without a problem but I wouldn’t recommend using fat-free cream cheese as it does not bake the same. You can also look at my regular new york cheesecake and split that up into mini cheesecakes the link is here. https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/new-york-cheesecake/