Cheesecake!!! 

 Who doesn't LOVE cheesecake?  I love cheesecake, but I sure don't love all the fat and calories that come along with it!  That's why I am SO VERY EXCITED to share this recipe for Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake!  Vanilla bean paste, reduced fat cream cheese and fat free Greek yogurt make the most amazing lower calorie cheesecake you will ever taste. 

This cheesecake is so full of flavor and so creamy, you will swear it's the real deal!  Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is my contribution to fellow blogger, Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla's (way more than...) #FifteenCheesecakes blog hop to celebrate her 15th wedding anniversary! Camilla served cheesecake, instead of the traditional wedding cake, at her wedding!  How fun is that?  

The inspiration for this recipe came from Allrecipes. The original recipe was written using full fat ingredients for a traditional cheesecake.  It took me three tries playing around with lower fat and calorie ingredients before it came out just right.  It was totally worth the trials though, because the third time really was the charm.

The top of my cake cracked just a little.  The key to not having the top of the cake crack is in the mixing.  Avoid over mixing for a smooth top.  As you can see, I over mixed mine just a bit.  But no worries, if you do get cracks like I did, just cover them up with fruit or whipped topping!  The cracks won't hurt the taste at all.

This recipe is really super easy to make.  Cheesecakes always seems so hard to pull off, but this one isn't one of "those" recipes.  It's a classic taste made easy!
Make sure you check out all the other bloggers cheesecake creations in the links below too!

Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Adapted from Allrecipes 

Rich tasting lower fat and calorie cheesecake that is so creamy and smooth, you will swear it was the real deal!

Ingredients

• For graham cracker crust:
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 TBS granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• pinch of kosher salt
• For the cheesecake:
• 2 - 8 oz. packages of reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups non-fat, plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a circle of parchment to fit in the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Place parchment circle in bottom and spray pan with cooking spray on parchment and up sides. (the parchment will allow you to remove the cake from the pan and place on a serving patter)
2. In small bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork. Pour into prepared pan, and press down into pan. If you like a crispier crust, bake for 5-7 minutes and allow to cool. If you don't mind a softer crust, you can skip pre-baking it.
3. In large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla bean paste until combined. Add in the eggs and mix until JUST COMBINED. Do not over mix! Fold in the Greek yogurt until just combined. Pour onto crust in pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
4. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn oven off. Do not open oven door. Allow cake to sit in oven for another 30 minutes. Cheesecake should be set, but not firm in the middle. Remove cake to wire rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
5. Put cake in refrigerator and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve with fruit or whipped topping and store leftovers in refrigerator.

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.

Cook time: 01 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins.
Tags: cheesecake, #fifteencheesecakes, dessert, vanilla, vanilla bean

Servings - 16   Serving Size - 1/16th of cheesecake   Points Plus per Serving - 5 Points+
Calories - 190.6,   Total Fat - 9.6g,   Carb. - 23.3g,   Protein - 6.5g,   Fiber - 3.2g

Printable Recipe 

Here's what everyone brought to the cheesecake table, listed in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

BerryCheesecake Bars by Baking and Creating with Avril

CherryCheesecake Bites by Cookaholic Wife

ChocolateCaramel Cheesecake by Dancing Veggies

ChocolateCheesecake by My Hobbie Lobbie

Chocolate Topped Peppermint Cheesecake by Amy's Cooking Adventures

ClassicCheesecake with Strawberry Puree by Making Miracles

Cookies & Creme No-Bake Cheesecake by Hapa-tite!

CremeBrulee Cheesecake Bars by Tara's Multicultural Table

Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes by Little Bit of Everything

Everyday Cheesecake by Things I Make (for Dinner)

IrishCream Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Layered Cinnamon Streusel Cheesecake Cake by Famished Fish, Finicky Shark

LowfatBlackberry Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Matcha-Yuzu Cheesecake with a Meyer Lemon Glaze by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

MiniChurro Caramel Cheesecake by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Mini Maple Pecan Cheesecakes by Join Us, Pull up a Chair

Mudslide Cheesecake by Sew You Think You Can Cook

NeapolitanCheesecake by PicNic

No Bake Marshmallow Cheesecake by Affair from the Heart

No-BakePumpkin Cheesecake by Angels Homestead

RicottaCheesecake with Shortbread Crust by Living the Gourmet

Samoa's cheesecake by Goodie Godmother

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars by The Savvy Kitchen

Sopapilla Puff Pastry Cheesecake by Pink Cake Plate

SkinnyVanilla Bean Cheesecake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures

TwixCheesecake Brownie Torte by Making Memories With Your Kids

This post is being shared with:
Treasure Box Tuesday @ Memories by the Mile
Two Cup Tuesday @ Pint Sized Baker 

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