Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Just wanted you to letchu know that this creamy, delicious post is sponsored by my friends over at Challenge Dairy!

This easy, protein-packed Greek yogurt cheesecake has a grain and gluten free snickerdoodle crust! It’s a creamy, delicious and festive dessert for the holidays!

Happy birthday to MEEEEEEE, I’m 103.

Actually, I’m not 103. I’m only 26. But 26 didn’t rhyme.

You understand.

But, on the topic of 103: I SRSLY want to eat 103 slices of this snickerdoodle cheesecake to celebrate my birthday.

Cheesecake for breakfast. Cheesecake for morning snack. Cheesecake for lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, dessert A-N-D evening snack.

You’d think I was a hobbit with how many meals I eat.

BUT, this cheesecake you guys? When you take a bite and your teeth sink through spicy-sweet, chewy snickerdoodle cookie topping, enter the land of SUPER CREAMY, secretly protein PACKED (HI GREEK YOGURT) cream cheese deliciousness, and then end with the same cozy-cookie vibes, you basically are just going to feel like you’re winning AT LIFE.

I know you guys talk behind my back about the fact that I should just be a hybrid-dessert blog. I mean, I don’t blame you or anything since we’ve had thing like easy paleo pecan pie pumpkin vegan cheesecake, pecan pie paleo cookies, and vegan brownies stuffed with peanut butter cookie dough.

OBVI it only make sense to continue the super-trendy thing that I’m the only person that actually deemed trendy, and combine chewy, warm-spiced Christmas cookies with sweet, velvety smooth-in-your-mouth creamy dreamy cheesecake.

BUT, besides doing good things inside your hungry, dessert-loving belly, a slice (or 10) of this EXACT cheesecake is doing actual good things to the world!

I’m really excited to introduce you to Challenge Dairy!  You guys. Challenge is the only dairy product company that controls the WHOLE process from milking the cows to transporting milk, to making butter and to packaging it.

They use local dairies AND Challenge goes from farm to fridge in just 2 DAYS, as opposed to the standard 5-7 days.

*Insert the dancing lady emoji here.* You know the one.

BONUS POINTS: they don’t use hormones, additives or fillers, and all of their ingredients are real food – even the strawberries in their strawberry cream cheese! <3 <3 <3

Side note: I was THISCLOSE to sharing a carrot side dish recipe with you today. LIIIIIKE, carrots ON MY BIRTHDAY.

This is not okay.

MAJORLY Good thing Challenge turned that around right?

It may be MY birthday today, but I’m super pumped to give my recipe to Challenge Butter and UNICEF to help fight Childhood hunger!  Did you know that 150 million kids in developing countries are still malnourished?

You’re not down with that. I am not down with that. NO ONE is down with that.

So, all you have to do is go to this Pinterest board and pleaseeee PIN AWAY! Each time you pin a recipe from Challenge’s specific board, they will donate a meal to UNICEF for a child in need.

A cheesecake that tastes AMAZE and does AMAZE?  Like I said, “Generally winning at life.”

In other, probably unsurprising since I had also never eaten paleo sweet potato casserole in the slow cooker or healthy vegan green bean casserole, news:  this is the first time I’ve had a snickerdoodle.

I bet you’re really starting to think I was deprived of all delicious holiday food as a child.  Don’t worry, we still had whipped gluten free shortbread cookies.

BUT, I channeled my inner Grandma (because they make the best cookies and I AM 26 and all now. LATE TWENTIES YO’) and made something cinnamon-y, sweet and chewy.

Then shoved it in Mr. FFF’s face and demanded he tell me “IS THIS WHAT IT SHOULD TASTE LIKE?”

His response?

“I want this E’RRRYY DAY. ALL DAY.”

And I’m going to make a VRY VRY educated guess that you’re going to be right along with him.

Print

Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Notes - total time does not include chilling

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 6 Tbsp Challenge Dairy Unsalted Butter Softened to room tempertaure
• 3/4 Cup Raw, Organic Cane Sugar
• 1 Egg white
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 Cups Almond flour 167g
• 5 Tbsp Tapioca Starch 40g
• 1 tsp Cream of tartar
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt

For the cheesecake:

• 2 8 oz Packages Challenge Dairy Neufchâtel Cream Cheese At room temperature
• 1/2 Cup Raw, Organic Cane Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Non-fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 2 Large Eggs At room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the crust:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar just until combined, you don't want to add in too much air. This takes only 30 second or so at low speed.

2. Add in the egg white and vanilla and beat just until combined.

3. Add in the almond flour, tapioca starch, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir until a sticky, wet dough forms.

4. Line a small plate with parchment paper and press 1/2 cup of the cookie dough onto it, about 1/4 inch thick. It doesn't need to be perfect. If the dough is too sticky and hard to press, LIGHTLY dampen your hands and it will be a lot easier. Place the plate into the freezer.

5. Press the remaining cookie dough flat into the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan (again SLIGHTLY damp hands helps!) and place into the freezer for 20 minutes. Additionally, heat your oven to 325 degrees.

6. After the cookie dough has frozen for 20 minute, remove just the spring form pan from the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, set, and the sides have risen up and the middle of the cookie dough is sunken, about 33-35 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes and then immediately place into the refrigerator to set for 10 minutes.  You want the cookie crust to feel a little TOO crunchy once cool, as it softens up a lot when the cheesecake sits on it.

7. While the crust sets in the refrigerator, beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar JUST until combined. Again, you don't want to add in too much air.

8. Add in the Greek yogurt, eggs and vanilla and beat just until combined and the cream cheese is smooth.

9. Once the crust has cooled for 10 minutes, pour the cheesecake over top and gently smooth out. It should just cover where the cookie crust has risen up the sides.

10. Remove the reserved 1/2 cup of cookie dough from the freezer and crumble it in small pieces all over the top of the cheesecake. You will cover the majority of the cheesecake.

11. Bake until the cheesecake rises slightly and the outsides are set, and just a small circle in the center of the cheesecake is still jiggly, about 1 hour to 1 hr and 5 minutes.  Then, turn off the oven, crack open the oven door and leave the cheesecake in there for 15 minutes.

12. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, GENTLY run a very sharp knife around the sides of the pan, being careful not to insert your knife into the cookie crust. Then let the cake stand until it reaches room temperature.  Once it's at room temperature, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight.

13. After it's set, slice and DEVOUR.

Recipe Notes

I do not recommend making this cheesecake more than 1 day before you plan to serve it, as the crust does soften. It's still serve-able, but best only made one day ahead.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY MY FRIENDS AT CHALLENGE DAIRY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE CREATING GREAT CONTENT FOR YOU BY SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SUPER-FAB BRANDS THAT FOOD FAITH FITNESS LOVES TO WORK WITH! AS ALWAYS, OPINIONS REMAIN 100% MY OWN!

Weight Watchers Points Per Serving: SmartPoints: 14 Points+: 9. Old Points: 8

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAG @FOODFAITHFIT AND #FOODFAITHFITNESS ON INSTAGRAM! I LOVE SEEING YOUR RECIPE RECREATIONS!

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