About a year and a half ago, two of my close friends and I met at the Cheesecake Factory for a dinner date. The three of us hadn’t spent very much time together since high school (if any at all!) because we attended three different universities and lived miles apart, but we finally found a day that worked for all of our busy schedules for a little reunion.
After putting our names on the list with the hostess, we shared plenty of hugs in the restaurant lobby while trading stories and catching up. The other girls filled me in on their new jobs—one worked from home as a computer programmer, the other spent her days in a popular bakery—while we waited for a table.
Once we sat down and glanced at the menu, we continued to talk for the next hour or two while nibbling on bread (is anyone else obsessed with their little honey wheat loaves??) and enjoying bites of our entrées. Conversation flows so easily with those girls, even when months or years have passed by since we last saw each other, and I feel so blessed to have friends like that!
But of course, the real reason we planned our dinner date at the Cheesecake Factory wasn’t for the main course… It was for the dessert! After pouring over that menu to read every description (and strategically taking a quick restroom break to walk past the glass display case at the front of the restaurant!), we settled on something extra chocolaty and decadent. No surprises there!
We slowly savored bites of that rich slice, but the other ladies laid down their forks with a quarter of it left on the plate. While they had both ordered pasta dishes, I planned ahead and opted for a light salad with lots of healthy veggies so I could save plenty of room for dessert! When they both exclaimed they were too full to continue, I happily finished off the rest of the piece.
I started thinking about our girls’ night after driving past the Cheesecake Factory recently, and since we still live in different towns and it’ll probably be a while before we can schedule another one, I decided to bake these Skinny Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars to curb my cravings until then. They’re rich and creamy, just like the desserts from the restaurant, but they contain a lot less calories, absolutely no refined flour or sugar, and over 5g of protein!
Pure cheesecake bliss. ♥
So let’s talk about how these sweet treats are healthier! While traditional recipes use graham cracker crumbs for the crust, you’ll crumble a different ingredient… I know, it’s going to sound incredibly strange, but hang with me for just a second! You’ll use brown rice cereal instead, sweetened with a little stevia powder and held together with a touch of melted butter and milk.
This is the brown rice cereal that I buy, and you can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as some larger chains and online. My local Safeway even started stocking it earlier this year! I love that their ingredients are completely clean eating friendly, and the cereal has a warm, almost honey-like undertone. Its flavor is perfect for this cheesecake crust!
To make the filling healthier, you’ll use a combination of Greek yogurt and Greek yogurt cream cheese. I also found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at my local Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and you can also find this brand at many Walmart stores. It gives these bars a lovely cheesecake flavor without the extra calories of regular full-fat cream cheese, and the two ingredients combined pack in a big protein punch!
You’ll sweeten the cheesecake bars with one of my new favorite ingredients: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and notice no strange or bitter aftertastes. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
And of course, the best ingredient of all… The chocolate! (If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a huge chocoholic… It’s why I wrote my Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook, which is coming out as an eBook in June!) You’ll use mini chocolate chips to ensure every bite contains at least a morsel of chocolate, and these are the kind I prefer because they taste richer and melt better than other brands. And if you’d like, you can finish the cheesecake bars with a little dark chocolate drizzle, too!
Protein-packed, guilt-free, rich and creamy cheesecake bars… Doesn’t that sound like dessert perfection?? And when you bake your own, remember to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking. I’d love to see them!
| Skinny Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars | | Print |
- for the crust
- 2 ½ cups (75g) brown rice cereal
- ¾ tsp powdered stevia
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk, room temperature
- for the filling
- 2 cups (480g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 (8oz) block Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla crème stevia
- ¼ cup (56g) miniature chocolate chips
- for the drizzle (optional)
- 2 tbsp (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 tbsp (15mL) nonfat milk
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the crust, add the cereal to a food processor or blender, and pulse until the cereal turns into fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the powdered stevia. Mix in the butter and milk until all of the cereal mixture is completely incorporated. Gently press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 16-19 minutes or until it feels dry to the touch. Cool completely to room temperature.
- To prepare the filling, beat the cream cheese and Greek yogurt in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the egg white, stopping when just incorporated. Mix in the cornstarch until completely incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and vanilla crème stevia, stopping when just incorporated. Fold in 3 ½ tablespoons of chocolate chips
- Spread the filling on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top, and gently press them down into the filling. Bake at 300°F for 30-35 minutes or until the center barely jiggles when the pan is gently shaken. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before covering with plastic wrap, ensuring that the plastic wrap completely touches the tops of the cheesecake bars. Chill for at least 6 hours before slicing.
- To prepare the drizzle, stir together the cocoa powder, milk, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag, and cut off a tiny piece of one corner. Just before serving the cheesecake bars, drizzle with the chocolate sauce.
Any granulated sweetener may be substituted for the powdered stevia in the crust; you’ll need the equivalent of 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Any milk may be substituted as well.
If you can’t find Greek yogurt cream cheese, substitute Neufchâtel cream cheese (⅓-less fat).
Powdered stevia (4 ½ teaspoons) may be substituted in place of the vanilla crème stevia, along with an additional 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If using the powdered stevia, add it along with the cornstarch. I cannot guarantee whether any other substitutions will work, and I do not recommend using any other liquid sweetener (i.e. maple syrup, honey, or agave). The amount of vanilla crème stevia is the equivalent of ¾ cup of granulated sugar, and if substituting another granulated sweetener, the baking time may change.
In the optional drizzle, any milk may be substituted, and honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, lower sugar, higher protein}
Oh my gosh these are PERFECT for me because I can’t handle straight-up cheesecake. It’s too rich for my stomach! THESE, however, will be consumed. 🙂
That’s quite a compliment if you’d eat these if your stomach can’t tolerate traditional cheesecake Marina! I wish I could share some directly with you! 🙂
Just what i need require today lol
Question – do you think I could get away with a ‘no fat’ cream cheese or does this recipe need the fat to set up correctly?
Thanks for creating and posting another yummy one Amy!
It sounds like this was meant to be Sherri! 🙂 Yes, nonfat cream cheese will work, as long as it’s been softened before mixing it with the Greek yogurt. The baking time may vary slightly, but the texture should be almost exactly the same. I’d love to hear how the cheesecake bars turn out for you!
Oh my gosh, I am obsessed with the bread at cheesecake factory!! it is so good. EVERYTHING there is so good. These cheesecake bars look perfect Amy! I have never even heard of Greek yogurt cream cheese, I have to find this!!
SO true about everything they serve Karen!! I could totally make a meal out of the free bread alone… No shame! 😉 I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at Safeway, so hopefully one of the grocery stores near you sells it!
Oh my goodness gracious these look amazing. So creamy and delicious!!
Thanks Jessie!
I love that these are skinny, they look delicious!
I like the fact that this is healthy. I’m looking at producing this for the weight watchers in Nigeria. I fear I may not find some of the ingredients in the store.
I’m excited to hear what you think of the cheesecake bars Chara! 🙂
Hi, I live in the U.K. And can’t find Greek yogurt cream cheese! What can I use in place? And how much stevia powder would I use in place of stevia drops? Thank xx
I’ve already answered your question about what to substitute for Greek yogurt cream cheese in the Notes section. It can be easy to miss! 😉 As I mentioned on previously, the amount of stevia powder varies with the brand. What’s the exact brand and product that you’re trying to use as a substitute? 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these Colette!
It’s truvia thanks x
In my recipes, Truvia is a 1-to-1 sub for granulated sugar. You’ll need 8-10 tablespoons in this recipe, and the baking time may change. For the pound cake, I already included the granulated sugar equivalent in the Notes section, so just use that same amount of Truvia. For the carrot cake frosting, I recommend using the recipe I linked to in the Notes section that doesn’t use stevia. If that doesn’t work for you, then use 6-8 tablespoons of Truvia in place of the stevia, but the texture of the frosting may change. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the treats!
If I substitute granulated sugar in place of the vanilla creme stevia how many minutes do I need to bake the cheesecake for?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe, Sue! You’ll need to bake the cheesecake bars longer with that substitution. Start checking on your pan after 30 minutes, just like the original recipe says. Your cheesecake bars will be done when the center barely jiggles when the pan is gently shaken back and forth. It may take anywhere from 5-20 more minutes, depending on the consistency of the Greek yogurt that you use, as well as from the added volume from the granulated sugar. (Some are thinner and more watery, whereas others are so thick that they’ll completely hold their shape when scooped out of the container with a spoon!). 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these cheesecake bars if you try making them!