Healthy Cheesecake Bites
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.I love making these rich healthy cheesecake bites with cream cheese, ricotta, and orange zest. They are velvety smooth, creamy, and perfect when I want a low sugar dessert for any occasion. I can have them ready in about 35 minutes, then I chill them before serving.
No one in my family can resist these cheesecake bites because they are so creamy, much like my passionfruit cheesecake, and they have the perfect ratio of filling to a buttery, crumbly graham cracker crust. I love that they work just as well for a dinner party as they do for an after dinner treat on movie night at home. On top of tasting amazing, I also appreciate that they are much healthier than traditional cheesecakes.
A slice of the usual variety can run as high as 710 calories and 29 grams of fat! Once in a while, as an indulgence, that’s fine. But I also wanted to create a lightened up version without losing any of the flavor of the original recipe, because why should cheesecake be only a “once in a while indulgence”? These cheesecake bites are absolutely delicious, skinny, perfectly portioned, and 107 calories per serving. I’ll never have to be guilty about eating cheesecake ever again. 🙂
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
I first made these mini cheesecake bites for a potluck dinner with my girlfriends. I wanted to bring something that was tasty, wholesome, and easy to share. I mixed the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, and a touch of orange zest. Yum! When I arrived at the dinner, everyone immediately tried one and declared they were better than anything from the store.
So why is it healthy? I use low fat cream cheese and low fat ricotta to keep the filling creamy while cutting calories, and the graham cracker crust holds together with melted butter. I blend the filling just until smooth so I do not add too much air, and I bake the bites until the centers are almost set so they stay rich and velvety. The recipe is versatile too, since I can swap in gluten free graham crackers, use coconut sugar, or top them with fresh berries or a drizzle of chocolate.
After the potluck, I was happy to see my friends enjoy the cheesecake bites, and I secretly hoped there would be a few leftovers to bring home. Ha! One friend even asked me to bring them to her birthday dinner the following week. For a family dessert, an after school snack, or a party treat, these mini cheesecakes are always a hit, and people keep asking me to make them again.
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🥘 Ingredients
Making these healthy cheesecake bites is super easy, and I only need 6 ingredients that I usually have at home:
Graham crackers: I use any graham crackers I have on hand. If I want a gluten free crust, I swap in gluten free graham crackers or my vegan Graham cookies.
Dairy: I use low fat cream cheese and low fat ricotta so the cheesecake stays creamy while keeping the fat and calories lower.
Sugar and orange zest: I sweeten the filling with granulated sugar or coconut sugar, then I add the zest of 1 orange for a bright flavor.
Egg and vanilla: I use 1 egg to help the cheesecake bites set while they bake, and I add vanilla extract for a sweet classic flavor.
Butter: I melt butter and mix it with the crushed graham crackers.
🔪 How To Make
Here are the steps I follow to make these delicious healthy cheesecake bites:
Step 1: I preheat the oven to 350° F and line a muffin tin with liners. Then I combine the crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a small bowl.
Step 2: I tightly pack about 1 teaspoon of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and press it down firmly to form the crust.
Step 3: I combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, orange zest, and egg in a food processor and blend until smooth. If I don’t have a food processor, I use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer instead.
Step 4: I put about 2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture into each muffin cup, filling the cupcake liners about halfway.
Step 5: I bake the mini cheesecakes for 25 minutes, or until the centers are almost set. I usually test 1 with a toothpick and it should come out almost completely clean. Then I let them cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes and refrigerate them for at least an hour before serving.
Step 6: I like to garnish mine with fresh berries or whatever toppings my kids want.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to use melted butter when I make the crust. I mix the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter until every crumb looks coated, then I press it down firmly in each liner. If I skip the butter or use too little, the crust stays dry and falls apart when I peel the liner off. Using melted butter keeps the crust together, so each cheesecake bite has that clean crust layer on the bottom.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Mix just enough: I blend the filling ingredients just until the batter is smooth. I do not overmix since too much air can make the cheesecake bites rise and then collapse as they cool.
- Do not overbake: I make sure not to overbake the cheesecakes, or they end up dry and lose that creamy, rich texture.
- Ricotta swap: If I do not have ricotta on hand, I sometimes use sour cream or mascarpone cheese instead.
📖 Variations
I love experimenting with this recipe, and it is easy to make variations to suit different tastes or dietary needs.
Fruit: I like to add my favorite fruits on top of the cheesecakes, like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, lemon slices, or anything else I enjoy. I often make several varieties with each batch of cheesecake bites.
Chocolatey: I like to drizzle melted chocolate on top to give the cheesecakes an elegant touch. I mix my favorite chocolate chips with a little coconut oil, melt them, and then use a fork to lightly drizzle the chocolate over each bite.
A Different Crust: Instead of graham crackers, I sometimes use my favorite cookies. Any shortbread or crunchy cookie works well. I just keep in mind that swapping the crust will change the nutritional information.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these cheesecake bites chilled for a refreshing treat, or slightly softened at room temperature for a creamier texture. They are great for snack time or as a sweet addition to a brunch spread. I especially enjoy pairing them with vegan graham crackers and vegan protein balls for a mix of crunchy and chewy treats that everyone in the family loves.
For a bright and refreshing combination, I also like to serve them alongside lemon popsicles or my kale smoothie. A cup of Biscoff latte makes the perfect drink to enjoy with this lineup of healthy plant-based desserts.
🧊 Storage Directions
Refrigerating: I store them in the fridge in an airtight container, and they last 4-5 days.
Freezing: I place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container that doesn’t have much room for them to slide around. They last about 1 month in the freezer.
Reheating: I usually enjoy these chilled, but if I want them a bit softer, I let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes. I don’t recommend microwaving them because it can change the texture, but letting them warm slightly naturally makes them easier to bite into and brings out the flavors.
❓Recipe FAQs
Why did my crust crumble or fall apart?
I usually find this happens if the graham cracker mixture isn’t pressed firmly enough into the muffin cups or if there isn’t enough melted butter to hold the crumbs together. When that happens, I press the mixture more firmly and sometimes add a little extra butter or a teaspoon of maple syrup to help it bind.
What should I do if the cheesecakes stick to the liners?
I use nonstick or lightly greased muffin liners and always let the cheesecakes cool completely before removing them to prevent sticking.
How do I prevent my cheesecake from being watery or not setting?
I make sure to measure the cream cheese and ricotta accurately and keep them slightly chilled. I avoid overmixing to prevent too much air from getting in. I bake the cheesecakes until the centers are just set, then chill them for at least an hour before serving.
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Healthy Cheesecake Bites
I love making these rich healthy cheesecake bites with cream cheese, ricotta, and orange zest. They are velvety smooth, creamy, and perfect when I want a low sugar dessert for any occasion. I can have them ready in about 35 minutes, then I chill them before serving.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 106.9kcal
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers about 7 graham crackers
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
For the filling:
- 8 oz low-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 orange zested
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F, and line a muffin tin with liners. Combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a small bowl.
- Tightly pack 1 tsp of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, and press down firmly (this will be the crust).
- Combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, orange zest, and egg in a food processor, and blend until smooth. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.)
- Put about 2 Tbsp of the cheesecake mixture in each muffin cup (it should fill the cupcake liners about halfway).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes (up to 25 min depending on your oven) or until the center is almost set (you can put a toothpick in the center of one mini cheesecake and see if it comes out almost completely clean to test this).
- Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
- Garnish with fresh berries or your favorite toppings.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to use melted butter when I make the crust. I mix the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter until every crumb looks coated, then I press it down firmly in each liner. If I skip the butter or use too little, the crust stays dry and falls apart when I peel the liner off. Using melted butter keeps the crust together, so each cheesecake bite has that clean crust layer on the bottom.
- Mix just enough: I blend the filling ingredients just until the batter is smooth. I do not overmix since too much air can make the cheesecake bites rise and then collapse as they cool.
- Do not overbake: I make sure not to overbake the cheesecakes, or they end up dry and lose that creamy, rich texture.
- Ricotta swap: If I do not have ricotta on hand, I sometimes use sour cream or mascarpone cheese instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1mini cheesecake | Calories: 106.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.6g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 6.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Sodium: 88.4mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 5.3g
Yum! I’ll definitely have to try these!
xo,
Sally
Thanks Sally! Enjoy!
Well since these are mini and it’s holiday season.. I might as well eat 2 or 3.. hehehehe. These would be great for a holiday party!
Haha! Love it – especially because 2 or 3 will still be lower in calories than a regular piece of cheesecake 🙂 Hope you like this recipe Pamela!
I made these last night and they were a big hit. Thank you!
Woohoo!! I’m so glad you liked this recipe Mary!
OMG!! Cheesecake is the OH’s absolute favourite, it makes him go a bit squiffy. I will try these on him, though I can’t guarantee he’ll stop at one! x
Haha! Awesome 🙂 Even if he eats more than one, it’s still much healthier than eating a whole piece of regular cheesecake! Enjoy!!
Your cheesecake looks delicious! I love cheesecake so I make them all the time, all flavors and different crust but they are not a skinny at all!
Michael 🙂
Haha! Yes this is definitely a lighter version than most traditional recipes 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how it stacks up against the recipes you make at home!
Hi Anjali, every time I check out your blog I leave hungry. What’s the reason behind that? Haha
Haha! That is awesome 🙂 I’ll take that as a compliment Frajes!
At last I made these lovely cheesecake bites yesterday. They were awsome. My husband ate all of them. He told me to thank you a lot.
Oh that’s so great!! I’m so glad both you and your husband liked this recipe. Thanks for letting me know Shabnam!
Thank you!
No problem! Let me know if you have to change the recipe at all to make it a whole cheesecake vs. cheesecake bites!
ok!
I’d love to make this as a whole cheesecake..would it change the cooking time?
It might change the cooking time slightly but not by that much (e.g. you might need 5 minutes longer in the oven). I’d try baking it for 20-25 minutes and checking it at that point, and adjusting the cooking time as needed. Hope that helps!
Hi Anjali,
Looks so good.
I love your blog and recipes!
Thanks so much Jayshree! Let me know if you end up trying it!
These were amazing!!! I am not a huge fan of cheesecake, but I had a craving for it last night, so I made these. They are rich and creamy, but also so light and fluffy (which I love in cheesecake, I don’t like heavy cheesecake) and not too sweet! Thank you for sharing, they were just delicious!
Hooray!! So so happy to hear you liked these Andrea 🙂 I’m with you — light and fluffy cheesecake is the best!
Great idea! Any way to reduce the fat content and perhaps omit some of the dairy?
Thanks Gergana! To your questions — I don’t have a good vegan cheesecake recipe unfortunately, so I don’t have any good suggestions on omitting the dairy and still having it taste like cheesecake :/ For the fat content — you can use 2 egg whites in place of the 1 whole egg, and you can try using less butter for the crust (although I’m not sure how well it would stick together). Hope that helps!
Great recipe! Very light and hits the dessert spot.
Thanks Shuchie! So glad you liked it!
wow. Thanks a lot. I love the idea. I will make these lovely cheese cakes next weekend. I’m sure my husband will love them.
Great! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Ohh this looks just fabulous!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, love.
Aw thanks so much Kammie!! I hope you had a great Christmas too!
I love these cakes…I like to serve them with some fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries with the crumbs on top of those.
Oooh yes!! Fresh berries on top of these little cakes would be absolutely divine 🙂 Thanks Shirley!