Light, fluffy and delicious Cheesecake in a Jar recipe made with skillet granola, cottage cheese Greek yogurt filling and roasted vanilla rhubarb topping is healthy, easy and takes 30 minutes to make from start to finish! It makes for a great dessert, takeout snack, breakfast or brunch meal. Perfect for Easter!
If you’re anything like me, you might often crave a delicious and fluffy piece of cheesecake but don’t want to make it yourself as it takes too long and contains too much carbs. You end up buying it from a local bakery or grocery store. I’ve been there! And I found a solution: 30 minutes from start to finish HEALTHY cheesecake parfaits with skillet granola, cottage cheese Greek yogurt filling and roasted vanilla rhubarb topping. I never look back again.
Seriously, as crazy as it sounds, it only takes 30 minutes to make this delicious cheesecake in a jar! Make as many as you want and store them in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.
They make for a great dessert, takeout snack, breakfast or brunch meal. I served them for Easter brunch this year! Light, fluffy filling pairs so well with crunchy granola and chewy rhubarb. Not excessively sweet but so full of flavor and nutrients!
Cheesecake in a Jar recipe made with skillet granola, cottage cheese Greek yogurt filling and roasted vanilla rhubarb topping is healthy, easy and takes 30 minutes to make from start to finish! It makes for a great dessert, takeout snack, breakfast or brunch meal. Perfect for Easter!” width=”600″ height=”900″ data-pin-nopin=”true”>
Health Benefits of Easy Healthy Cheesecake in a Jar
Rhubarb, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, old-fashioned oats, seeds, nuts and honey make these delicious cheesecake jars really good for you!
Rhubarb is not only delicious (especially roasted with vanilla!) but also has a high nutritional value. It is packed with minerals, vitamins and organic compounds, such as dietary fiber, protein, B complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, calcium, and many others. It is also a perfect source of beta-carotene and lutein.
Rhubarb helps your skin glow, improves your digestion, optimizes your metabolism and helps you lose weight. With that being said, make sure to add rhubarb in your diet, since the rhubarb season is sadly not long!
Plain Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein, B complex vitamins as well as minerals like calcium, zinc and potassium. On top of that, it contains probiotic cultures that are so good for your digestive system!
Cottage cheese also has a high protein content, while being rich in phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. Calcium-rich foods like cottage cheese help you keep a healthy weight and straighten your bones. They are also recommended for pregnant women and athletes!
As you can see, this healthy cheesecake in a jar is good for you and therefore is a must try recipe! Besides, it takes minutes to assemble!
Make sure too check my No-Bake Cheesecake Jars post, where I share tips on how to make your desserts healthier 😉
How to Make Easy Healthy Cheesecake in a Jar
It’s hard to find an easier dessert than that. Chop rhubarb, mix it with vanilla, lemon juice and honey, bake for 15 minutes. You can use strawberries or cherries instead, but I really encourage you to try rhubarb – it adds a little tartness and a nice texture to the cheesecake.
Meanwhile, make skillet granola: combine old-fashioned oats with sliced almonds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut oil and honey and cook it in a skillet for about 5 minutes, stirring often. You can use any seeds you like:
- pumpkin seeds
- flax seeds
- sesame seeds
- poppy seeds
- hemp seeds.
Same counts for nuts. Here are some more examples:
- chopped walnuts
- chopped pecans
- pistachios
- cashew
- hazelnuts
- pine nuts
- coconut flakes
This granola is perfect on its own for breakfast with a bit of milk or Greek yogurt. Try it and never go back to store-bought granola. I mean, it takes less than 10 minutes to make! And it tastes so much better, not to mention all the health benefits.
Let your skillet granola cool a bit and proceed to the next step. Make cheesecake filling: whip cottage cheese with Greek yogurt and vanilla extract until smooth. At this point you are 90% done.
Fill your jars (or individual glasses) with 2-3 tablespoons granola, 3-4 tablespoons of cheesecake filling and top it all with roasted rhubarb. Add a bit of honey if it’s not sweet enough for you.
Check the recipe below for more details and enjoy this easy and healthy dessert (or make ahead breakfast!):
Easy Healthy Cheesecake in a Jar
Ingredients
FOR THE ROASTED RHUBARB:
- 700 grams/1.5 lb rhubarb
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons honey
- a pinch of salt
FOR THE SKILLET GRANOLA:
- 90 grams or 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- a pinch of salt
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 500 grams/1 lb soft cottage cheese
- 250 grams/1 lb plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
ROAST THE RHUBARB:
- Preheat the oven to 220 °C or 430 ° F. Trim the ends and cut the rhubarb into finger-sized pieces. Cut vanilla pod lengthwise and scrap the seeds with a teaspoon. Add both seeds and pod to rhubarb pieces together with cardamom, lemon juice, honey and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you like it more mushy, increase the baking time for up to 5 more minutes.
MAKE THE SKILLET GRANOLA:
- Combine all the ingredients for skillet granola (see the notes above for substitutions). Cook in a skillet over medium for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. Let cool.
MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- Whip cottage cheese with Greek yogurt and vanilla extract until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CHEESECAKE JARS:
- Fill your jars (or individual glasses) with 2-3 tablespoons granola, 3-4 tablespoons of cheesecake filling and top it all with roasted rhubarb. Add a bit of honey if it's not sweet enough for you. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Other Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Galette
- Sugar Free Wild Plum Jam
- Sugar Free Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream with Lavender
- Vegan Plum Crisp with Coconut
Helena says
May 6, 2019 at 1:49 amCheesecake in a jar has been my thing lately. I love the texture, the taste and the whole experience. So, I guess – everything 🙂
Elena Szeliga says
May 6, 2019 at 10:32 amAwesome! Hope you enjoy this recipe Helena!
Aditi says
April 26, 2017 at 3:15 amBlown away by the health quotient of this beautiful dessert. Love the combo. The images have been so beautifully shot. Its a saver.thanks for sharing
Elena Szeliga says
April 26, 2017 at 4:16 pmThank you so much, Aditi! You made my day! 🙂
FreeFromFairy says
April 20, 2017 at 2:37 pmThis looks and sounds delicious! I love rhubarb. Yummy!
Elena Szeliga says
April 20, 2017 at 7:56 pmThank you so much! 🙂