EN DE FR ES PT IT
Lemon Yoghurt Cheesecake Pots with Crushed Oat Base (Reduced Sugar)
Recipe

Lemon Yoghurt Cheesecake Pots with Crushed Oat Base (Reduced Sugar)

Dessert • South Africa

Individual lemon yoghurt “cheesecake” pots layered with a lightly sweet crushed-oat base and a bright lemon filling. No baking, minimal fuss, and great for make-ahead dessert.

Why smarter

Uses plain yoghurt and a modest amount of cream cheese for a lighter, high-protein-style filling, plus oats for fibre and crunch, with reduced added sugar while keeping classic cheesecake flavour.

Chef tip

For the most lemony flavour without extra sugar, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips before mixing—this releases the citrus oils.

Soft line

All the cheesecake vibes, just a bit lighter and fresher.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Rolled oats 60.000 g rolled oats about 3/4 cup
2 Cinnamon (optional) 2.500 ml ground cinnamon about 1/2 tsp
3 Pinch of salt 1.000 pinch salt
4 Canola oil 10.000 ml canola oil about 2 tsp
5 Honey or maple syrup 15.000 ml honey about 1 Tbsp (or maple syrup)
6 Plain low-fat yoghurt 250.000 g plain low-fat yoghurt or plain double-cream yoghurt if preferred, but low-fat keeps it lighter
7 Cream cheese 150.000 g cream cheese softened
8 Icing sugar (reduced amount) 25.000 g icing sugar about 2 Tbsp, sifted
9 Lemon zest 2.000 tsp lemon zest from 1–2 lemons
10 Fresh lemon juice 30.000 ml lemon juice about 2 Tbsp
11 Vanilla essence 5.000 ml vanilla essence about 1 tsp
12 Fresh berries (optional, to serve) 120.000 g berries strawberries/blueberries/raspberries, or sliced naartjie segments

Method

  1. Place the oats in a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden and nutty-smelling.
  2. Tip the toasted oats into a bowl and lightly crush with the bottom of a glass or a rolling pin (keep some texture). Stir in cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
  3. Stir the canola oil and honey/maple syrup into the oats until evenly coated. Divide the mixture between 4 small glasses/jars and press down to form a base.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
  5. Add the yoghurt, icing sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and creamy (taste and adjust lemon or sweetness if you like).
  6. Spoon or pipe the lemon cheesecake mixture over the oat bases and smooth the tops.
  7. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to let the flavours develop and the pots firm up.
  8. Serve chilled, topped with fresh berries (optional) and an extra pinch of lemon zest if you have it.