Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Lightened-Up Cookie Dough Cheesecake


The hubs has a sweet tooth. This is an understatement! He has a mouth full of them! And his favorite treat is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake, to which, I make for him this time every year.


I've found a couple of ways to lighten up the cheesecake a bit. He digs in, nonetheless.

Lightened-Up Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchens

Ingredients: *Serves 14
12 whole-wheat graham crackers, broken
2 tbs. water
2 tbs. butter, melted
3 8 oz. packages reduced-fat cream or neufchatel cheese, softened
4 oz. reduced-fat, whipped cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. fat-free sour cream
2 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, plus 3 egg whites
1/2 c. chocolate chip cookie dough, store-bought or homemade

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2. Crumb graham crackers in food processor. Add water and butter and pulse until moistened. Pour into pan and press crumbs to bottom. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. In a mixer, beat together cheeses and sugar until fully combined.
4. Add sour cream, flour and vanilla. Beat on low.
5. Whisk egg whites together, add to cheese mixture. Add whole eggs. Beat until combined.
6. Pour 2/3 of cream mixture into pan. Break cooking dough into small pieces and drop into pan. Use toothpick to push dough into cheese mixture. Pour remainder of cream cheese mixture on top and gently shake pan to spread mixture evenly.
7. Cover bottom and outside of pan with foil to prevent leaks. Place pan in roasting pan. Add water to roasting pan until 1/4 of springform is immersed.
8. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off heat and keep cake in oven with door closed for another 30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven. Place on cooling rack. Let cool completely. Chill in fridge for at least 6 hours.
10. Slice cheesecake, wiping knife between cuts for smooth edges.

Dig in, Sweet Tooth, dig in!! Happy Valentine's Day!

Related Posts with Thumbnails

4 comments:

  1. Yum! I need to try this. And I appreciate the substitutions to make it a little healthier.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emily, it is good. Not nearly as sweet as regular cheesecake but still good. The cookie dough is key.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Melissa, agreed! The hubs has nearly polished off the whole thing. So much for lightened up. :)

    ReplyDelete