Photo of Dark Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecakes by WW

Dark Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecakes

7
Points®
Total Time
3 hr 5 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Easy
You can have your cheesecake and eat it too. Like dark chocolate, tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that fight cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, but they are also rich in heart-healthy polyphenols that have been shown to reduce chronic inflammation. Greek yogurt lightens this classic dessert while keeping things as rich, creamy, and decadent as you'd expect. Go crustless! Flip this recipe on its head by swapping the crust for a chocolate and graham cracker crumb topping. Simply sprinkle the tops of the cheesecakes with both the graham cracker crumbs and the chocolate shavings and reduce the amount of yogurt called for in the recipe by 2 tablespoons.

Ingredients

Graham cracker crumbs

cup(s)

Plain low fat Greek yogurt

14 Tbsp, divided

Low fat cream cheese

8 oz, at room temperature

Egg

2 large egg(s)

Sugar

cup(s)

Vanilla extract

1 tsp

Unsweetened frozen sour red cherries

10 oz, or sweet cherries

Sugar

1 Tbsp

Fresh lemon juice

1 tsp

Table salt

1 pinch(es)

Cornstarch

2 tsp

Water

2 tsp, cold

60-69% dark chocolate

½ oz, shaved

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners or use 12 silicone muffin cups.
  2. Mix graham cracker crumbs with 2 Tbsp yogurt until evenly moistened; using the back of a spoon, press 1 Tbsp crumb mixture into bottom of each muffin cup.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat together remaining yogurt, cream cheese, eggs, 2/3 c sugar and vanilla; spoon evenly into muffin cups. Bake until top is set, 15-20 minutes; let cool and then chill in refrigerator 2 hours (can make up to 2 days ahead).
  4. Meanwhile, to make topping, combine cherries, remaining 1 Tbsp sugar, lemon juice and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Using a potato masher, lightly crush cherries. Combine cornstarch with cold water; stir into cherry mixture and simmer 1 minute. Cool cherry topping completely before using (may be made up to 1 day ahead).
  5. To serve, top each cheesecake with 1 Tbsp cherry topping; evenly divide chocolate shavings over top.
  6. Serving size: 1 cheesecake