Description
Cottage Cheese Cherry Cheesecake Jars with Pretzel Crust are a delightful no-bake dessert featuring a creamy, tangy cottage cheese and Greek yogurt base, a sweet-tart cherry topping thickened with arrowroot powder, and a crunchy pretzel and vanilla cracker crust. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for a light treat or entertaining guests, offering a balanced combination of creamy, fruity, and salty-sweet flavors in individual jars.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1/2 cup Simple Mills vanilla crackers, crushed
- 1/2 cup salted pretzels (gluten free if needed), crushed
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 1/4 cup cottage cheese (2% low fat, Good Culture preferred)
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Cherry Topping
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Crush the Simple Mills vanilla crackers and salted pretzels into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Mix the crumbs thoroughly to combine the sweet and salty flavors evenly.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste), and maple syrup. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Prepare the cherry topping: In a small saucepan, combine the pitted cherries, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the cherries start to soften.
- Thicken the cherry topping: In a separate small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder with water to create a slurry, then stir it into the simmering cherries. Continue cooking and stirring gently until the cherry mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract and vanilla extract. Let cool slightly.
- Assemble the jars: Divide the crushed crust mixture evenly among six 4-ounce jars, pressing down gently to form a base layer. Next, spoon the blended cheesecake filling over the crust in each jar, smoothing the top.
- Add cherry topping: Spoon the thickened cherry mixture over the cheesecake layer in each jar, spreading evenly to cover the surface.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the jars for at least 30 minutes to allow the layers to set and flavors to meld. Serve chilled for a creamy, fruity dessert with a crunchy base.
Notes
- Use gluten-free pretzels if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- Arrowroot powder can be substituted with cornstarch or tapioca flour for thickening the cherry topping.
- The dessert can be prepped ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for best freshness.
- You can swap maple syrup for honey or agave nectar if preferred.
- For a vegan version, substitute cottage cheese and Greek yogurt with plant-based alternatives, but this will affect texture and flavor.
- If fresh cherries are not available, frozen cherries work well; just thaw before cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jar (approximately 4 oz)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
