The best diet dessert isn’t a diet dessert at all. Any dessert can fit in your diet if you eat the right amount and it’s part of your plan.
In my opinion, the best diet dessert is one that you love, but only have when it’s part of your plan.
If you don’t know by know, cheesecake is my favorite dessert, and honestly, I’d rather have a smaller piece of normal cheesecake than most ‘healthy’ cheesecakes, anyday.
The same goes for cookies or ice cream.
I’d rather have less of a treat that tastes great than a daily dose of an ‘ice cream’ that’s 240 calories of meh in a whole pint. Yuck.
So, I eat real cheesecake when I want cheesecake, but make it part of my plan, and not an everyday thing.
That being said, most normal cheesecakes have too much sugar for my taste. They also use crusts that my family or friends can’t eat.
So I make most of my cheesecakes gluten-free, less sweet, and usually make them (yes, them) personal sized.
The style
I started with my mom’s cheesecake recipe, which is a thinner style that’s more of a pie than a tall cake, but then I made it my own.
The sugar
For the most part, sugar is sugar, so don’t get hung up on using some healthy sugar — white sugar will give you the whitest cheesecake, but feel free to use raw sugar or something like coconut sugar, but just be prepared for an off-white cheesecake vs white white.
Brown sugar has a strong taste, so don’t use that unless you want to taste brown sugar.
The crust
My cheesecake uses an almond flour crust instead of graham crackers, but you can substitute crushed nuts or another even go crustless, and it’ll be equally tasty, just different.
The size
One great way to eat the right amount of dessert is to only make the amount you plan to eat.
To make it even easier, I like to make them each in a personal size ramekin or dish.
For these, I used 4oz (150g) ramekins, but teacups, tiny bowls, or small mason jars work great, too.
Don’t worry about not being able to remove them for serving, because you eat them straight out of the dish.
The taste
If you think it won’t be great, think again.
I feed these to my ‘normal’ friends without telling them it’s a better-for-you cheesecake, and they eat it up like it’s some sort of decadent guilty pleasure.
Joke’s on them, right?
Enough story. Here’s the recipe.
By the way, I posted these pictures of my latest cheesecake creation on Instagram, and La Societe Prive asked for the recipe, so here we go…
Personal Cheesecake Recipe
Here is what you need for 4 personal cheesecakes.
Note that you need to bring the cream cheese and sour cream to room temperature before cooking.
Crust
4 ramekins, jars, or cups
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tbsp butter, melted
Salt to taste
Filling
1 8oz package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp good vanilla extract or some real vanilla seeds (optional)
Sour Cream Topping
1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
1 tbsp sugar
Personal Cheesecake Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the crust first.
Stir almond flour and butter together, and salt to taste. I like the sweet/salty taste with my cheesecake, so I typically add a pinch or two, especially if I’m using unsalted butter.
Divide the crust between the four dishes, and use the back of a spoon to press it down into a firm crust.
Now, make the filling.
Using either a mixer or a bowl, wooden spoon, and a strong arm, cream the room temperature cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar until smooth and well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Divide the filling between the four dishes, using the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
Bake the cheesecakes for 15-20 minutes. They will puff up quite a bit, but don’t worry!
Remove them from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes.
Time to make the topping.
Stir the room temperature sour cream and 1 tbsp sugar together.
Carefully spoon the topping onto the cooled and deflated cheesecakes. Use the back of a small spoon to carefully smooth it out.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serving the cheesecakes.
You can eat them warm if you like, but for a more traditional cheesecake experience, cool them, then cover and chill for a few hours or overnight before eating.
A few fresh berries make a nice garnish, but feel free to keep it pure, too!
What makes the best diet dessert for you?
Is it a personal cheesecake? A serving of fancy ice cream? A bakery cookie?
Let me know the best diet dessert for you!
Roland