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Japanese yogurt cheesecake recipe with golden top and airy texture

Japanese Yogurt Cheesecake Recipe

5 from 1 vote
A light, jiggly Japanese yogurt cheesecake made with Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese. Fluffy, lower in fat, and inspired by the viral Japanese cheesecake trend. Perfect for beginners and stunning enough for any occasion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt Full-fat recommended
  • 4 Eggs Separated
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • ¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
  • ¼ cup Milk Whole milk preferred
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice Optional for brightness
  • Powdered sugar For topping optional
  • Fresh berries Optional for serving

Equipment

  • 1 7–8 inch round cake pan Lined with parchment paper
  • 1 Mixing bowls For separating eggs and batter
  • 1 Hand mixer or stand mixer For whipping egg whites
  • 1 Oven-safe baking dish For water bath
  • 1 Spatula For gentle folding

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line your cake pan with parchment and wrap the outside in foil.
  2. Prepare a water bath by placing a baking dish filled with hot water on the lower rack.
  3. Separate eggs. In one bowl, whisk yolks with Greek yogurt, sugar, flour, cornstarch, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth.
  4. In another bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks using a mixer.
  5. Fold ⅓ of the whites into the yolk batter to loosen, then gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined.
  6. Pour batter into the cake pan and gently tap to release air bubbles.
  7. Place pan in the water bath and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. Lower heat to 300°F and bake another 30–35 minutes.
  8. Turn off oven, crack the door, and let it rest for 15–20 minutes.
  9. Remove, cool fully, then chill for at least 2 hours.
  10. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with berries, if desired.

Notes

This recipe works best with full-fat Greek yogurt.
For a trendy twist, swirl in melted Biscoff before baking.
Avoid overmixing the batter to maintain fluffiness.
Let cool slowly to prevent deflating.