Recipe
Viral Yogurt Cheesecake with María Cookies and Guava (No-Bake)
No-bake dessert in cups: María cookies soaked in thick Greek yogurt, chilled for 8 hours, topped with a cold layer of red guava.
- Preparation15 min
- Total time8 h 15 min
- Servings4 individual cups (about 250 ml each)
- DifficultyEasy
This dessert emerged from social media, where it became famous as a “Japanese yogurt cheesecake” made with yogurt and cookies. That name is just a popular internet label: there is no accredited Japanese origin, nor is it a real cheesecake, because it contains no cream cheese, eggs, or gelatin. The trick is simple: you soak cookies in very thick Greek yogurt and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator. The cookies soften and the whole thing becomes creamy, with a taste reminiscent of a cold cheesecake.
Here we give it a Cuban touch with what never fails in the house: María cookies and red guava, which goes on top at the end, well chilled and thick. It is served in individual cups and eaten with a spoon, perfect for an afternoon snack or as a fresh dessert on hot days.
Ingredients
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Method
- Check that the Greek yogurt is very thick. If there is whey on top, drain it, and do not add any liquid: this way the cookies hydrate without making the dessert watery. Put it in a bowl and, if you like, flavor it with vanilla and sweeten it with a little powdered sugar or honey, tasting first. The main sweetness will come from the guava.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Divide the yogurt into the 4 small glasses, about 175 g in each. Smooth the surface slightly, leaving a layer of yogurt deep enough to insert the cookies. Do not crush the cookies to make a base: in this version they are submerged in the yogurt.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Place five María cookies in each cup, inserting them vertically into the yogurt (break them in half if the cup is narrow) until they are almost or completely covered. Distribute them without piling so that the yogurt touches all their sides and, with a spoon, cover any parts that stick out with yogurt. Each cup is an individual serving; this is not about forming a cake to unmold.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Cover the cups and leave them in the refrigerator for 8 hours, ideally overnight, so the cookies absorb moisture and soften. If after 6 hours you taste them and they are still firm, keep waiting. Do not freeze them: you are looking for a fresh cream with tender cookies, not ice cream.
- When ready to serve, prepare the topping: stir the 160 g of guava jam until it is easy to spread and add, if desired, the teaspoon of lime or lemon juice. If instead of jam you use firm guava paste, heat it only as necessary with 1-2 tablespoons of water until you have a thick cream and let it cool completely before using it. If the jam already spreads well, do not add water.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Take the cups out of the refrigerator, check that the cookies are tender, and spread 40 g of guava on top of each one, forming a bright red but thick layer. Serve cold with a spoon: as you dig in, you will see the softened María cookies between the white cream and the red guava.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
