Light Lemon Cheesecake with Gingersnap Cookie Crust


1 8-oz package 50% less fat cream cheese
1 14-oz can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 package unflavored gelatin
1 8-oz container fat free whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon lemon zest – optional
1 GINGERSNAP COOKIE CRUST
8 or 9-inch spring form pan


1. Prepare crust according to recipe instructions and set aside to cool, about 30 minutes. Place crust in freezer and allow to chill before filling with lemon cheese mixture.


2. Pour lemon juice into a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over juice and allow to soften 3 to 4 minutes. Stirring frequently, cook lemon juice over low heat, 2 to 3 minutes until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.


3. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually blend fat free sweetened condensed milk followed by lemon juice/gelatin mixture, vanilla and lemon zest into mixture.


4. Carefully fold whipped topping into mixture and pour into prepared crust.
Cover pan and refrigerate several hours or overnight untilled chilled and set.


5. Before serving, run a wet knife around the outside of cake and carefully remove sides of spring from pan.


Yield 10 servings each at approximately 280 calories; 6 grams total fat; 3.2 grams saturated fat; 18 milligrams cholesterol; 49 grams carbohydrate; 0.5 gram dietary fiber; 4.5 grams protein; 290 milligrams sodium.


Compare traditional recipe at 430 calories and 25 grams total fat vs. 280 and 6 grams total fat for same size serving.

Gingersnap Cookie Crust
1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs, approximately 25 cookies, crushed
2 tablespoons Land O Lakes Light Butter (5.5 grams fat per 1 tablespoon) or other light butter or margarine, melted


1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Put cookies in a food processor and process until cookies become fine crumbs.

2. Combine crumbs and melted butter or margarine in the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch spring-form pan. Pat crust evenly over bottom of pan. Bake crust for 8 minutes, remove from oven and set aside to cool completely before filling.

Yield: 10 servings at approximately 70 calories each; 1.8 grams total fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 13.5 grams carbohydrate; 0.4 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram protein; 106 milligrams sodium.

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