Cream Cheese Frosting Alternative?

FitnessGeek

For Easter, my family is requesting that I bring a fruit pizza (basically a giant cookie, smothered in cream cheese frosting, and layered with fruit).

Does anybody have any ideas on what I could use instead of cream cheese frosting to make it a but healthier?
I was thinking about trying vanilla yogurt or something like that...anybody tried it?

TY!

FitnessGeek

For Easter, my family is requesting that I bring a fruit pizza (basically a giant cookie, smothered in cream cheese frosting, and layered with fruit).

Does anybody have any ideas on what I could use instead of cream cheese frosting to make it a but healthier?
I was thinking about trying vanilla yogurt or something like that...anybody tried it?

TY!

iftcheiaf

That sounds really yummy!

When it comes to cream cheese, I end up using the Neufchatel cheese (low fat cream cheese) a lot of times, which mixed with all the other flavors, to me, tastes the same. But the yogurt sounds good. What about cool whip? I've never heard of a fruit pizza, but might have to try one out soon.

gperry227

How about fat free cream cheese, splenda, and vanilla?

ThatDollSally

That sounds really good, I may have to make one! The yogurt sounds like a good alternative, but remember that you'll have to keep the whole thing refridgerated or wait to put it together once you get there. Yogurt goes bad out of the fridge a lot faster than frosting!

tayner

I have made these using a lowfat or fat free vanilla pudding, just when you make it dont put quite as much milk in it so it is a touch thicker than usual... and still tastes yummy... and I always make mine with low fat brownie on the bottom instead of cookie... just personal choice i guess on that one... enjoy it!

tayner

double post, sorry

FitnessGeek

Ooh, I just saw online that Fage can be used instead of cream cheese in frosting. Has anybody tried that with good results?

kerrilucko

Make it the regular way and stick to having just a small piece. At least you know it's taste good.

FitnessGeek

I'm not eating it anyways, I just wanted to make it a bit healthier for my family.

Nich0le

Sorry, I haven't heard of Fage.

Anyway, cream cheese has a pretty distinct flavor and you can use your same recipe without sacrficing taste. Yogurt will get runny and make the tart or cookie soggy.

Use low fat or non fat cream cheese..neufatchel
use only egg whites if there are eggs in the recipe
if there is any oil in the recipe you can sub no sugar apple sauce (which will let you cut out some of the sugar as well)
I don't like artificial sweetners so I don't recommend anything but natural sugar, plus if there are kids that are eating it you never know if any of them may have allergies to the chemicals.

You can lighten up any recipe and keep it true in flavor by making simple changes like the ones above and your family will get what they are expecting only better for them. :drinker:

JessicaT2007

I would just use the low fat cream cheese with some lite cool whip. I use something similar in a no bake cheesecake I do and it taste pretty yummy. If it's not sweet enough you can always add in things to make it better. I saw on Food Network where they brushed the cookie/crust with a honey water mixture before baking it to make it a touch sweeter.

Nich0le

I would just use the low fat cream cheese with some lite cool whip. I use something similar in a no bake cheesecake I do and it taste pretty yummy. If it's not sweet enough you can always add in things to make it better. I saw on Food Network where they brushed the cookie/crust with a honey water mixture before baking it to make it a touch sweeter.

hope dave doesn't see the cool whip response :laugh:

abbylove08

any time i make cream cheese frosting, i take some ff cream cheese, 1/2 a cup or so of sweetener, some vanilla extract, and some cool whip free (i just eyeball all of the ingredients until it's the consistency i want) and blend it together with a mixer.
always delish.

but cool whip free on it's own would be a great alternative!