Cheese Pascha

This blog article will teach you how to make my version of cheese pascha! It’s sweet, creamy, and delicious! As long as I can remember, we have had this cheese every year during Orthodox Pascha (Easter). Also, it’s commonly made and put into Pascha (Easter) Baskets in the Orthodox Church. However, even if you are not an Orthodox Christian, you can still enjoy some of this decadent cheese! 🙂

Cheese pascha is usually formed into a pyramid shaped mold, but because my blog tends to lean more on the side of simplicity, I always add my cheese to a glass serving bowl.

Are you looking for another festive Pascha (Easter) recipe? Be sure to check out my pascha bread recipe!

Why I Love This Recipe

Cheese pascha is a big part of our Pascha (Easter) tradition. I love including it into our Pascha basket each year, and honestly, it is so simple to make!

This recipe is smooth and very addicting. I love to eat it with graham crackers and spread it on our Pascha bread. It’s nostalgic for me and a tradition I hope to pass down to my own children. 🙂

What is Cheese Pascha?

Cheese Pascha, or just Pascha as some like to call it, is a dessert dish that is typically made and served as a celebratory Easter food. It’s a lot like a crustless cheesecake. Not only is pascha rich in flavor, but also tradition.

People will sometimes shape their cheese pascha with a mold to form a pyramid type of shape. This pyramid symbolizes the tomb of Christ. These turn out really beautiful looking! However, this is a more simple recipe that just requires a bowl.

The Origins of Cheese Pascha

Cheese pascha is an East Slavic tradition. Many people will make cheese pascha for their Easter celebration and put it into their Easter baskets to be blessed by a priest.

For some more info on cheese pascha, check out this Wiki page!

What is in Cheese Pascha?

There are little differences depending on the recipe you follow, but my recipe includes: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, full-fat Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt.

Why is it a traditional Easter (Pascha) dish?

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the faithful will fast for about 40 days from meat and dairy products. So to celebrate not having dairy for an extended amount of time, Orthodox Christians will, “break the fast,” and have all kinds of delicious meat and dairy foods.

Cheese pascha is mostly made with ingredients that are off limits during the fasting period.

What is the Difference Between Cheese Pascha and Cheesecake?

While it’s often called a ‘crustless cheesecake,’ cheese pascha is actually a decadent, no-bake dessert spread traditionally served during Orthodox Pascha (Easter). Unlike a firm, baked cheesecake, this dish has a silky, mousse-like texture designed to be spread onto sweet pascha bread or enjoyed with fruit.

By using a blend of cream cheese and tangy Greek yogurt, you get that classic rich flavor without the need for a springform pan or even an oven!

How to Serve

There are many ways to serve cheese pascha, but here are a few of our favorites: on pascha bread, with graham crackers, or with fruit (such as apples).

Cheese pascha works great either as a spread or a dip! So it tastes good with pretty much anything sweet.

Ingredient Variations

Don’t have or want to use powdered sugar? Use maple syrup or honey instead. Just be sure to add 2-3 tablespoons of instead of the amount called for if you were to use powdered sugar.

Some add-in ideas include: orange or lemon zest, a drop of almond extract, or even vanilla bean paste!

Something that you could also do is add in mini chocolate chips! It might sound a little strange at first, but it basically becomes a chocolate chip cheesecake dip or a Dunkaroo Dip.

Equipment Needed

Mixing bowl

Hand or stand mixer

Paddle attachment for mixer (helps create a smooth texture)

Rubber spatula

Measuring cups and spoons

Fine mesh strainer (helps get the clumps out of the powdered sugar)

Glass serving bowl

Ingredients

8 oz of full-fat cream cheese, room temp

1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, room temp (make sure it’s full-fat for the right texture!)

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, sifted through fine mesh strainer if possible

1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice

Pinch of fine salt

How to Make Cheese Pascha

Start by beating the cream cheese with a mixer alone for about 2 minutes.

Next, add in the room temperature butter and beat again until both fully incorporated.

Add in the powdered sugar, you can use a fine mesh strainer to get the clumps out if you would like. Beat again until you have a smooth consistency.

Mix in the Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt.

Beat for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and airy.

Spoon the cheese pascha into a glass serving bowl and cover and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours. I have found that it works well to chill overnight!

Before serving, decorate with raisins or craisins (optional) and enjoy. 🙂

How to Store

Fridge: I recommend storing it in the fridge for about 2-3 days for the best, freshest taste and consistency.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing. Honestly, fresh is best if possible, especially for the texture. Just trust me on this one! 🙂

Tips and Tricks

Use soft butter– This will help the cheese to not be grainy, but silky-smooth! In fact, it is a good idea to have all of the dairy ingredients room temperature. So be sure to take them out of the fridge ahead of time!

Beat cream cheese first– This will also help give a nice, smooth texture as an end result.

Use same temp dairy products– All of the dairy products in this recipe need to be around the same temp to get that really nice, silky texture. So be sure to get your ingredients to room temp before making your cheese pascha!

Chill– Not only does chilling cheese pascha in the fridge firm it up, but it also deepens the flavor.

Did you make this recipe? If so, let me know how it turned out!