How To Sweeten Up Plain Greek Yogurt And Make It Taste Like A Decadent Dessert

Plain Greek yogurt is typically very rich, tangy, and somewhat tart. It's not uncommon to want to find ways to sweeten it up without adding tons of sugar. The go-to move to make a yummy bowl: stir in fruit and other natural sweeteners, including maple syrup or honey. Consider topping the plain variety with frozen fruit. The trick to using frozen fruit is letting it sit out for a bit because a lot of sweet juice comes off of it as it defrosts, flavoring your yogurt even further. To expedite the process, lightly warm some frozen berries with a touch of sweetener on the stove for a few minutes. The heat of the fruit mixture gives a lovely temperature complement to the cool yogurt. 

Topping the syrupy berries with chopped nuts is a great way to get tons of texture and flavor to the smooth dairy and mimic a cobbler. Consider frozen peaches with maple syrup and cinnamon for a simplified peach cobbler and create a flavorful, dessert-reminiscent bowl. Another fruit-forward idea? Take inspiration from these sweet n' sour lemon blueberry parfaits. For example, add lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey to the yogurt. Then, layer the lemony, zesty mixture with some slightly warmed, jammy wild blueberries for a delicious duo.

While fruit is an undeniably great way to create sweet Greek yogurt creations, you can also try other pantry items. Try adding in your favorite flavor of sugar-free or regular pudding mix. Make a dessert inspired by cheesecake by putting a tablespoon or so of cheesecake pudding mix in. Don't forget to top it with some strawberries and crushed graham crackers for the ultimate treat. Chocolate pudding mix can help to create a thick, chocolate-mousse-like treat. You could also try pistachio pudding mix paired with some Cool Whip and crushed pineapples for a fun take that mimics a retro Watergate dessert salad. 

Squirt in a few pumps of beverage syrups like the ones you get in your iced coffee from your favorite coffeehouse. These syrups typically come in standard or sugar-free varieties, so you can choose whichever suits your dietary needs. Try a tablespoon of mixed berry syrup stirred into your yogurt for a fruity take, or swirl in the cinnamon roll kind with some cinnamon, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of nut butter to make a spicy, pecan pie-like yogurt creation.