My Tillamook Story and Yogurt Obsession

As an Oregon native, I have a lifelong love affair with Tillamook. The creamy cheeses, the nostalgic trips to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, and the pride of knowing a high school mascot that rivaled even ours (Go Cheesemakers!), all contribute to this deep-rooted appreciation.

Beyond Tillamook, my family is obsessed with yogurt. My kids would happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let them! I enjoy cooking with yogurt as much as I love eating it plain with honey and granola. It adds a wonderful tang and richness to various dishes.

Discovering Tillamook Light Yogurt

I was so excited to learn that Tillamook recently introduced Tillamook Light Yogurt. What sets it apart is that it is naturally sweetened with Truvia®. Each serving contains just 110 calories and boasts a clean ingredient list: no artificial sweeteners, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial growth hormones.

I’ve had the pleasure of taste-testing several flavors, including the exquisite Pomegranate Blackberry, the classic Oregon Marionberry, the refreshing Lemon Squeeze, and the mixed Northwest Berry Patch. The berry flavors are definitely family favorites! They strike a perfect balance of sweetness and, unlike some other “light” yogurts I’ve tried, they don’t have that weird filmy texture. Thumbs up from all of us!

While I might not usually eat the Lemon Squeeze flavor on its own, I decided to experiment with it in a recipe. The result was fantastic, adding a tangy brightness that complemented the other ingredients perfectly. I’m excited to share both a simple smoothie recipe and the shortbread cookie recipe, both incorporating the amazing new yogurt.

Berry Berry Smoothie Recipe

My kids and I enjoy making smoothies together several times a week. This recipe is super easy and quick

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) cup Tillamook Light Yogurt Northwest Berry Patch
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into glasses and enjoy! This makes the perfect after-school snack.

Lightened Lemon Buttercream Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

Now for the main event: the Lemon Buttercream Shortbread Sandwich Cookies! I’ve always loved shortbread cookies, and I thought it would be interesting to experiment and see how substituting some of the sugar and butter with yogurt would affect the recipe.

That’s the beauty of cooking and baking! You never know what will happen unless you try. I always encourage people to trust their instincts and go with their gut when cooking.

Experimenting with Yogurt in Shortbread

I started with my traditional shortbread cookie recipe and made the yogurt substitutions. The first batch turned out okay, but not fabulous. I felt they were missing something, so the next time I would add about 1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon peel to the cookie dough.

The cookies themselves were good; everyone enjoyed them. But, with my sweet tooth, I had to take them to the next level. We had already reduced the sugar and butter in the shortbread, so I felt justified in adding something a little extra.

That’s when I decided to make some LEMON BUTTERCREAM to sandwich in between the lemon shortbread cookies. The result was pure bliss!

Lemon Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Tried this recipe?

Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

Pin It!

Don’t forget to save this delicious recipe for later!