Vegan. If you haven’t guessed by now, this is NOT a vegan blog. Although I love and respect my friends who choose to subscribe to those food limitations, I am not and will never be vegan.
I love meat.
I need meat.
C’mon … bacon.
But, I’ve decided this recipe is for people who don’t like vegan recipes. Of the three cheesecakes I made (and are coming on the blog!), this is my favorite and I’m known for loving cream cheese.
It was also the one I put off photographing this too and it has ended up being one of my favorites! So, all that to tell you, MAKE THIS RECIPE. You will not be sorry.
I made a version of this recipe many years ago and although I liked it, I didn’t try it again until just a couple weeks ago when I volunteered to make dessert for a small business gathering I attended. Changing the ratios and a few ingredients took this “cheesecake” up a whole other notch.
It’s smooth and creamy, yet firm with a little bit of a tang from the lemon juice. I wouldn’t call it lemony though because the sweet of the maple syrup and cashews blend so well together.
You can keep this in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it but ultimately, it will keep better frozen. Just make sure to remove it from the freezer and allow it sit for a couple hours (2 at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator) before cutting into it.
It’s really good alone but it’s out of this world with a fruit topping. I used my recipe for cherry pie filling except I replaced the cherries with blueberries. You can find that here. You can also top it with homemade whipped cream, chocolate syrup or fresh fruit. It’ll still be delicious!
- CRUST:
- ¾ cup dates, I used Medjool
- ¾ cup pecans, I soaked and dried mine (search soaking nuts on the blog for more info)
- ½ cup almond flour
- FILLING:
- 3½ cups raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for 6 hours minimum
- ⅔ cup refined coconut oil
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 6 Tbls. lemon juice
- 1 Tbls. vanilla
- For the crust:
- Blend ingredients in a food processor until the consistency of crumbs.
- Press into bottom of 8” springform pan, lined with parchment on the bottom.
- For the filling:
- In a blender or food processor, chop cashews. (Food processor works best)
- Add remaining ingredients and blend until very, very smooth.
- Pour onto crust and freeze for at least 4 hours.
- You may freeze this for up to a week. Remove from freezer and allow to soften for 2 hours before serving.
- Serve with fruit* or chocolate topping.
- *I used my pie filling recipe for the topping on this photo, substituting blueberries for the cherries.