No-Bake Creamy Vegan Cashew Cheesecake (GF, DF, Vegan, Kid-friendly)

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Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had a special place in my heart for CHEESECAKE! Like totally obsessed. I would pick cheesecake over regular cake or cupcakes any day of the week!! Its my favorite. I mean you’d have to be crazy if you don’t love the delicious creamy and sweet texture of cheesecake. In other words, if you don’t like cheesecake, we might not be able to be friends anymore.

I’m only semi-joking by the way. Just a huge cheesecake fan.

But since cutting out conventional dairy from my diet a few years ago, I defintely don’t indulge in this delicious treat too often and gosh darn it, I miss it!

Being 34 weeks pregnant, I’ve definitly been having lots of craving for this childhood favorite of mine so I decided to recreate it myself, using a few wholesome (dairy-free) ingredients.

The base of this cheesecake is made out of creamy delicious CASHEWS and coconut, can you believe it!? So darn delicious!!! I have been dying to share the recipe with you all.

The best part, besides the no guilt factor and how delicious it is, is that it is NO BAKE. You make the crust with just 2 ingredients (yes, you heard me right, just two!) The crust is made out of pistachios and dates and thats it. Then, you make the creamy cheesecake base by blending up soaked cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, lemon juice and a few other ingredients all together and then you throw it in the freezer and serve it up once it solidifies.

I think anyone can manage making this cheesecake because it really was very easy. You’ll defintely need a high speed blender and/or a food processor, though.

I used my Cuisinart food processor to make the pistachio + date crust and I used my absolute favorite kitchen tool, my Vitamix high speed blender, to make the creamy cashew base.

I think I’ll definitely be making this cheesecake to bring to future family gatherings and parties, to watch everyones reactions when they hear its completely 100% dairy and gluten free!

So sit back, gather all these ingredients from the store ASAP and get ready to make the most delicious guilt-free vegan treat of all time.

Here’s how I made it.

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust:

• 1 + 1/2 cup deshelled pistashios

• 1 + 1/3 cup pitted dates

For the filling:

• 3 + 1/4 cup soaked cashews (soak in filtered water overnight)

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (the juice from about 2 lemons)

• 1/4 cup coconut cream (freeze a can of coconut milk and scoop the top thick layer of cream off the top)

• 2/3 cup coconut milk (this is the portion of the coconut milk that isn’t solidified - the liquid)

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/2 cup agave nectar

• 1 tsp peanut butter (optional)

For the topping:

• any fresh fruit puree of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc)

• OR - you can top it with my easy peasy Raspberry Chia Jam, like I did here: You’ll need 1 bag of frozen raspberries, agave and chia seeds

Make it stand out

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First, line your cake pan (any 8” to 10” diameter round pan will do) with some parchment paper.

2. Then, make your crust. Add your pistashios to the food processor and blend until it pulvarizes the nuts into a flour like consistency. Its okay if theres a few chunks left. Remove the pistachios from the food processor.

3. Then, add the dates separately. Pulse until they are completely pulvarized.

4. Add the pistashio crumbs back into the food processor and pulse them together with the dates until you get a sort of paste.

5. Scoop out all the crust paste and smush it down into the bottom of the pan to form a circular, pan shaped crust. Use the back of a glass cup to help you mash it down.

6. Freeze the crust for about 30 minutes to an hour while you make the filling.

7. To make the filling, add your soaked cashews to the blender (make sure to rinse them first) with the lemon juice, coconut milk, coconut oil, agave and coconut oil. Blend very well until it becomes a pourable consistency. Add in the tsp of peanut butter at the end and blend.

8. Pour the cashew filling right atop your date pistachio crust.

9.Freeze for about 15-20 minutes before adding the topping.

10. Melt a bag of your favorite frozen fruit in a pan and mash it or puree it in the blender before adding it atop of your cheesecake. Or, you can make a quick Raspberry Chia Jam topping like I did here and pour it right on top of the creamy cashew filling layer.

11. Freeze overnight and serve with your favorite fresh fruit.

Enjoy!

-ASHLEY