Smooth & creamy Raspberry Swirl Raw Cheesecake Cups with a chocolatey nut & date crust | Paleo + Vegan
I can still very clearly remember my first experience with raw vegan desserts.
My friend and I bought a box of homemade raw vegan cup cakes at a Relay for Life event years ago. They looked so good and the proceeds were all going to charity so we thought ‘why not?!’. We were so excited to try them but honestly they ended up just tasting like sadness. Dirty. Grassy. Sadness.
It was years before I even considered trying another vegan dessert again but I’m so happy I got over that barrier so that I now know the joy of cashew based vegan cheesecake.
Raw Cheesecake Cups
This is the type of recipe that looks way more difficult that it actually is. The swirl may look intimidating but once you get going it’s really a no brainer.
Starting off – we’ve got our three-ingredient crust made up of dates, nuts, and cocoa powder. I used pecans here because I prefer the flavor but you can use walnuts, almonds, or another nut of choice.
Next up our cheesecake base: soaked cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup, a touch of coconut oil and a pinch of salt. Super easy and super tasty.
Finally we’ve got our raspberry swirl which is just a mixture of water, berries, and little of sweetener. After about 10 minutes on the stove top you’ve got a perfectly sweet & perfectly tart raspberry sauce to drizzle over the top of the cheesecake.
The hardest part of this process is the waiting for them to set, but then again patience has never really been my strong suit.
Raspberry Swirl Raw Cheesecake Cups
Smooth & creamy Raspberry Swirl Raw Cheesecake Cups with a chocolatey nut & date crust | Paleo + Vegan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates (200g)
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans or walnuts, almonds or other nuts (115g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Cheesecake
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight (280g)
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (120ml)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (40g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (45 ml)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, about 1/2 small lemon, plus more to taste
Raspberry Swirl
- 1 cup fresh raspberries (120g)
- 2 tablespoons water (30 ml)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (40g)
Instructions
Crust
- Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin lined with cupcake/muffin wrappers. Set aside.
- Add the dates and the nuts to a food processor or high powered blender. Pulse together into a sticky, sandy mixture.
- Add the cocoa powder and pulse to mix in. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl/blender. If your mixture is looking too dry after adding the cocoa, add 1-2 more dates to make it sticky again.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the crust and press into the lined muffin cups to make the bottom crust. Set aside.
Raspberry Swirl
- Place the raspberries, water, and sweetener in a small sauce pan on a medium heat. Warm for about 8-10 minute to breakdown the raspberries. Use a fork to stir the mixture and mash up the raspberries.
- Once cooked, place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl. Pour the berry mixture into the strainer. Use the fork to squeeze out the liquid into the bowl. Discard the left over seeds and solids.
- Set the puree aside to cool to room temp while you make the cheesecake base.
Cheesecake
- Draining the water from the cashews then place the cashews in a high speed blender or food processor along with the remaining cheesecake ingredients. Blend on high until smooth. If you need, stop and scrap the sides down to get all the bits mixed in.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of maple if you like it sweet.
- Carefully drizzle the cooled raspberry puree over the tops of the filling. Drag a knife or toothpick across the top to create the rippled effect. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours until solid then enjoy.
- Once frozen you can keep these in the fridge in an airtight container for a softer cheesecake for about 5-7 days. Keep in the freezer in freezer safe bags for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Makes about 15 cheesecake cups.
- If keeping in the freezer make sure you let them thaw for about 10 minutes before biting in
Celeste-The Whole Serving says
Love this recipe! Looks so delicious and easy to make. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Sarah says
Thanks Celeste!
Kristen Chidsey says
You know I love these!! Such a clean but delicious treat!!!
Sarah says
Thanks Kristen! 🙂