Easy Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake
Best, no bake, easy, vegan strawberry cheesecake! Refined sugar free, paleo, raw, creamy, healthy, and addictive! This dairy free cheesecake will fool you into believing it’s not healthy! So rich and soft with fresh fruit flavor and and incredibly creamy texture!
So, funny story… I brought this raw vegan cheesecake to our family dinner on Sunday night and everyone gobbled it up! There was not one crumb left. I walked out of the room for a minute to grab something. When I returned to the dining table I walked into a conversation about something tasting like hot dogs. My family was laughing and I assumed they were talking about the cheesecake they had all just eaten. I was confused. Well, maybe they thought the cashews in the cheesecake made it taste like ground up meat.😂
So, I asked them why it tasted like hot dogs. And they all looked up at me with confused looks, then burst out laughing! My eyes shifted back and forth between family members, trying to figure out what they were thinking. I guess maybe the cheesecake was a flop and my taste buds had gone dead.
But, no. They replied with laughter saying, “Don’t ever walk into a conversation again. We were actually talking about hot dogs!!”. Okay, whew! The cheesecake was safe. But then my dad realized I had said the cheesecake was made with cashews and exclaimed, “Wait! That had cashews in it?! I hate cashews!”
“And it coconut oil… and coconut milk” I said.
He never knew the difference. He said he didn’t even taste the cashews! Don’t you just love it when that happens? Cashew cheesecake for the win! Even those who hate cashews, all that healthy stuff, and “scary” labels like: vegan, raw, and paleo won’t be able to resist this cheesecake!
As promised to deliver, pink recipes with plenty of vibrant colors and decadency; I present you with: Easy Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake!
After last week’s Pumpkin Bars in February, I have come full circle and made a dessert that will set the mood for this Valentine’s Day celebration!
vegan Strawberry cheesecake obsessed
Who can resist a bite of cheesecake when it comes in such a cute little package? Plus, they are little bites, so why not just have two or three?? I may have indulged slightly too much with these cheesecake bites, because my sister and I were on a sugar high all night long!
*Warning: This desert is prone to result in loads of happiness and smiles. Continue at your own risk😉
Last time I made this cheesecake, I didn’t grind the cashews enough before incorporating the rest of the ingredients. Needless to say, it turned out clumpy and didn’t look too pretty. But the flavor was all there! I was determined to perfect the recipe. So, the next time around I made sure to heat all the ingredients to room temp, so the oils didn’t curdle (this is very important!!!). And I pureed the cashew nuts with the warm maple syrup until they were ground into eternity! Whip those nuts up good people, so you don’t have clumpy cheesecake curdles😂.
- 1 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk Use the solid "cream" part of the coconut milk that has surfaced to the top. Do not use the liquid. Make sure it's room temp.
- 1/2 cup maple syrup Room temp.
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk Room temp.
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 cup medjool dates
- 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
| Info |
| Passive Time | 3-6 hours chill time |
| Prep Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Servings |
cheesecake bites
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Rate this recipe!
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Ingredients
Filling
Crust
Strawberry Topping
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- In a food processor, combine the ingredients for the crust until the dough sticks together and is mostly smooth. Don't over blend it! The crust is better when it is slightly coarse in texture.
- Line an 8" by 8" baking dish with parchment paper. Press the crust dough into the baking dish then set aside.
- Begin by soaking the cashews in boiling water for about 1 hour until they are soft. Once the cashews are soft, drain the water.
- In a food processor, blend the cashews until they become a pulp.
- Heat the maple syrup and coconut oil on the stove to room temperature. Then slowly incorporate the warm maple syrup and melted coconut oil into the cashews while blending. Puree this mixture until completely smooth!
- Heat both coconut milks to room temperature (If they were refrigerated). Then combine with the cashew mixture.
- Add the vanilla and salt to the filling and finish blending until 100% smooth. Then pour the filling over the crust.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberry preserves until they become a bright red liquid.
- To make the swirls, pour four diagonal lines of strawberry liquid across the cheesecake. Then take a toothpick and drag it vertically across the top of the cheesecake. As you do this, it will drag the strawberry preserves into a retro pattern.
- Freeze the cheesecake until it is solid. It will still be soft enough to eat, so you don't have to worry about over freezing it. Freezing times vary depending on the type of freezer, but I recommend freezing it for 3-5 hours.
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Nutrition Facts
Easy Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 165
Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g
20%
Saturated Fat 4g
20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Sodium 19mg
1%
Potassium 0.2mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates 9g
3%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 5g
Protein 3g
6%
Calcium
1%
Iron
5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Ha! Ha! I bet you were relieved to find out they were not talking about this divine cheesecake. I mean. . .there is nothing hot doggy about it. I prefer my cheesecake with a nut crust so I love that you used the ground pecans. And that strawberry swirl. . .so, so beautiful.
🙂 Haha yes! I was. And thank you.
I made this for superbowl and its a hit by all!
Ooooh yay!! What a fun way to celebrate 🙂 Thanks for sharing your success!
how long should you let it thaw out before serving?
It is ready for eating right out of the freezer. 🙂
I have a lot of food sensitivities so I used walnuts for the crust and 1 cup of ground flax in the topping instead of cashews. It turned out great! I’m glad I now have another option for a sweet treat! My 14 year old liked it too.
If I’m allergic to cashews and peanuts, what can I use as a substitute for the filling?
Hi Lisa, macadamia nuts may work.
Can this be made a few days in advance and kept in freezer?
Totally!
What kind of coconut milk & cream do you use? Kind of confused about using the “cream” part of the milk. First time making anything like this! 😄
Hi Jess, there is a link to the brand I use in the “get here” section. I use full fat canned coconut milk by Thai kitchen- this brand has a thick cream that separates from the liquid and is great for making cheesecakes! Hope that helps 🙂
Delish! Thanks for the recipe! I used a homemade vegan lemon curd in place of strawberry and did bite size cakes in a mini muffin tin and enjoyed it a lot!
Great idea Amanda!
Planning to make tonight. when you say to use 2 tbsp coconut milk, as it usually separates would you suggest to mix it together ?
Hi Kimren, if you are using canned coconut milk you can either use the cream part or mix it and use.
Decadence!! This was a bit different than the tart “cheese” cake flavor, and it was absolutely delicious along with perfect texture. I made it for Easter celebration for a whole spectrum of eaters and it was a hit! Thank you for the lovely recipe.
Thank you Rebecca 🙂
I’m a 79 yr. old guy that likes to cook, all things. Just celebrated 30 yrs. with the most loving woman, think I’ll make it for her tonight. Really sounds good .