It’s hard to imagine cheesecake without a light, fluffy filling and crumbly graham cracker crust. Take away the cream cheese and crushed cookies, and can anything compare? The secret to this raw, vegan and gluten-free masterpiece is combining the right ingredients in just the right amounts to recreate the texture and flavor of the real deal. Both the crust and the creamy filling are made with an ingredient that might come as a surprise—buttery, nutritious nuts!
Raw Cherry “Cheesecake” With Almond Crust
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling Layer
1-1/2 cups cashews, soaked in water for 3 hours
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. maple syrup or raw honey*
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
Pinch salt
Cherry Top Layer
1-1/2 cups cashews, soaked 3 hours
2 cups cherries, pitted
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. maple syrup or raw honey*
¼ cup lemon juice
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
Pinch salt
Almond Crust
5 Tbsp. maple syrup
4 cups raw almonds
Pinch of salt
*Honey is not a vegan ingredient. For a vegan cheesecake, use maple syrup instead of honey.
Directions
- To make the crust, use food processor to grind almonds into a meal. Stir in syrup and salt, adding water if needed to create moist mixture. Press into pie plate, covering bottom and sides.
- For filling, use high-speed blender or food processor to blend cheesecake filling ingredients until smooth. Pout into crust and freeze while preparing the cherry layer.
- For cherry layer, use high-speed blender or food processor to blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour over cheesecake later. Arrange fresh cherries on top for garnish, if desired.
- Place cheesecake in freezer for 4 hours or overnight before serving.