I’ve been making variations of this vegan cheesecake for a couple of years now and it will never not blow me away every time. It’s also the perfect dessert to bring to a party and trick your friends into eating a cheese-less cheesecake. Because being sneaky is fun, you know?
While coffee and I don’t necessarily get along caffeine-wise, I’m very into it’s flavor- especially in ice cream. So when asked to bring dessert for one of my best girlfriend’s birthdays, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to marry these two treats.
With a little bit of planning, this cheesecake can be thrown together in about 15 minutes and popped in the freezer for later. The date caramel + chocolate drizzle on top isn’t totally necessary, but they’re crazy simple to make and adds that extra *flair*.
One last thing: you can make this in a traditional spring-foam pan, a round silicone cake pan (which is amazing and peels away from the cake so easily) or you could do it in a regular square/rectangle cake pan with parchment underneath + cut into bars for a more casual situation. Ok ok let’s get into it!
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUST:
1 cup dates, pitted
1.5 cups coconut flakes, unsweetened
1/3 cup cashews, unsalted
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
+ 1-2 tbsp water
FOR THE FILLING:
3 cup cashews, soaked
1 cup coffee (or more if you want a stronger flavor)
1/2 cup maple syrup (or more if you like sweeter)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup coffee grounds (optional)
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
RECIPE:
First and foremost, soak your cashews in cold water for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
When they’re ready, make the crust. If the dates aren’t soft, soak for 10 minutes in warm water. Combine all ingredients (besides water) into a food processor and mix until fully combined. Add in 1 tbsp of water at a time (while it’s running) to help it come together/get sticky.
Pour into your pan of choice (if you don’t use a spring-foam or silicone pan, lay parchment paper down first so you can pull it out after freezing) and push down/flatten into one crust layer (a rubber spatula is great for this). Throw into the freezer while you make the filling.
Combine all filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and process until creamy + smooth. If your blender has a tamper (to help move ingredients around and blend easier, use it).
Pour filling over the crust and spread evenly. Freeze for at least 3 hours. Take out for 10-15 minutes prior to serving for the best consistency!
For the toppings: I used coconut flakes, a chocolate drizzle (2 tbsp cacao powder + 1 tbsp melted coconut oil + splash vanilla + pinch sea salt), and a date caramel (recipe here).