No-Bake Creamy Cashew Cheesecake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

I always like to pack my daily vitamins and nutrients in a beautifully decorated snack or pastry. This guild-free, gluten free and vegan cheesecake is a great way to indulge in some heavenly creamy treat without going off of my diet. I have noticed being gluten-free and dairy-free works so much better for my body. So over the years, I have constantly modified my favorite recipes with gluten free and dairy-free ingredients and this one has definitely been a winner.

A few months ago I posted a recipe for a gluten-free, vegan Tiramisu. This is a different variation of the same recipe and it makes a delicious cheesecake. So here we go:

Prep time: 20 min

Total time: 3 hours

Crust Layer Ingredients:

1 cup raw pistachios
1 cup pecans or walnuts; or mix of both
3/4 cup dates, pitted
2 tsp. coconut oil
1/4 tsp. Himalayan pink salt

Cream Layer Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups raw cashews, pre-soaked for 3 hours and strained
1/2 cup coconut cream or the cream from a canned coconut milk
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Blueberries or any other berries for the color and flavor

Toppings:

Fresh Berries

Instructions:

Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil, or line a 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal, and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.
Soak cashews in water for 3 hours; drain well. Set aside for the cream layer.
In a blender, pulse pecans, pistachios and dates and pulverize until it comes together into a sticky dough with small pecan and pistachio bits remaining. Don’t over process. Scoop out the dough into the prepared pan and press down into an even crust.
In the same food processor (no need to wash in between), combine all of the filling ingredients and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut cream/milk or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly.
Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels by adding more maple syrup, vanilla or lemon juice, if desired.
Pour the filling into the prepared pan over the pecan crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Decorate with fresh berries. Serve frozen or let it thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!