When I went vegan a few years ago, I knew I would only truly miss a couple on non-vegan food items, one of them being cheesecake. I knew that vegan flour-based cakes would be accessible, but a cheesecake without any animal products seemed nearly unimaginable. Luckily, after some research and self-determination, I found a way to make vegan cheesecakes at home! One of my favorite flavor combinations is white chocolate and raspberry, so I thought I would attempt to make a raw vegan white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and I am incredibly glad I thought of this recipe, because it turned out delicious.

Whether you are vegan or not, this delectable dessert is creamy, flavorful, and filled with healthy ingredients such as raspberries, almonds, and cashews. With the help of a high-powered blender or food processor, you'll have an amazing vegan cheesecake ready to be devoured in no time!

Raw Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Miranda Knight

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 1.5 hours

Servings: 8-10 slices

Ingredients

Miranda Knight

For The Crust/Base

8 medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/4 cup oats

1 tbsp cocoa butter, liquified

1 tbsp coconut oil, liquified

For The Cheesecake Layer

1 1/2 cups raw cashews

1/2 of a lemon, juiced

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

3 tbsp coconut oil

1/4 cup + 1/3 cup cocoa butter, liquified

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp water

a pinch of salt

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I used fresh)

STEP ONE

Miranda Knight

Start by prepping your cashews. To get a smooth blend for the cheesecake, your cashews must be softened by soaking in water. While you can soak them overnight in room temperature water, you can speed up the process by using hot water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, then remove from heat and pour in your 1.5 cups of raw cashews. Let them soak for about an hour, then use a strainer to rid of excess water. While they soak, you can get your other ingredients ready and begin making your crust.

STEP TWO

Miranda Knight

To make your base layer, or crust, add dates, almonds, oats, and a tablespoon of both cocoa butter and coconut oil into your blender or food processor. Blend or pulse these ingredients until a crumbly, but thoroughly combined mixture develops. Scoop out the mixture and evenly press it into an 8-inch cake pan, using a spoon if necessary to smooth it down. Once pressed, put the pan in the freezer to let the crust harden.

#SpoonTip: If you don't have a cake pan, or want to switch it up, you can also use a cupcake/muffin tin for this recipe to make mini cheesecakes!

STEP THREE

Miranda Knight

Once your base layer is in the freezer, and the cashews have finished soaking, you can begin making the creamy cheesecake layer. Add all of the ingredients, minus the raspberries, to your blender or food processor, and blend until you get a smooth, evenly mixed batter. 

STEP FOUR

Miranda Knight

Retrieve your pan from the freezer and pour a good amount of the cheesecake mix on top of everything. Next, scatter the raspberries over the mix, crumbling the raspberries into smaller chunks. Then finish off the cheesecake by pouring the rest of the mix on top and smoothing it all down with a spoon. To get extra festive, I mashed up a few raspberries with some maple syrup and drizzled it on top, but this is totally optional!

STEP FIVE

Miranda Knight

Return your pan to the freezer on an even surface, and let the cheesecake freeze for about an hour or two, until hardened. You can then either leave the cheesecake in the pan, or easily flip it out onto a plate or other flat surface. When you are ready to slice up and serve your raw vegan white chocolate cheesecake, let it thaw for about 5-10 minutes, or long enough to easily slice with a knife. Enjoy!

#SpoonTip: Remember to store the cheesecake in the freezer, as it will melt or become soggy if left out in room temperature for too long.

While an animal-product-free cheesecake may sound daunting and hard to match up to its original non-vegan counterpart, this cheesecake has a creamy texture when slightly thawed out, plus even has a bit of a tangy taste that is often present in your everyday cheesecake. Although the "crust" layer is a little more moist and dense than the typical graham cracker crust, its date-sweetened and nutty blend is nothing to complain about. Plus, this beauty is omnivore tested and little sister approved! Get blending and freezing, because this raw vegan white chocolate raspberry cheesecake is calling your name.