Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes

Plant-based / Vegan / Dessert / Vegetarian

(341 votes, average: 3.66 out of 5)

Makes 18 mini cheesecakes

Prep and cook time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Cashews are an amazing ingredient. They can mimic a creamy texture and replace many dairy ingredients. They’re also common in all “Blue Zones” diets providing healthy fats and plant based protein. Keep in mind, even with no refined sugars, this should be consumed consciously as a celebratory food. Centenarians don’t completely avoid sweets or desserts, but they consume them consciously and only on occasion. This blueberry cheesecake is so rich and decadent, but completely plant slant. Another great thing is this recipe is so versatile—any type of berry, from strawberries to blackberries, would work great.

Yum

Ingredients

2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
1½ cups fresh blueberries (or frozen blueberries, thawed), plus more for optional topping
½ cup maple syrup
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
½ teaspoon salt

Crust Ingredients

1½ cups raw almonds
8 to 10 Medjool dates, pitted
1 to 2 tsp water

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the almonds and dates. Slowly add the water, 1 teaspoon at a time as needed, until the mixture clumps together.

2. Place liners in a muffin pan (I used standard-size muffin cups with silicone liners). Press a little bit of crust into each muffin cup. Place in the fridge while you make the cheesecake filling.

3. In a food processor, combine the cheesecake ingredients until the mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into each muffin cup, filling it all the way to the top. Once all the muffin cups are filled, place the muffin pan into the fridge to firm up. It will take a good 6 hours until completely firm. You can also put the cheesecakes into the freezer for about 1½ hours to speed up the process.

5. Serve topped with fresh blueberries, if desired. These can be kept in the fridge or the freezer. They should last about 2 weeks in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Variations
• If you want to make one big cheesecake instead of the mini cheesecakes, you can use a 6-inch springform pan.

• As mentioned, any berry can be used in place of the blueberries.