If you are a bona fied turophile (i.e., a connoisseur of cheese), then you are most likely into cheese in all forms, including in your dessert.
I love cheese, and cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts, but since I’ve been cutting back on dairy, I wanted to make a non-dairy (and refined sugar–free) option so I could have a healthier version of this delicious dessert.
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake (Non-Dairy!), serves 4.
Adapted from Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake by Chocolate-Covered Katie
The filling:
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups raw unsalted cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons Lakanto (you can also substitute another sugar replacement of your choice or maple syrup to taste)
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries
The crust:
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup pecans (you can also just double the almonds if you don’t like pecans, but I like the two combined)
1/2 cups pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
First you’ll need to soak your cashews in a bowl of water overnight. Drain the water the next day, rinse, and thoroughly dry cashews on a paper towel.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the cashews, and put the remaining 1 1/2 cups into a food processor with the applesauce, vanilla extract, coconut oil, Lakanto (or other substitute), cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice.
Blend the ingredients together until smooth, and scoop out 1/2 of the blended mixture and put in a small bowl.
Add the strawberries and the reserved 1/2 cup cashews to the remaining mixture in the food processor, and blend until smooth. Pour this mixture into a separate bowl, and rinse out the food processor.
To make the crust, add all the crust ingredients into the food processor and blend until the mixture sticks together. Lightly oil the inside of four ring molds.
Evenly scoop the crust mixture into four ring molds and use a spatula to press the crusts into the bottom of the molds.
Spoon your plain filling evenly on top of each crust, and repeat with your strawberry filling. Chill overnight. Once set, slide a metal knife or spatula under the crust, and transfer to your serving plate. Pull the ring mold upwards, and your cheesecake should slide right out. Serve immediately. You can also use a regular pie pan and make one big dessert if you don’t have ring molds, or little short mason jars—whatever you want!
I love the three layers that the crust and the two different fillings create—so pretty!
You’ll need to think ahead if you are making this for company since you have to soak the cashews overnight and then chill the cheesecakes overnight again, but I think the “oooh”s and “ahhhh”s once you bring them out will make up for the extra preparation. Enjoy! xo. Laura
P.S. Check out 15 easy no-bake desserts for more recipes!
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Ingredients
The filling:
- ½ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
- 2 cups raw cashews (unsalted)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons Lakanto (you can also substitute another sugar replacement of your choice or maple syrup to taste)
- ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups strawberries (quartered)
The crust:
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup pecans (you can also just double the almonds if you don’t like pecans, but I like the two combined)
- ½ cups pitted dates (pitted)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- dash of salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First you’ll need to soak your cashews in a bowl of water overnight. Drain the water the next day, rinse, and thoroughly dry cashews on a paper towel. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cashews, and put the remaining 1 1/2 cups into a food processor with the applesauce, vanilla extract, coconut oil, Lakanto (or other substitute), cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice.
- Blend the ingredients together until smooth, and scoop out 1/2 of the blended mixture and put in a small bowl. Add the strawberries and the reserved 1/2 cup cashews to the remaining mixture in the food processor, and blend until smooth. Pour this mixture into a separate bowl, and rinse out the food processor.
- To make the crust, add all the crust ingredients into the food processor and blend until the mixture sticks together. Lightly oil the inside of four ring molds. Evenly scoop the crust mixture into four ring molds and use a spatula to press the crusts into the bottom of the molds.
- Spoon your plain filling evenly on top of each crust, and repeat with your strawberry filling. Chill overnight. Once set, slide a metal knife or spatula under the crust, and transfer to your serving plate. Pull the ring mold upwards, and your cheesecake should slide right out. Serve immediately. You can also use a regular pie pan and make one big dessert if you don’t have ring molds, or little short mason jars—whatever you want!
Credits // Author: Laura Gummerman, Photography: Laura Gummerman and Sarah Rhodes.
This looks amazing, and I’m loving the non-dairy desserts! I’m trying to cut down on my dairy and clean my overall eating habits and it’s so great to see recipes that I won’t feel guilty about making.
Tabby
– www.glitterinthequarter.com
Looks so good! I go try to make that 😉
I love that this is dairy free AND soy free. Thank you!
Mmmm!!!! Look so yummy! And seems rather easy))
Dairy free and gluten free…magnificent!!
I really appreciate these dairy/sugar free recipes. Keep em coming!
THANK YOU! More vegan recipes!
This looks AMAZING! I want to try it this weekend, just two questions – any chance the cashews can be replaced with something else? (hubs is allergic), and do you think this could work in a pie pan as a full size pie rather than individuals? Thanks so much in advance!
Loved to see a nice dairy-free recipe! Keep them coming. 🙂
Hmm, what a creative recipe. I’m tempted to try…
These were great! I made them yesterday for a group of dairy-free and gluten-free friends. They were approved by all!
Some suggestions on making them:
Split the cashews into .5 cup and 1.5 cup amounts prior to soaking. Since the cashews swell from soaking overnight it was hard to determine what was actually 1.5 a cup and what was .5 cups the next day.
For the crust:
Put the almonds and pecans in the food processor and grind them before adding the dates. Once the nuts are ground, chop the dates and add them to the processor. I don’t have a very good one and it could not handle the dates + nut combo. The mixture just levitated above the blade level and no amount of pushing it down would get the processor to actually chop it. I had to start the crust mix over to move beyond this problem.
Try before judging! It tastes like the real deal!
Everyone should really truly try this before judging or wrinkiling your nose up at it. I have made similar recipes and this is no joke. You will be amazed how cheesecake-y this is!! There are other recipes where you can add probiotics which kick up the tang and make it even MORE like the real thing.
When I tried the one I made I was completely blown away. ALL HAIL THE HUMBLE CASHEW! Seriously. Try it. You will not be disappointed.
These are so adorable, and love the pictures here!
This looks delish! I must give them a try.
Keisha xo
These look wonderful. I’ve never seen the ring mold pan before.
Hey Laura, hmmm these non-dairy strawberry cheesecakes look so delicious! I’m writing a vegan food blog and most of the recipes on my blog are written in German AND English 😉 Maybe you want to check it out 🙂 I tried a non-dairy raw vegan fancy cake and it was sooo delicious. I combined chocolate, peanut butter and coconut…. hmmmm so creamy and delicious 😉 http://glueckskindsucht.blogspot.de/2013/04/chocolate-peanutbutter-fancy-cake.html
I’d love to see more vegan/non-dairy food recipes from you here on ABM. Best, Luu
This looks so good! I love how easy and no mess it is 😛
oh my, these look so good! cheesecake is my favorite too, but i’ve been trying to cut down on dairy as well.. perfect solution, this recipe! thanks for sharing 🙂
xo, cheyenne
looks soooooooooo good, another reason for me to buy dates !
Lauren x
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