If you want a no bake make-ahead dessert that’s a perfect blend of creamy, sweet and spice, try these mini vanilla cheesecake cups. Featuring a nutty base, a velvety, cashew, vanilla filling and nutty gingery base. Delish!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Healthy Clean Eating
Keyword healthy vanilla cheesecake cups, mini cheesecake bites no bake, no bake cheesecake snacks, vanilla cheesecake bites with ginger crust
Servings 12
Ingredients
Base Crust
1 1/2cupsalmonds or walnuts
1cupdates, soaked 30 minutes and drained
1/2cupdesiccated coconut
1teaspoonground ginger
Creamy Vanilla Filling
1cupcashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained
113.5 ozcan coconut cream, full fat (solid part only) *see note below
1/4cupcoconut oil, melted
1/4cuphoney or maple syrup
1lime, juice and zest
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
Toppings Optional
Lime zest
Chopped candied ginger
Instructions
Base Crust
Note: Place the can of coconut cream in the fridge or freezer for at least 1-2 hours before making these bars to allow coconut cream to separate.Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or use a silicon muffin pan.Place almonds into a food processer and process until broken down and crumbly. Add dates, coconut and ginger and continue to process until mixture is sticky and well combined. Be careful not to over process as its nice to have texture variance and different sized “bits” in your cheesecake cup bases.Divide mixture up into 12 pieces and place one in each of the muffin cups.Press the mixture into the bottom of each one evenly. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Creamy Vanilla Filling
Open chilled can and scoop out the cream that has separated and set hard on the top. Save the remaining coconut water to use in a smoothie, drink, or discard. (I feed it to my dogs and they love it!)Place all filling ingredients, cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, honey and lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract into the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Depending on the power of your blender this might take a few minutes. Stop blending to scrape the sides and continue to blend until very smooth. Taste test add more honey, lemon or vanilla if you think it needs it.Scoop a good tablespoon of the filling into each of the 12 muffin cups over the base (just divide the mixture up between the 12 cups) and spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then place back in the refrigerator or freezer for 1-2 hours to set.Once set, remove each cheesecake cup from the tray. Top with some chopped candied ginger and/or some dark chocolate shavings.You can eat them frozen but if you prefer a softer texture take out the freezer at least 30 minutes before needed. If you want them softer, take out for at least an hour.Store in the freezer in a sealed tub. They will last for up to 3 months.