It’s hard to avoid dessert around the holidays. Whether you’re at the office or a party, there’s no shortage of glazed cookies, chocolate truffles, and fruit-filled pies—with plenty of whipped cream to top it all off. If you’re on a special diet, it’s easy to either feel left out or to indulge anyway and suffer the consequences later. But what if you didn’t have to miss out on a single bite? What if you could eat a delicious dessert that also happens to be free of processed junk and common allergens?
As my holiday gift to you, I’m sharing my coveted Creamy Lime Vegan Cheesecake recipe. Its a celebration for those of us that can’t eat dairy!! This is an easy, no-bake dessert you can whip up in less than 30 minutes. It’s also raw, vegan and gluten-free—but, trust me, no one will know the difference. It’s every bit as decadent as its conventional counterpart.
It gets better! Unlike most raw pies that use tofu or raw cashews as the base, this recipe features fresh avocado and coconut milk. I balance the flavors with a burst of lime juice and a hint of agave to keep it low on refined sugars. The velvety filling is poured into a homemade nut crust and left to firm in the fridge. The result is a rich, refreshing sweet treat that’s festive without all the fuss. See, I told you this recipe is a gift!
What’s nice about this crust is that you can substitute any of the nuts. Don’t have pecans? Add walnuts. Don’t like macadamias? Add more pecans or almonds. Feel free to make it your own! And you are sensitive to soy, you can leave out the lecithin. The filling will still turn out great, only slightly less firm. Just make sure to keep it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it, or put it in the freezer for 20 mins before serving.
See me make this recipe on Utah’s Morning Show “Good Things Utah” here!
Creamy Lime Vegan Cheesecake
- Yield: 1 Pie 1x
Description
As my holiday gift to you, I’m sharing my coveted Creamy Lime Vegan Cheesecake recipe. Its a celebration for those of us that can’t eat dairy!! This is an easy, no-bake dessert you can whip up in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup pecans
- ½ cup macadamia nuts
- ½ cup almonds
- ¼ cup gluten-free granola (I like Udi’s)
- 6–8 pitted Medjool dates
- Coconut whipped cream (optional)
For the Filling:
- 6 Tbsp. thick coconut milk (place the can in the refrigerator overnight)
- 1 avocado, about 7 to 8 oz.
- ¾ cup lime juice (about 8–10 limes)
- Plus 1 lime to zest
- ½ cup light agave syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. soy lecithin (optional)
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Place pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds and granola into a food processor, and process to a fine meal, about 10 seconds.
- Add 6 dates and pulse until the dates are well incorporated. Pinch some of the crust. If it doesn’t stick together, add 2 more dates and pulse until incorporated.
- Transfer to an 8-inch pie dish and press evenly into the dish to make a crust, going about 1 inch up the sides. Set aside.
- Remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator and scoop out 6 Tbsp of the thick coconut cream found at the top of the can. (Reserve the remaining coconut water for a smoothie.)
- Place the coconut cream, avocado, lime juice, agave, vanilla, and salt into a blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Add the lecithin and coconut oil, and continue blending until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Dip a spoon into the filling. If you see yellow spots, blend a little longer.
- Pour the filling into the prepared nut crust and smooth out the top.
- With a zester, grate the lime over the filling lightly covering the surface.
- Place the cheesecake into the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely firm, about 3 hours.
- Decorate or dollop with coconut whipped cream, if desired.
- Slice and serve immediately after removing from the refrigerator. Best when served cold.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for an 8-inch pie dish. If you want to make a thicker cheesecake like in the picture above, use a springform pan and double or triple the filling.