mini vegan cheesecakes

I was originally going to make these vegan mini-cheesecakes in my new food processor so I could show it off and thank my Grandparents for my birthday funds, but i realized that my food processor was just a bit too small to hold all the filling (since then I've made a few batches of humus and a delicious "Alfredo" sauce that i'll share with you all soon. So thank you Grandma and Grandpa for helping me stock my kitchen!). I still took some pictures and will share the recipe with you all, because they were delicious!!

For filling i added frozen blueberries and extra lemon juice to some, and peanut butter and chocolate chunks to others- but you can get creative and put whatever you want in/on them!

Keep reading after the jump.

Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes then drained)
1 cup raw walnuts or almonds 
1/2 Lemon, juice and zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg


Filling:
1.5 cups raw cashews, soaked in water 4-6 hours then drained
1 large lemon, juiced (approx. 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk (see instructions for note)
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan- I used maple syrup) 

Optional Flavor Add-Ins:
2 Tbsp salted natural peanut butter
Chocolate chunks
1/4 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Caramel sauce
Raspberries and white chocolate chunks


Instructions

1. Add dates to a food processor and blend until small bits remain and it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside.
2. Next add nuts and process into a meal. Add spices, then add dates back in and lemon juice and zest. Blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add more almond or walnut meal.
3. Lightly grease a standard, 12 slot muffin tin. To make removing the cheesecakes easier, cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in the slots. This creates little tabs that makes removing them easier to pop out once frozen.
4. Next scoop in heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers. To pack it down, use a small glass or the back of a spoon to compact it and really press it down. I found the bottom of a glass works well. If it sticks, separate the crust and the glass with a small piece of parchment. Set in freezer to firm up.
5. Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth. I had a can of coconut cream from Trader Joe's, so I didn't need to scrape the cream off the top because the whole can was cream! I recommend TJ Coconut Cream if you can get your hands on it. If not, simply scoop the cream off the top (save the water milk for something else, smoothies perhaps?).
6. If it won’t come together in the blender, add a bit more liquid (depending on taste: lemon juice, sweetener, coconut milk).
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If adding peanut butter and, add to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined. If flavoring with blueberry, chocolate, caramel or something else that you don't want completely mixed in, wait and swirl on top of plain cheesecakes.
8. Divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard – about 4-6 hours.
9. Once set, remove by tugging on the tabs or loosening them with a butter knife. They should pop right out. Keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks.

 If you try this recipe let me know how it went, and I hope you enjoy them!! We certainly did.