Mini Raspberry No-Bake Cheesecake
How to make no-bake cheesecake. With a layer of raspberry jam and chocolate. It's mini too, so one slice is the perfect amount, and is healthy and vegan!
I find cheesecake to be pretty intimidating. It's something I've never attempted to make, so maybe my base is a little off, but it just seems hard.
Like the water baths? The hours of slow baking? The fear of cracking? It just feels like it's not worth it. Not to mention, now I'm dairy-free and pretty much vegan, so rejiggering a recipe to exclude the main ingredients – cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and eggs – I think I'll pass.
But what about a version that doesn't require any baking? A version that is creamy and delicious, but also dairy-free and vegan? A cheesecake that is actually easy to make? Now THAT is something I can get behind!
Creamy Vegan Cheesecake Filling
First things first, let's talk filling. I had a few stipulations when I was coming up with this recipe. I wanted it to be:
- easy
- not a lot of ingredients
- no strange ingredients
- creamy
- and naturally sweetened
I started with my fave creamy vegan ingredient of all times: SOAKED CASHEWS. You've probably seen me use soaked cashews for a cream substitute before (my kimchi vegan queso and my white quinoa chili are faves around here), and since it works so well there, why wouldn't it also work in a dessert?
All we need to do is allow some raw cashews to soak for about an hour. That softens them up and makes the blendable. Once they're soft we blend them up with coconut oil (which helps with the final texture), a little water, some lime for a zing, vanilla for flavor and maple syrup for sweetness.
It's actually so easy and it tastes incredible!
The Ultimate Gluten-Free Crust
Then we move to the crust. Classic cheesecake uses a graham cracker crust which is held together with butter. It's not gluten-free nor is it dairy-free. So what's a gal to do?
Make a nut crust!
Nut crusts are standard in a lot of no-bake treats. They're usually just a blend of some kind of nut (pecans are my fave) and dates. You blitz them up in a food processor, then press them into your pan and you've got a crust!
What I love about nut crusts is that they have a crunch but also natural sweetness. Dates have a natural caramel flavor and really help to add this sort of decadence to the dessert without adding anything artificial or refined.
And since the nut crust has that perfect balance, when you cut through it in your no-bake cheese cake, you get this added layer of deliciousness to each bite.
My Favorite No-Bake Cheesecake
So I kind of created this no-bake cheesecake with Valentine's Day in mind, but truthfully it's perfect any time of year. It's got 6 gorgeous layers, tons of flavor and that rich, creamy texture you crave when you're biting into a slice of cheesecake.
You notice there's a layer of red in there, right? That's our raspberry layer. I wanted to add some color to this cheesecake, so we're adding a thin layer of raspberry chia jam in the middle. Since raspberries are a little tangy, it helps to balance out the richness of the cheesecake, but also adds another layer of sweetness. It's just fabulous! And, of course, also looks pretty too ????
Here's how we're doing the layers of our no-baked cheesecake:
- our gluten-free nut crust
- vegan cheesecake filling
- raspberry chia jam
- vegan cheesecake filling
- raspberry chia jam
- melted chocolate
It's pretty much heaven on earth. And the perfect dessert to serve for Valentine's Day, a special occasion or even just to keep in your freezer for a healthy after-dinner treat!
More Healthy No-Bake Desserts:
No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
for the crust:
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 3 Medjool dates
- dash of salt
for the filling:
- 1 cup cashews , soaked for 4+ hours
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil , melted
- 2 tablespoons almond milk (or water) , as needed
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (or extract)
- 1 batch raspberry chia jam*
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips , melted (optional)
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 4" springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the pecans, dates and a dash of the salt and process until a dough forms, about 1 minute. Press the dough into the bottom of the springform pan and set aside.
- Place the filling ingredients (minus the jam) in the food processor and blend until high until smooth.
- Scoop half the filling into on top of the crust and smooth over with the back of a spoon. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on top of the filling, then top with the rest of the filling, top again with some jam.
- Place the cake back in the freezer for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight, until the cake is hard. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, drizzle with melted chocolate then slice with a sharp knife and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
shop this post
share what you make
Tag #simplyquinoa on Instagram with your creations! We love sharing what you make with the community. We can’t wait to see!
Hi. Is the kcal listed (276) for the entire cheesecake or for one serving (1/6 of the cheesecake)?
one serving!
Hello! I’d love to make this recipe, but I don’t have a freezer – can I put it in the fridge over night? Does this work? 🙂
It only works in the freezer 🙁 It won’t solidify in the fridge I’m afraid!
I have made this recipe multiple times and I love it! It’s my go-to dessert! I have a quick question, can I substitute the lime juice for something else?
I’m so glad! And yes, I think lemon would work or just a splash extra of milk 🙂
I made this for my dad’s birthday yesterday and it was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had! Usually I don’t even like cheesecake that much, since it makes me feel kinda sick and I’m not a fan of the flavor. But this recipe was beyond delicious, the layers worked super well together – I loved the pecan date crust, the jam layer, the cheesecake filling which was so so creamy and yummy, and the chocolate, of course. Also the best part was that it was so easy to make and didn’t even require baking. I shared some photos on Instagram and tagged you since I know it’s fun to see other people’s renditions 🙂 A win in my book, thank you so much for this!!! Told so many people about it already 🙂
YAYY!!! So so glad you all like it, Shivani!
<3 <3 <3 Will be spamming you with more reviews and tags since I've gained that momentum for trying new recipes 😀
YAY!! Love seeing them, Shivani 🙂
What can I swap for the 1/4 cup of pecans as that’s not easy to find where I am (& very expensive)?
Another nut should be totally fine!
I’m not able to have maple syrup or honey, what else could I substitute the maple syrup in this recipe for? Also, would lemon juice work just as well as the lime juice?
Definitely lemon! And could you do a date syrup maybe? You could also just do some coconut milk and stevia/monk fruit extract if you’re trying to make it sugar-free?
This is an amazing recipe! It tastes so good – better than real cheesecake! Everybody raved about it, including my 2 year old. Thank you, what a great find! I used blueberry jam and left out the chocolate… I also quadrupled the ingredients to make a bigger cake. One of my favourite recipes to date!
WOOHOO! Love hearing this 🙂 thank you!
hi, just found your fab recipe. how long does it last in the freezer? I plan to make ahead for an occasion three days later
At least a few months!
Can the oil be substituted or just left out? I am oil free due to medical issues. Thank you
I’m not 100% sure because it helps to keep it firm. You could try full fat coconut milk!
I saw the video on Instagram and it mentioned almond milk! Is there almond milk in this recipe?
yep! it’s almond milk or water 🙂 Just updated!
So what if I dont have a 4″pan? Can I use 9″? Do I just double the recipe?
Yes!
What is the serving size of the finished product that you are basing the nutrional informiation on. Is it 1/4 of a pie? I see you use a 4 inch springform pan..
It is, yep! It’s in a small pan and honestly one slice (1/4 of the small pie), is plenty!