Salted Caramel Cashew “Cheesecake”
This dreamy dessert uses the magic of cashews to replicate the taste and richness of cream cheese. You’ll end up with extra Date Caramel Sauce to serve on the side, or keep for another use (such as with pancakes the next day).
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Twice As Nice
This “cheesecake” and our Grain-Free Whoopie Pies feature almonds in lieu of heavy grains. This Paleo-friendly substitute provides structural stability for the cheesecake’s crust and the cake portion of the pies and adds a hefty dose of protein to each serving: A quarter cup of almond flour, for instance, has 6 grams of this muscle-building macro, compared to around 3 grams for regular white flour.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 6 large dates, pitted and soaked in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes, soaking liquid reserved
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 6 tbsp raw honey
- 1/4 cup creamy raw unsalted almond or cashew butter
- 2 tsp lucuma powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (TRY: Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Crust
- 1 cup raw almonds(or pecans or walnuts)
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Filling
- 3 cups raw cashews, soaked at least 5 hours or overnight, drained
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted (Tip: If you have a high-speed blender, no need to melt.)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- seeds from 2 whole vanilla beans (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
Preparation
- Prepare sauce: To a blender, add dates, coconut oil, honey, almond butter, lucuma powder (if using), vanilla and salt plus 2 tbsp date soaking liquid; blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare crust: To a food processor, add almonds, dates, coconut and salt; process until mixture holds together (it should be sticky). Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan; press firmly, making sure edges are well packed and the base is even throughout.
- Prepare filling: To a high-speed blender or food processor, add cashews, coconut oil, honey, orange juice and vanilla seeds; process on high until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour filling mixture into crust and smooth top with a spatula. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel sauce over filling. (Note: You’ll use about half the amount of caramel sauce; cover and refrigerate the rest for serving). Use the tip of a paring knife to swirl caramel sauce into filling. Place cheesecake in freezer until solid, about 4 hours. Once frozen, cover with foil to protect from freezer burn.
- To serve, let cheesecake thaw on the counter at least 1 hour. Once thawed, keep in fridge until ready to serve. Before releasing the springform ring, run a knife between cake and sides of the pan. Serve cheesecake on its own or with reserved date caramel sauce. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/12 of cake
- Calories 516
- Carbohydrate Content 49 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 35 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 9 g
- Saturated Fat Content 15 g
- Sodium Content 66 mg
- Sugar Content 37 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g