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vegan hazelnut cheesecake topped with ganache

Vegan Hazelnut Cheesecake

This is a recipe for no-bake Vegan Hazelnut Cheesecakes, they are also paleo and refined sugar free, and super easy to make.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesecake
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 0 minutes
Resting time 8 hours
Servings 12 mini cheesecakes
Calories 390 kcal
Author camila

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1/3 cup dates 2.4 oz, 68 grams
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts 2.25 oz, 63 grams
  • 3/4 cup almond flour 2.4 oz, 68 grams
  • 1-3 teaspoons water as needed

Hazelnut Cheesecake

  • 2 cups raw cashews 10.58 oz, 300 grams
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil melted (118 ml)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons, 59 ml
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream 118 ml
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup + 1 tablespoon divided - 118 ml + 15 ml
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon cocoa powder divided**
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons hazelnut spread divided***

Ganache

  • 1/3 cup coconut cream 78 ml
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips 1.76 oz, 58 grams

Instructions

Crust

  1. To make the crust, place all ingredients except for the water in the bowl of a blender. Pulse on high for 1 minute or so, until all ingredients are combined. If you grab some of the dough between your hands, it should clump up nicely together. If it doesn’t, slowly add water and keep blending until incorporated. Start by adding 1 teaspoon of water, blend. Then add more water only if necessary.
  2. Once you have a dough that is coming together easily, divide the dough between 12 muffin cups or mini cheesecake pans, if using muffin pans, it really helps to use silicone pans, so you can easily remove the cheesecakes afterwards. You can also just spread the whole dough on the bottom of a 8” cheesecake pan.
  3. Place it in the freezer while you make the cheesecake batter.

Hazelnut Cheesecake

  1. Soak cashews the day before, or a few hours before making the cheesecake batter. The longer you soak them, the creamier and smoother the cheesecake will be.
  2. If you don’t have a lot of time, you can place the cashews in a small saucepan and cover with water. Then bring it to a boil and immediately turn off the heat, and let cashews soak in hot water for 1-2 hours, until they are very tender.
  3. In the blender, place the soaked and drained cashews, the coconut oil, the lemon juice, the coconut cream, 1/2 cup of maple syrup and the vanilla extract.
  4. Blend on high speed for a few minutes until very creamy and smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender in between.
  5. Time blending will depend on how powerful your blender or processor is.

To make the ombre cheesecake

  1. Once the white batter is ready, remove 1/3 of it to a small bowl and set aside.
  2. To the batter remaining in the blender, add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (to sweeten it since we are adding cocoa powder and hazelnut spread), 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of hazelnut spread.
  3. Blend until creamy, smooth, and incorporated. The batter will be a light brown.
  4. Remove half of the light brown batter to a bowl, and set aside. This is the batter that will go in the middle.
  5. To the light brown batter remaining in the blender, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and 1/4 cup of hazelnut spread.
  6. Blend until incorporated. The batter will be dark brown, rich and thick.

To assemble cheesecake

  1. Spread the white batter on top of the crust, dividing it evenly between the muffin cups.
  2. Then, divide the light brown batter between the cups, on top of the white batter.
  3. If you feel like the batters are too runny and are mixing as you add the layers, you can freeze the cheesecake pan for 10 minutes in between each layering, so the bottom layer has a chance to set.
  4. Once the light brown batter has been divided between all muffin cups, you can spread the dark brown batter right on top.
  5. Place tray in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.

Ganache

  1. Heat cream on a small saucepan, or in a microwave bowl, until it almost comes to a boil.
  2. Pour it over chocolate.
  3. Whisk until the chocolate has melted completely.
  4. If the chocolate isn’t melting, place the bowl in the microwave and microwave it for a few seconds, stirring in between until the chocolate has melted entirely.
  5. Let ganache cool to room temperature for about 1 hour or so, before using.
  6. Spread ganache on top of cheesecakes. Top with chocolate pieces, and hazelnut pieces.

Storage

  1. Store cheesecakes in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

*Please note that the cashews need to be soaked before making this recipe, either the night before or a few hours prior.

**The reason why the amounts are divided is because, in order to create the ombre effect with the cheesecake batters, you have to first make the white batter, adding the soaked cashews, coconut oil, lemon juice, coconut cream, maple syrup, and vanilla. And then, remove 1/3 of the batter and set aside. In the blender, add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, along with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons of hazelnut spread, to make the light brown batter. Then, remove 1/2 of the light brown batter from the blender, and set aside. To the remaining batter from the blender, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and 1/4 cup of hazelnut spread, to make the dark brown batter. If you wish to make just one color batter, simply add all of the ingredients to the blender at the same time.

***Look for vegan hazelnut spread at the store, or make your own, here is a great recipe! 

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Hazelnut Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 390
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.