Raw Lemon Berry Cheesecake (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

If you are looking for a relatively healthy dessert, then you should try this recipe! It is vegan and gluten-free, but it still tastes quite good. Of course, it doesn’t taste like a normal cheesecake, but even our pickiest tasters asked for more. There is something so satisfying about the lemon, coconut, nutty, and berry flavor combination tasted in every bite.

Raw Lemon Berry Cheesecake

Servings: 9–12 | Time: 30 minutes active; 8–10 hours inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) almonds
• 1 cup medjool dates (about 10 dates) (pre-soaked if needed)
• 1/2 cup (47 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp./30 ml)
• 3 drops lemon essential oil

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 2 cups (274 g) cashews
• 1/4 cup (48 g) coconut oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. (2 g) sea salt

Berry Topping Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (~110–15 g) frozen or fresh berries
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey
• 1/4 cup (48 g) coconut oil, melted
• 1 drop lemon essential oil

Instructions:

1. Pre-soak the cashews (and dates if needed) for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Rub an 8″ x 8″ (20 x 20 cm) glass baking dish with coconut oil.
3. Place all crust ingredients in a food processor or blender, and pulse until the mixture looks and feels like dough. Dump it into your baking dish, and press it down evenly to cover the bottom of the dish. Once done, place the pan in the fridge while you make the other layers.
4. Repeat with the cheesecake ingredients—blend, and then layer on top of crust.
5. If using frozen berries, place all berry topping ingredients in a pan on the stove top, and heat just until the berries have thawed a little and coconut oil is melted.
6. Place berry topping ingredients in the food processor, and pulse until mixed. Pour on top of the cheesecake layer.
7. Place in the fridge or freezer until set up (about 4 hours in the freezer or 6 hours in the fridge).
8. Top with fresh berries before serving, if desired.