Vegan Cheesecake

This. Oh my word. I am in ecstasy. I mean it's one thing to make 4 kinds of cheesecake and it's another thing to make these 4 kinds on a fast Sunday. I can't decide which variety is my favorite--I made up these varieties but you can add whatever you want or just stick to the basic cheesecake!

I have to say that if I were to do this again (and I'm sure that won't be an issue), I would use the pumpkin pie crust from Oh She Glows. Omit the spices for other flavors besides the pumpkin, and also I have used almonds or walnuts instead of pecans, and peanut butter instead of oil (or even applesauce instead of oil). But this crust was just too chewy for me. I think it was the blended dates with nuts and just no crunch of oats or anything. Depending on what you like, this crust is much more the texture of a chewy granola bar.

 I don't have a muffin tin, so I used my trusty brownie pan and it worked just as well. I used some tinfoil strips to get them out easily after freezing, and this worked really well once I started trusting them and just pulling on them gently to get them to pop out. I ripped the first strips off entirely and didn't successfully get the cheesecake out, so just trust yourself and the tin foil. :) A knife does work well, too.

 So I decided to halve the recipe and make less because I knew I would eat them all within the day. I have almost accomplished that and they only finished like an hour ago. :)

 I made one plain cheesecake, raspberry, chocolate, and pumpkin. I've been craving all things pumpkin, so I made three of those. For the pumpkin cheesecake I added spices to the crust and to the filling, as well as a bit more honey. I took my inspiration from the pumpkin pie linked above. 

 It's hard to say which is my favorite, but I actually might go with the raspberry. You can mix any berry in, or even make a peanut butter cheesecake! Or carmel! The possibilities are endless. :)

 I suggest cutting them in half, because then you can eat more without feeling like you're eating more. You see how I work.

 I did substitute some frozen banana for the oil, and it worked like a charm. You can't even tell it's there because whatever flavor you have masks the banana.

Cheesecake

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Crust:
1 C pitted dates
1 C raw walnuts or almonds

Filling:
1.5 C raw cashews, soaked in water 4-6 hours then drained
1 large lemon, juiced (scant 1/4 cup) (omit for pumpkin variety)
1/3 C mashed banana
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (I used honey)
Add-ins of choice

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. Then add dates back in and 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. Optional: add a pinch of salt to taste.
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. I used tin foil and didn't grease anything.
4. Next scoop in heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers. Pack down with a spoon if necessary (fingers should work fine). Set in freezer to firm up.
5. Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth. For the coconut milk, I like to scoop the "cream" off the top because it provides a richer texture. But if yours is already all mixed together, just add it in as is.
6. You don't need a Vitamix for this recipe, just a quality blender. I mixed mine for 1 minute, then "liquified" or "pureed" it until silky smooth. If it won't come together, add a touch more lemon juice or agave or a splash more coconut milk liquid as the liquid should help it blend better.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If adding peanut butter, pumpkin, or chocolate, add to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined. Also if you're adding pumpkin, add some cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or whatever you're feelin'. If flavoring with berries or caramel, wait and swirl on top of plain cheesecakes (optional).
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.