Dairy-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Name: Dairy-Free Lemon Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1½ cups cashews, raw, presoaked (*see note for Starch-Free version); ¾ cup coconut oil, melted; ⅓ cup lemon juice, more as needed; 2 lemons lemon zest; ½ cup honey (*see note for vegan version); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups pecans; 8 mejool dates; 2 pinches sea salt; ½ tsp cinnamon

April 18, 2022 Andrea Wyckoff

Whenever I eat this Dairy-Free Lemon Cheesecake I think to myself “there’s no way the conventional recipe is better than this sweet treat!”. The wholesome ingredients in this recipe make it hard to beat!

Cheesecake Filling:

cashews, raw, presoaked (*see note for Starch-Free version)		1½ cups
coconut oil, melted		¾ cup
lemon juice, more as needed		⅓ cup
lemon zest		2 lemons
honey (*see note for vegan version)		½ cup
vanilla extract		1 tsp

Pie Crust:

pecans		2 cups
mejool dates		8
sea salt		2 pinches
cinnamon		½ tsp

Directions:

Soak cashews (*see note) in *hot* water for 30 to 60 minutes, to soften. (Soak macadamia nuts for 4 to 6 hours, if time allows)
Prepare pie crust. Line a 9” pie pan (tart pan, or muffin pan) with saran wrap or parchment paper.
Pulse pie crust ingredients in a food processor until mixture is crumbly and sticks together when pressed, be careful not to over-process into nut butter.
Use your hands to form a pie crust by pressing the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pie pan.
Blend cheesecake ingredients together in a food processor or high-speed blender until super creamy. If needed, add 1 to 3 additional tablespoons of lemon juice to help aid in blending.
Pour filling over pie crust.
Freeze 2 to 4 hours until set. Cheesecake will firm up when fully chilled thanks to the magic of coconut oil. Store leftovers in the freezer, and let thaw at room temp for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
You can top these with assorted fresh fruits or serve them as is.