Cherry swirl cheesecake is the perfect end to a summer meal!
This is one of my favorite vegan desserts ever-it’s so much like real cheesecake that you would just might fool someone if they didn’t know better! Cherry Swirl cheesecake with a decadently creamy filling, topped with a swirl of tangy cherry sauce. So pretty and so delicious!
The crust is an essential element in this recipe, in my opinion. The texture of the walnuts and the hint of sea salt enhances the flavor of the creamy and sweet filling. The nice thick crust also creates a visual contrast with the other cheesecake layers.
This recipe is for a 7″-9″ spring form pan-if you use a 7″ pan then the filling will be a little much for the pan, so just pour any extra into the some small cups and refrigerate for a little mini cheescake dessert.
Try variations on this recipe with different fruits!
The base for this cheesecake is is perfect with all kinds of fruit. Try it with:
- blueberry
- peaches
- raspberrues
- strawberries
- mango
featured ingredients
Instead of dairy, eggs and sugar, this recipe is full of healthy-ish ingredients (but let’s not kid ourselves that cheesecake is a health food!) that have tons of nutritional value on their own:
- cashews-they are full of healthy fats and protein, in addition to providing the basis for the creamy filling!
- walnuts-full of antioxidants and omega-3’s
- dates-a whole food alternative to sugar, dates are full of fiber and antioxidants
- maple syrup-although maple syrup is high in sucrose, it has mineral like manganese and zinc which boost its nutrition profile. Eaten occasionally, maple syrup is a viable alternative to processed white sugar
- cherries-packed with nutrients, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Because cherries are perfectly in season, and create such a pretty color contrast, I thought they would be perfect here. What are your favorite flavors for a vegan version of traditional cheesecake?
- 2 cups walnuts
- 6 large medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups cashews, soaked 2 hours and rinsed
- 1 red apple (like gala or fuji), peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup maple syrup (or less if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon soy lecithin
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup frozen cherries, defrosted
- To make the crust, place the walnuts in a food processor, and pulse until they become crumbly. Place the chopped dates, cinnamon and sea salt into the food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes a little sticky. Sprinkle a bit of water on top if necessary to help the crust stick together. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 7"-9" springform pan and compress it well with your hand. Set the crust aside until you are ready to pour in the filling.
- To make the cheesecake filling, soak the cashews for 2 hours (up to overnight), the drain and rinse them well. Discard the soak water. Add the cashews to a blender along with the rest of the filling ingredients. Purée until very smooth, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the filling mixture into the prepared pan and set aside while you make the cherry swirl.
- To make the cherry swirl, place the frozen cherries in a blender and purée. Drizzle about ¼-1/2 of the cherry mixture onto the top of the pie and swirl around with the tip off a knife or a chopstck to create a pretty swirled design.
- Place the finished cheesecake into the freezer for 4-6 hours (or leave overnight) before serving.
- Garnish with fresh cherries and more of the cherry sauce before serving.
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