Vegan Raspberry & Lemon Cheesecake Bites

For when you’re craving something sweet and indulgent but also something substantial, filling and that won’t give you a sugar-crash… These vegan cheesecake bites are what you need! Made with nuts, fruits and oats, these bars give you an energy boost whilst they satisfy your taste buds. But besides from the fact these bars are made with wholesome, raw, plant-based ingredients, they are also simply gorgeous. Smooth, creamy cheesecake with a sweet tang of raspberry and lemon on top of a chewy, crumbly oat and almond base. Plus, they’re so pretty. They’d make a great dinner party dessert - I’d suggest making them in a round cake tin and cutting into wedges for a more dessert-feel. But since I’m greedy and want to eat them all to myself, I usually make up a batch of these and keep them in the freezer for a couple of weeks and eat them as a treat at my own leisure. You can eat them straight from the freezer or let them soften slightly for a more creamy texture. These vegan cheesecake bites are also really easy to make but do require a few hours patience to wait for them to set! You can have the cheesecake prepared in 20 minutes and allow for about 3 hours setting time in the freezer. Enjoy and leave a comment below if you give them a try!

Vegan Cheesecake Bites: Aimee's Raspberry & Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Makes: 9 bars Prep time: 20 minutes Total time (including freezing): 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the base:

• 75g ground almonds
• 100g raw oats
• 8 medjool dates, pitted

For the cheesecake filling:

• 225g cashews, soaked in warm water for at least an hour or overnight
• 1 x 160ml tin coconut cream*
• 6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 4 tbsp raw agave nectar
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

For the raspberry puree:

• 100g fresh raspberries
• 2 tbsp raw agave nectar.

*Not raw but can substitute with fresh raw coconut cream if you can get hold of it.  

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8 inch tin with parchment paper or cling film. 2. Prepare the base by blending all the ingredients together in a food processor until it creates a crumble texture. It should be dense enough to bind together but not wet. If it’s too dry add a TINY drop of water. 3. Press the mixture into the bottom of the tin and use the back of a spoon to firmly pat down the edges to create an even base. 4. Rinse out the food processor and blend together the cheesecake filling ingredients until smooth and creamy. 5. Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the base mixture and smooth with the back of a spoon. 6. Finally, rinse the food processor bowl once more and make the puree by blitzing the raspberries with the agave until smooth. 7. Using a small spoon, drip dots of the puree on top of the cheesecake filling and then use the handle of the spoon or a chopstick to swirl the puree around. 8. Cover the tin with foil or cling film and leave to set in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks or leave to chill in the fridge for up to 2 days, for a softer dessert.   What did you think of Aimee's vegan cheesecake bites? We'd love to hear what ingredients you'd use! Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @wearethought. You might also love reading Emma's lemon and blueberry cake recipe!