Vegan Chocolate + SunButter Cheesecake Bites

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Vegan Chocolate + SunButter Cheesecake Bites

These Vegan Chocolate + SunButter Cheesecake Bites are something truly decadent for any occasion, but especially for the holidays. They are made with a softly crunch crust, and layered with a cashew-chocolate base and topped with mouth-watering cashew-SunButter top layer. Naturally sweetened and completely Vegan, these cheesecake bites are such a treat.

Prep Time25

Cook Time5

Chill Time:3

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cheesecake, chocolate, dairy-free, holidays, sunbutter, sunflower seeds, sweets, vegan

Servings: Cheesecake Bites

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

The Crust:

1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted
1 ½ cups raw walnuts
pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Layer:

1 ½ cups cashews, soaked overnight
1 cup coconut milk, canned creamy version (See Notes!)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
3 Tbsps pure maple syrup (See Notes!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tbsps cacao powder
2 Tbsps juice of a lemon

SunButter Layer:

½ cup cashews, soaked overnight
3 Tbsps SunButter, No Sugar Added
½ cup coconut milk, canned creamy version (See Notes!)
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsps juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsps pure maple syrup (See Notes!)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Crust:

Line a 12-cavity cupcake pan with parchment cupcake liners and set aside.
Add the dates to a food processor and pulse until small bits remain or it forms into a ball. Remove from food processor and set aside.
Add walnuts and sea salt to the food processor and process until it becomes almost "meal-like" or into small bits. Now add dates to the processed walnuts and pulse until a loose dough forms. NOTE: It may look "wet-like" but that's fine, as long as your fingers can press it down successfully. If too sticky, add more walnuts and pulse again.
Carefully, add 1 tablespoon of crust mixture to each cupcake liner and gently press down with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Repeat until all crust mixture is used.
Set in the freezer until ready to use.

For the Chocolate Layer:

Add the cashews, coconut oil, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao powder, and lemon juice to a food processor and process until smooth. NOTE: Texture should be thick + creamy, with no cashew bits showing.
Remove the crust from the freezer and add 1 tablespoon of chocolate layer atop the crust, spreading evenly within each cupcake liner. Repeat until all batter is used and return to freezer to set.

For the SunButter Layer:

Add the cashews, coconut oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, SunButter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to a food processor and process until smooth. NOTE: Texture should also be thick + creamy, with no cashew bits showing.
Once done, add 1 tablespoon of SunButter mixture atop the chocolate layer (which should be "set") and evenly spread it within each cupcake liner. Repeat until all batter is used and return to freezer to fully set, about 3 hours or overnight.
Once ready to serve, remove them from the freezer (30 minutes prior) and allow them to defrost.
To serve, drizzle melted vegan chocolate atop each Cheesecake Bite and enjoy.
Bon Appetite!

Notes

For SunButter Layer: If mixture is too thick, add more canned coconut milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until smooth.

For Storage: Keep Cheesecake Bites tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen for longer and thawed the night before ready to serve.

NOTE: Grade A maple syrup is best in this recipe as the flavor is a lot more subtle.

For the canned Coconut Milk, I love to use Thai Kitchen® Coconut Milk.

Nutrition