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These Vegan Mocha Cheesecake Bites are the perfect healthy treat. They are gluten-free, dairy-free and guilt free.
Sometimes I just need coffee...or chocolate...or cheesecake and sometimes I need all three at once! Can anyone relate? Well, these Vegan Mocha Cheesecake Bites can satisfy those cravings all at once, but in a healthier way.
Last week was one of "those" weeks for me. I made delicious recipes to share, but some weren't photographing the way I would like. Can you believe that some food isn't photogenic?
Trust me, these Cheesecake Bites look innocent and cute, but they were so unruly during the shoot. Frozen desserts...plus hot lighting...equals disaster.
I always have a plan before I start shooting, but sometimes it doesn't turn out the way I imagined it. With frozen desserts, I have to act quickly to change the setup and sometimes, I'm not quick enough.
Anyway, I was able to get a few shots in before they quit on me. My shoot officially ended when my light bounce fell on top of them and whipped cream splatted everywhere. Fun!
These heavenly Vegan Mocha Cheesecake Bites will satisfy your craving for coffee, chocolate, and cheesecake, but you won't feel like crap after eating them. Sounds good, huh?
You won't find any processed junk in these babies...they are made up of cashews, coconut milk, almonds, dates, pure maple syrup, coconut oil, pure vanilla extract, cacao powder and espresso powder.
They won't make your tummy hurt from the dairy and processed sugars found in most standard treats. Also, you'll be giving your body a healthy dose of protein, fiber, vitamins & minerals. You can enjoy them and feel guilt-free.
Let's talk about those layers
The base layer is a chocolate-almond crust, which is held together by naturally sweet dates. It has the perfect chocolate flavor with a slight almond-y crunch.
Next up, is the vanilla layer. It's soft, creamy, sweet & velvety. It tastes so much better than dairy-based treats. The creaminess comes from cashews and coconut cream. They work magic together!
The topping is a decadent mocha layer. It's rich, chocolate-y and has the perfect hint of coffee flavor. The aroma alone will give you an instant pick-me-up.
These heavenly bites are perfect just the way they are, but if you would like to dress them up, you can add dairy-free whipped cream and dust them with cacao powder.
So, are you ready to indulge in these Vegan Mocha Cheesecake Bites, but not feel like you overindulged?
Let's do this!
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comment section below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Vegan Mocha Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
Chocolate Almond Crust:
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup dates , pitted (*see note)
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
- A pinch of salt
Cheesecake Base:
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews , soaked in water for 4 hours or more
- ⅓ cup coconut oil , liquified
- 1 cup of coconut cream (*see note)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup (*see note)
- 2-3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
Additional Ingredients for Mocha Layer:
- 1 ½ teaspoons espresso powder (*see note)
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
Instructions
Crust:
- Place all ingredients into a food processor. Process until if forms a loose dough. Press between your fingers to make sure it sticks together. Add more dates or nuts for the needed consistency.
- Line a muffin pan with standard-size liners. Put about 1 heaping tablespoon of crust at the bottom of each liner. Press firmly down. (*see note) Pop in freezer while you make the filling
Vanilla Cheesecake Base:
- Drain & rinse cashews. Discard soaking water.
- Combine all ingredients (except raw cacao powder & espresso powder) in a blender or food processor. Blend until really creamy and smooth.
- Place 2 ½ tablespoons of mixture on top of crust (for 10 cheesecake bites) Pop back in freezer for about 20 minutes, to firm up the layer a bit.
Mocha Layer:
- Place the raw cacao powder and espresso powder into the remaining filling. Blend until creamy and smooth. Pour about 2 ½ tablespoons of filling on top of the vanilla layer. (approximate measurement for 10 cheesecake bites) Freeze for 4-6 hours. Thaw 3-5 minutes before enjoying. Store in airtight container in the freezer.
- Top with some homemade or store-bought whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Rose
Can you offer a recommendation for a substitute for the dates in the recipe? I’d like to add NO dried fruit. Thanks in advance!
Parita
These look amazing and I want to try them out but I don't love coconut oil flavor. Can I replace the coconut oil with canola oil without compromising on the consistency? Or would you recommend using vegan butter instead to replace coconut oil?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Parita, I don't think it'll work the same with another oil. Coconut oil solidifies when chilled and creates the perfect texture. Have you tried refined coconut oil? The coconut taste is very slight.
Maren
I Im obsessed with these. I love the cashew cheese cake filling. My horse loves it too. Not kidding. On special occasions I bring her a cupcake bite with this filling. Am I crazy?
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Maren! I'm so happy you like them! You're not crazy at all. I think it's wonderful that you give your big horse baby a treat. 🙂
Miranda
Made these for my co-worker for her birthday and they were excellent! The recipe was bang on. I had to double the recipe for a large crowd and I would recommend using a blender if you do - my food processor was a little overwhelmed. I would definitely make again! Thank you for the excellent treat!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Miranda, I'm so glad you liked them! Such a nice thing to do for your co-worker's birthday. I hope they had a great time. 🙂
Bernie
Wow! These are FANTASTIC. I tasted the "vanilla" layer when it first came out of the food processor and couldn't believe how tasty it was. I can't believe I actually ended up with 10 finished "bites". I use coconut milk all the time but always get the low fat kind. I was amazed at the luxurious creamy texture of the "cream" after leaving the can in frig overnight.
Thanks for sharing this!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Bernie! I'm so happy you liked them! I really like the texture of chilled coconut milk too. It's quite magical!
Tamika
Hi there!
Are you supposed to refrigerate the can of coconut cream or only if you're using coconut milk?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Tamika, Sorry for the late response. This comment was in my spam folder 🙁 No, you don't have to chill the can of coconut cream. Thanks for stopping by.