No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake Jars

No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake Jars

INGREDIENTS

Raspberry Compote:

• 2 ½ cups Stahlbush Island Farms’ frozen red raspberries
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp lemon juice

No-Bake Cheesecake Filling:

• 1 cup non-dairy yogurt
• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked 4+ hours and drained
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt

Cheesecake Crust:

• 1 ½ cups crushed vegan graham wafer crumbs* (See Notes for Substitutes)
• 3 tbsp melted vegan butter

Garnish, Optional:

• fresh raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Raspberry Compote:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, and water and lemon juice over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until slightly thicken. Remove from the heat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until chilled, and you’re ready to assemble the cheesecake jars.

No-Bake Cheesecake Filling:

1. If you have a high-speed blender, place all of the ingredients for the cheesecake filling into the blender. Blend until completely smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides as necessary.
2. If you have a regular blender, add all of the ingredients to the blender but with only 1/4 cup of cashews at first. Blend until the mixture is smooth, and then add another 1/4 cup of cashews. Repeat this until the mixture is smooth – stop and scrape down the sides as you go, and run a spoon or spatula through the mixture to release any large air bubbles which can interfere with blending.

Cheesecake Crust:

1. In a food processor (or a medium-sized bowl), drizzle in the melted vegan butter. Pulse (or stir if using a bowl) until the mixture comes together and resembles wet sand.

Assembly:

1. You’ll need 6-8 jars or glasses depending on their size and how full you fill them.
2. Spoon the cookie crumb mixture into each jar – about 2 tablespoons for a 1 cup (8 ounce) jar, or 1½ tablespoons for a ¾ cup (6 ounce) jar.
3. Spoon the cashew cheese filling over the cookie crumb layer, ensuring the filling reaches the sides of the glass so the berry topping doesn’t leach down making the cookie crumbs soggy. I used about ⅓ cup for the 1 cup (8 ounce) jar and a scant ½ cup for a ¾ cup (6 ounce) jar.
4. Top with the chilled raspberry compote (if it’s warm the juices won’t be as thick and can trickle down the cheese filling – tasty but not as pretty.) If the cheesecake filling is still warm from blending, cover the jars and set in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
5. Place lids on the jars (or cover them with plastic wrap if you’re using glasses), and then store them in the refrigerator until serving time.
6. These mini dairy-free cheesecakes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
7. To freeze, cover securely, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

NOTES:

Types of Cookies or Wafers:

Not all graham wafers are vegan, so it’s best to check the ingredient label if you want to avoid animal products. Other types of dry, crisp vegan cookies or biscuits can be used to make the crumb base for the cheesecake jars. Biscoff cookies work really well (although they are much sweeter than graham wafers), as do ginger snaps and vanilla biscuits.