When two people from different parts of your life offer the same suggestion, it’s time to pay attention.
A few months back, my mom mentioned that she saw a recipe for cheesecake and thought our granola would make the perfect crust. Then, about a month later, a frequent customer came out to a local event we were at and bought a bag of Just Granola. He raved about using it for making vegan cheesecake. Well, that made the lightbulb go off in my head. It’s definitely time to make some cheesecake. 😉
After some searching, I discovered a recipe on one of my go-to recipe sites, Minimalist Baker. It was for No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake Cups (5 Minutes!). I love variety, all things mini-sized, and, of course, cheesecake, so I thought this was the perfect recipe to follow.
I decided to experiment using our Just Granola as a base for some of the cups and our new Limited Edition Pumpkin Chocolate Chip granola for the others. I have to say that both turned out incredibly delicious. And the best part? The possibility for cheesecake flavor combinations are endless! Think chocolate chip (my personal favorite), fresh fruits (berries, pineapple, mango, and more), peanut butter with a chocolate drizzle, and even caramel — just a few of the toppings and additions I’ll be experimenting with soon because these treats were a massive hit.
Without further ado, here’s the mouthwatering recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 heaping cup granola of choice (we loved using Just Granola or our Limited Edition Pumpkin Chocolate Chip)
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt of your choice (we love coconut yogurt)
- 6 Tbsp maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon yields ~ 3 Tbsp juice)
- 1/8 heaped tsp sea salt
- Toppings: fresh fruit, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, peanut butter, etc.
Directions:
- Place the granola in a high-speed blender and pulse until the granola resembles graham cracker crumbs.
- Add ~3 tablespoons granola crumble to the bottom of each of your small jars or glasses. Rinse your blender if necessary.
- To a high-speed blender, add all of the cheesecake ingredients (cashews, coconut yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt) and blend on high for about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides and underneath the blades as needed, until smooth.
- To assemble your cheesecake cups, top the granola layer in each jar/glass with ~1/3 cup of the cheesecake mixture, and then top the cheesecake mixture with your choice of toppings.
- Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If frozen, let thaw for 25-30 minutes before enjoying.
Enjoy and please share pics of what you created!
