Looking for a gluten and dairy free Christmas dessert to share with friends and family this season? This no bake peppermint chocolate cheesecake satisfies your cravings for holiday flavors and is a dessert everyone at the table can enjoy, regardless of food sensitivities.
Gluten & Dairy Free Christmas Dessert: Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake
I am pretty sure my family isn’t the only one that grow extra sweet teeth during the holidays. That is why I am glad I have some extra hidden weapons in my recipe arsenal. Each of the recipes are desserts that have either natural sugars and/or healthy fats. They are also ones my kiddos approve of, and I don’t have to worry about them breaking down their immune systems during the busy holiday season! This is one of their favorites no-bake peppermint chocolate cheesecake!
Just eight simple ingredients are all you need for this entire gluten and dairy free Christmas recipe:
- Pitted dates
- Walnuts
- Coconut sugar
- Soaked cashews
- Melted coconut oil
- Cacao powder
- Himalayan sea salt
- Peppermint/mint extract
First Soak the Cashews
First be sure to soak the cashews overnight so that they’ll be ready to process. It usually takes 12 hours to properly soak cashews, so think ahead.
Directions:
Blend the walnuts until they look like a meal flour. This can be done in a food processor or blender.
Next, add in the dates and salt and blend until combined. This is going to be the crust for your gluten and dairy free Christmas dessert.
When the mixture starts to stick together, you know it’s ready.
Pour the mixture into a 9 inch greased pan and press evenly across the bottom and up the sides. (I also placed some parchment on the bottom to ensure that it wouldn’t stick.)
If your crust looks like this, it’s ready!
Now, the Filling
Time to work on the filling! Drain the cashews that have been soaking overnight and add them to the food processor. Blend until they become a soft butter consistency.
Cashew butter is really lovely, by the way. It’s a great substitute in many desserts, including this gluten and dairy free Christmas dessert. It’s also a great vessel for flavors.
Go ahead and add in the cacao powder, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and the peppermint extract.
Blend until a well combined nut butter consistency. This is the filling for the no-bake peppermint cheesecake.
Now it is time to evenly spread the filling into the crust and place in the refrigerator over-night.
I like to add some crushed peppermint sticks to the top because it looks so festive!
Look at that perfect slice of Christmas! By the way, isn’t this wooden serving spatula so special?
Time to serve and enjoy this amazing, dairy & gluten free Christmas dessert!
YUM!!!
Peppermint Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake (gluten & dairy free)
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- Crust:
- 2 cups pitted dates
- 1 cup walnuts or almonds
- A dash of Himalayan sea salt
- Filling:
- 2 cups soaked raw cashew nuts drained
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup raw honey or coconut sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons of cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Instructions
Soak cashew nuts in water overnight or for at least 2 hours
in very hot water before using. * For a smoother cheesecake soaking overnight
is the best choice. *
For Crust: In a food processor blend walnuts or almonds
till desired size. I prefer almonds the size of peas and walnuts to be a meal
consistency. Add dates to nuts and process till well incorporated and starts to
form a ball. Remove and press into bottom of round 9-inch cake pan.
For Filling: Place well drained cashews in food processors
and blend till they are a butter. Add coconut oil, honey/coconut sugar, and
cacao powder and mix till well incorporated. Add in the peppermint extract and
blend to ensure flavor is through all the filling. Pour over crust and spread
out evenly. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Cut to desired sized slices, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Tip: If the cashews are not soaked in very hot water, or overnight, the coconut oil will not blend properly with them and will completely separate.
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