Last week it was lemon strawberry, and today we’re going in another direction entirely. A direction where the streets are lined with thick chewy chocolate chips cookies and paved with chocolate glaze! And the houses are made of…vanilla cheesecake and coconut whipped cream?! Okay, I’ve gone too far, let’s talk delicious details before I lose you all.
To start off, I had a decision to make regarding the bottom cookie layer – to bake or not to bake?! If I went completely no-bake, what we’d really have here is is cookie dough cheesecake, which of course would be ridiculously good, but, it wasn’t quite my vision. I wanted sort of a cookie cake topped with all the other creamy layers and chocolate, so I decided to bake the bottom layer into a thick, chewy, vegan chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
- For the Cookie Layer:
- 2/3 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil melted and cooled*
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 Tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips dairy & soy free or chopped dark chocolate, divided
- For the Vanilla Cheesecake Layer:
- 2 cups cashews soaked for at least 4 hours (or overnight), rinsed well and gently dried with paper towel
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil soft but solid
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- For the Coconut Whipped Cream:
- 1 small can coconut cream chilled overnight (about 2/3-3/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or preferred sweetener
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- extra chocolate chips if desired
- For the Chocolate Glaze**
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, make the chocolate chip cookie layer:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8” springform pan with parchment just on the bottom, or line a regular 8 inch pan with parchment on the bottom and sides
- Whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla until very smooth. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the wet and stir until a dough forms. Chill the dough if very sticky for about 5 minutes, then stir in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips.
- Press into the bottom of the pan, then add the remaining chocolate chips on top and press in. bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes (place the pan on a baking sheet in case of leaking if you’re using a springform pan) or until center is just barely set. To keep the crust chewy it's essential not to over-bake (under-baking just a bit is okay, since the cake will be stored chilled)
- After removing from oven, cool on wire rack in the pan.
- To Make the Cheesecake:
- While the cookie layer cools, make the vanilla cheesecake layer. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and process/blend on high for several minutes, scraping the sides as needed, until a thick creamy mixture forms.
- Pour the cashew mixture over the cooled crust (or mostly cooled) and scrape the sides of the blender to use up all of it. Now it's time for the cake to set. If you are in a hurry, you can set the cake in the freezer by covering and freezing for about 2 hours. To serve, allow the cake to thaw in the fridge for a nice creamy consistency.
- You can also set the cake in the refrigerator overnight - simply cover and place in the back of your refrigerator and wake up to a perfectly creamy cheesecake!
- Now for the toppings:
- To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer to beat the cold coconut cream until smooth and creamy, then add the maple and vanilla and beat until well combined. Spread over the chilled cheesecake before serving, top with more chocolate chips if desired.
- To Make the Glaze:
- Melt coconut oil over very low heat, then immediately whisk in cacao and maple until a shiny glaze forms, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool to room temp before drizzling. Glaze will harden after being drizzled on the cold cheesecake.
***Storing Notes
Recipe Notes
*I used refined to avoid the coconut flavor that extra virgin has
**The glaze is entirely optional and makes it extra rich. In place of coconut oil, you can also use palm oil shortening
***Prior to topping, cheesecake can be stored in the freezer before being thawed in the refrigerator for several hours for a creamy texture. You can also store it covered in the refrigerator. After topping, it should be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator (preferably the back.)
Thanks done share recipes to : https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-vanilla-cheesecake-paleo-vegan/