Low-Carb Lemon Ginger ‘Cheesecake’ {Vegan, Paleo, Keto}
Bright, zingy and deliciously dairy-free! This Low-Carb Lemon Ginger ‘Cheesecake’ is free from gluten, sugar, and processed foods for a creamy-dreamy *healthy* indulgence.
Hello Sunshine!
It’s the dead of winter, so let’s inject some sunshine into your day with these miniature lemon ‘cheesecakes.’ The bright lemon-ginger ZING are the perfect antidote to the winter blues.
Truth be told, last winter I was battling the blues. Not just because it was winter, but because I was battling an illness. (My doctors think I may have an autoimmune illness, but there hasn’t been a clear diagnosis yet.) Sick of being sick. Passed from one doctor to the next, to a dozen different specialists. Sinking into a pit.
I went through 9 months of a very, very restricted diet. I looked like a skeleton. I had to give up foods I loved: popcorn like chips & queso, coffeeeee 🙁 And I had to give up making DESSERTS for a while. (You know that was hard for a dessert BLOGGER, lol.)
I haven’t really shared with many people about my health struggles, but I want to open up because I’m living proof that there is hope. You can make it through. There are better days ahead.
My blue days are mostly behind me now. I thank God for that. My health has been improving, slowly but surely. Even though I still miss chips & queso sometimes, I’ve found a new love for foods I never even would have tried before (hello roasted brussels sprouts!! haha, they’re my fav!)
So if you’re struggling right now because you’ve given up dairy, sugar, wheat, etc etc, or you’re battling an illness, I know it’s HARD. But you can make it!
And there’s this CRAZY good lemon ginger “cheesecake” that might just fit right into your new diet and bring some sweet sunshine into your life. YESSS 🙂
The Shocker
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t just made them myself… that these have NO sugar! Sometimes you can totally tell that something is sugar-free; it just doesn’t taste right…
But that’s NOT the case here! I used all natural 100% pure stevia powder to sweeten these mini cheesecakes. Nothing chemically altered or artificial. Just the powdered leaves of a stevia plant. And it happens to go SO well with the bright citrus and spicy ginger. Perfectly sweet with no strange aftertaste.
These little cheesecakes are amazingly similar to the “real” thing, but you won’t find any cream cheese, sugar, eggs, butter, flour, or food coloring in these pretty yellow portions. Nope. Just real, whole foods like lemons, cashew cream and a good dose of healthy fats from coconut oil. And they’re colored with food, too: turmeric! I dare you not to lick your food processor clean, haha! (guilty as charged)
You’ll love the no-bake ginger crumb crust!! It’s made in MINUTES in a food processor with almonds, pecans and ground ginger. Super easy and super delish!!
Make it Mini
Not only are these mini cheesecakes ADORABLE and fun, but they’re the perfect solution if you don’t have a small springform/cheesecake pan .
These individual servings are great for parties and potlucks, and double as the ideal portion control. Just the right size for one 🙂
I made these cute little cakes in silicone molds from Ikea, but any cupcake size silicone wrapper or pan will do. You can also use a muffin tin (but be sure to line it with parchment wrappers so you don’t have trouble getting them out!)
If you love mini cheesecakes, be sure to check out my Pumpkin Spice version. Or for more lemon desserts, definitely try this Lemon Delight Pie. To-DIE-for good!
Can you taste that creamy tart deliciousness? Do you feel the sunshine? Bask in the rays and soak up every scrumptious bite. 🙂
Click below to save this recipe on Pinterest:
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear with you think!! Comment or tag me on FB or Insta! #prettypies
Low-Carb Lemon Ginger 'Cheesecake' {Vegan, Paleo, Keto}
Ingredients
Ginger Crumb Crust
- 1 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 Tbs coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of pink salt
- Dash of pure stevia powder
- Splash of water
Lemon Ginger Cheesecake
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews - soaked
- 2 lemons - 1/3 cup juice + 2 Tbs zest
- 1/4 cup coconut oil - melted
- 1/16 tsp pure stevia powder - to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger - or 3/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 Tbs vanilla
- Pinch of pink salt
- Heaping 1/4 tsp turmeric powder - for color
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Pulse together all ingredients in a food processor until a loose ball starts to form. Add a splash of water to help it stick together.
- Press 1 1/2 Tbs of crust into 8 silicone molds (or a muffin tin lined with parchment wrappers.) Set aside while you prepare the filling.
To make the cheesecake:
- {Use cashews that have been soaked for 2 hours in hot water} Rinse and shake dry. Blend cashews in a food processor for about 2 minutes to break down.
- Scrape down the sides. Add remaining ingredients, streaming in the melted oil last.
- Taste and adjust for sweetness/ginger & lemon flavor.
- Top each crust with cheesecake and smooth with a spatula. Cover with foil and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Then refrigerate.
- Decorate with whipped coconut cream (see notes) and more lemon zest. Enjoy!
Notes
16 Comments
Ashley
I just made a raw vegan lemon cheesecake last week! I love the bright flavor of citrus to cheer me up in the winter. These are adorable and I love the addition of ginger and turmeric =)
Emily
Great minds, haha! It cheers me up, too! Like sunshine on a gray day Thank you, Ashley!
Tristan
Hi, wondering if I could sub stevia drops instead of powder for this recipe?
Emily
Absolutely! 🙂
Kathryn O'Callaghan
Hi!! I just made this recipe as a cake and took it to a dinner with friends, there are a couple of us that don’t eat dairy/ grains etc and everyone else just eats a standard diet, it was a massive hit with everyone including kids and partners! And it was quite easy to make, thank you very much for sharing, next I’ll be looking in to something chocolate!!
Emily
Yay!! That’s awesome! Thanks for taking the time to comment. So happy everyone enjoyed it — especially those who eat a standard diet.
Marta
Hi Emily, I’m definitely saving this recipe, sounds very yummy!
Thanks for sharing about your health struggle, I share a similar journey and absolutely love food, so I can relate
Always look out for your recipes on Insta, but even more the great photography/presentation/colours. Windows popping up on your webpages is so annoying when all I want to do is read your recipes .
Lots of good wishes for % health!
xx
Sherri-Ann
Your desserts look to die for. I was going to make the blueberry lime cheesecake for my daughter’s graduation party. However, the ingredients totaled over $50.00. Most of those ingredients would not be able to be used for additional recipes. While I love the idea behind what you are doing, how can anyone truly afford these desserts? The cashews alone are nearly $14.00 or more for each recipe. Is it possible to substitute Cashew Milk in these recipes? Thanks.
Emily
Do you shop on Amazon or Aldi or Trader Joe’s? You can find cashews and nuts much cheaper there. It’s definitely not $50 for one cake 🙂 Even Target has cashews for $7. Hopefully you can find them cheaper.
For the cashew milk, are you referring to replacing the coconut milk? If so, yes you can do that (it will just be slightly less creamy/rich)
Emily
Or a cheaper option is my Almond Dreamcake no cashews! It’s made with almonds, which used a $3 bag to make the filling.
https://prettypies.com/recipe/almond-dreamcake/
Breanna
Do you know the nutrition info, like carb count?
Emily
I don’t have it handy, but you can paste the URL for recipe here and get a quick calculation: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe_parser
Juliana
Do you have the nutrition info on these?? I made them yesterday and they are SO GOOOOD! Thank you for the recipe.
Emily
You are welcome! So glad you liked them!
I don’t have the macros for this one. I’m sorry! But you can paste the URL into MyFitnessPal.com and it will calculate it for you fairly quickly. Cronometer.com is another good one.
Sunil Dogra
This recipe is so versatile which makes it fun to recreate over and over again. Thanks for the recipe!
Emily
So happy to hear! You are welcome!