Perfect for the holidays: Sweet citrus coupled with warm cinnamon in a luscious no-bake "cheesecake!" You won't believe it's gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free (Low-Carb/Keto, Paleo and Vegan)
Jump to Recipe Amazingly Healthy Desserts
That's what I'm after. And by golly, THIS IS IT. Your brain is not going to be able to FATHOM how these ingredients turn into this crazy good Orange Spice Cheesecake, without using ANY flour, cream cheese, eggs, or SUGAR of any kind.
This rich and creamy "cheesecake" is made with 100% plant-based cream and naturally sweetened with fruit. WITHOUT all the carbs/sugar/junk. Mind-blowing taste using wholesome ingredients!! UNBELIEVABLE.
FOREVER FAVORITE
CHEESECAKE, it's been MONTHS and months, and I have missed you so! I didn't even realize it until I TASTED this one. These raw cakes are MY FAVORITE DESSERT ever. So LUSCIOUS. So smooth and creamy.
TRIPLE THREAT
Usually, I use soaked cashews to make the "cream" but this time, I used a combo of soaked almonds + cashews (to reduce both the carbs AND the cost, since cashews can be pricey) And I also added in some coconut cream to make it super silky. And this triple cream combination did not disappoint!
How do you soak nuts? It's simple!
- Get a large glass bowl and put the nuts inside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Remove it from the heat and pour it over the nuts.
- Let them sit for a minimum of 2 hours to soften and absorb some of the water.
- Drain, rinse and shake them dry and they're ready to be blended into CREAM!
IS THIS REALLY SUGAR-FREE/Keto??
That's the golden question! I know you're thinking, "how can this even taste good without sugar?" And, "If it has ORANGE JUICE, isn't that a lot of CARBS? That's not KETO." Let's just clear up any confusion: it tastes AMAZING thanks to a magical fruit (no not that one). It's MONKFRUIT. Yes, it's a real fruit. And the magical people at Lakanto transformed it into a granulated sugar replacement and a maple syrup replacement. And they both taste like the REAL DEAL. No weird aftertaste, no "cooling" effect. Just pure sweetness.
Is Orange Juice, Keto?
And, YES, there is orange juice. ONE QUARTER of a cup, which only adds 6 carbs to the ENTIRE cake (less than 1 carb per serving). It's TOTALLY FINE. 🙂 The NET carbs for each slice is just 3.2! Woohoo!! That is another MIND-BLOWING characteristic of this recipe. Seriously. I'm shocked.
"But I'm not keto or low-carb"
No worries, just use coconut sugar and pure maple syrup (just not the high fructose corn syrup kind!) If you have a question about swapping out the sweetener, just leave a comment here on the blog, or message me on Facebook. I'm always happy to help!
HOW to Get a Super Smooth Texture
I sometimes get questions about the texture of cashew cheesecakes. Some people comment that theirs did not turn out silky smooth. Well here's my answer: you didn't blend it long enough. Plain and simple. If you've got a decent food processor and you properly soaked your nuts (YES it's an absolute REQUIREMENT. Don't let anyone tell you that you can skip it) then all you have to do is let the machine do its work.
Secrets to Impressive Cakes
Here's my #1 secret to making cakes pretty: smaller pans! To make your cheesecake nice and TALL, you need a small springform pan. (I use this 7" pan from Amazon.) Otherwise, you're going to have a FLAT/thin cheesecake (They're ok.. but more average or maybe even sad looking).
Cake Secret #2:
Don't forget to add a little garnish. Not only does it look appealing, but it enhances the flavors! More orange zest, which is So aromatic, and another dash of cinnamon for extra warmth. A dollop of cream for extra silky texture, a little wedge of orange for a pop of color! In my opinion, food tastes better when it's pretty 😉 And a tall, statuesque slice properly garnished is so much more enjoyable.
How to Store Raw Cheesecakes
Raw cakes like this can typically last in the refrigerator for at least 7 days, sometimes up to 10 or 14. Keep it sealed in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out at all. I recommend adding the garnishes such as whipped cream and fresh orange slices shortly before serving for best freshness.
This cake also freezes well. I like to cut individual slices and freeze them separately for easy thawing and serving whenever I need a slice 😉 It should last at least 1-2 months frozen and tightly wrapped. Freeze without any garnishes.
This delectable cheesecake has bright citrus flavor with hints of warm spices, making it the perfect dessert for a winter holiday celebration. Christmas party anyone?
Orange Spice Cheesecake (Dairy/Gluten/Sugar-Free)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup roasted almonds
- ½ cup roasted pepitas - or other nut/seed
- 2 Tbs coconut oil
- 1 Tbs monkfruit granules - or coconut sugar for non low-carb
- Pinch of pink salt
- 1-2 Tbs water
Cheesecake
- 1 cups blanched (skinless) almonds - soaked
- 1 cup raw cashews - soaked
- ½ cup Lakanto maple syrup - or pure maple syrup for non low-carb
- ½ cup coconut oil - melted
- Zest and juice of 1 large orange - ¼ cup juice & + 1 Tbs zest
- ¼ cup coconut cream
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon - to taste
- dash of nutmeg, ginger or cloves - optional
- Pinch of pink salt
Garnish
- Coconut whipped cream, orange slices, orange zest and cinnamon
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Pulse together almonds and pepitas a few times in a food processor to break down. Add in coconut oil, monkfruit and salt and blend again until a sticky dough forms, adding water at the end to help stick together.
- Press into a 7" springform pan lined with parchment. Freeze while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling:
- (Use nuts that have been soaked in hot water for 2 hours minimum) Drain, rinse and shake dry, then blend almonds and cashews in a food processor for at least 5 minutes, until completely broken down into a thick paste.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend smooth.
- Taste and adjust for flavor (more sweetener, zest, spice). Pour over crust.
- Wrap with foil and freeze about 2 hours or until firm. Remove from springform and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Garnish with whipped coconut cream (recipe in notes) an orange slice and a dusting of cinnamon. ENJOY 🙂
Jeannine R Davaz
Is there another nut I could instead of cashews. Filberts, macadamia, pecans, etc., I'm allergic to cashews and would love a nut that blends well for all the cashew recipes.
Emily
Macadamia I’ve heard works great! I haven’t tried it myself yet. Let me know if you try it
I also have some cashew free cheesecake recipes on my site— my almond Dreamcake and lemon cheesecake bars
Sanja
Can I use monkfruit drops for the crust and the filling instead of maple syrup and granulated monkfruit?
Emily
You can! Just use an equal amount of almond or cashew milk instead of syrup & sweeten to taste
Anna
Hi, what's zest juice? Juice squeezed out of orange zest? How exactly do you make that?
Emily
Zest and juice. The ampersand symbol got deleted when I updated my recipe card. I fixed it now.
Anna
Ahhh, thanks!