No-Bake Vegan Pear Cheesecake
This No-Bake Vegan Pear Cheesecake has a simple gluten-free almond flour crust, a luscious vanilla bean cheesecake, topped off with an easy-to-make caramelized pear topping! It's delicious, beautiful, and perfect for special occasions.
Servings 8 slices
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup (96g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons (42g) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (25g) coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cheesecake filling
- 2 cups (240g) raw cashews soaked in water for at least four hours or preferably overnight, drained, and rinsed before using
- ½ cup (120g) canned coconut milk shaked
- ¼ cup (50g) coconut oil melted and cooled
- ⅓ cup (111g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- Pinch of salt
For the pear topping
- 4 medium Anjou pears
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and/or ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil, or line an 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal, and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.
- Stir together the almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt and mix until smooth. Press the dough evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.1 cup (96g) almond flour, 2 tablespoons (42g) maple syrup, 2 tablespoons (25g) coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a food processor or high-powered blender (I use my Vitamix, but most powerful blenders should do the job), combine all of the filling ingredients and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut oil or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly if your blender isn’t super high-powered.2 cups (240g) raw cashews, ½ cup (120g) canned coconut milk, ¼ cup (50g) coconut oil, ⅓ cup (111g) pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels, if desired.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pan over the crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan hard against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer for at least three hours to set, or in the refrigerator for at least eight hours to set.
- To make the pear topping, heat the coconut oil or butter in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the pears, and then sprinkle with coconut sugar. Mix slightly and cook for five to ten minutes, or until the coconut sugar has dissolved into a caramel sauce and the pears have released some of their juices. They should be softened but not falling apart. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and salt. Let cool until lukewarm, and then spoon over the top of the set cheesecake if you're ready to serve. If not, store separately from the cheesecake until you are ready to serve.4 medium Anjou pears, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ¼ cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- If storing in the freezer, let the cheesecake thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving or let thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. I recommend running your knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting the cheesecake with the still-hot (dried) knife for the cleanest cuts.
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the freezer (3 months) or refrigerator (5 days).
