Cranberry Pecan Cashew Cheesecake

Make this Cranberry Pecan Cashew Cheesecake to impress or to indulge a little. This really is a luscious combination for the holidays or anytime you have a special occasion. It may look harder than it is, it only takes a little time to put together and then at least four hours to chill.

This cheesecake is not a cloyingly sweet dessert, its main sweetness comes from dates and orange juice, so there’s no refined sugar and it won’t spike blood sugar because of the fiber and fat content, which slows sugar absorption. Enjoyed it with a sparkling holiday drink.

Cranberry Pecan Cashew Cheesecake

A festive and delicious combination that is sure to please! Creamy cashew cheesecake with bits of tangy cranberry and crunchy pecans.
Prep Time30 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cashew, cheesecake, cranberries, pecans
Servings: 12
Calories: 537kcal
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 cup pecans or almonds
  • ¼ cup cocoa / carob powder optional
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 cups cashews soaked 30
  • minutes
  • 3/4 cup dates soaked in
  • 1/2 pure water
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries chopped
  • 1 cup pecans chopped

Ganache

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • If desired, use the food processor to roughly chop the cranberries and pecans separately. Set aside.
  • For the crust: combine pecans and cacao in food processor and blend into a meal.
  • Add melted oil and pulse to combine. You may need 1 additional tablespoon of oil if using almonds. Press into a parchment lined 9in spring-form pan.
  • For the cheesecake: Add the dates and water to the blender and blend to create a paste. (If your dates are hard, you may need to soak your dates for ten minutes in warm water to soften.)
  • Add in the cashews, orange juice, vanilla and salt, blend until smooth.
  • Add in melted coconut oil and continue to blend until the oil is incorporated.
  • Pour into a bowl and stir in cranberries and pecans. Pour mixture into crust, smooth the top with a spatula and refrigerate for at least four hours to set. Or freeze.
  • Top with ganache, if desired. For ganache: melt oil using water bath or microwave, add the cacao and maple syrup, whisk to combine until shiny and smooth. Pour over cheesecake

Notes

The ganache can be used as a layer on top of the crust or swirled into the cheesecake filling.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 111g | Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 46.5g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 6g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg