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Dirty Chai Cheesecake

This new cheesecake has a cinnamon-spiced nut crust — topped with a no-bake, maple-sweetened cheesecake filling seasoned with warm chai spices and rich coffee — and then dressed with a crumbled espresso topping.
Course Dessert
Servings 8 squares or 6 bars (see notes for more options)

Ingredients

For the crust...

  • 1 cup dates
  • 3/4 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch sea salt

For the cheesecake...

  • 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or at least 4 hours (see notes for options to make more or less)
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (refrigerate a can of coonut milk overnight and the part which remains solid is the cream)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tsp ginger powder
  • 3/4 tsp cardomon
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 + 1/8 tsp allspice
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves (heaping)
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg (heaping)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee (I use Nescafé) or for less coffee flavor start with 1 Tbsp and add more to taste

For the topping...

  • 1/4 cup whole espresso beans
  • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil If you need to melt it first, make sure it's cooled to room temperature so you don't melt the cheesecake.
  • 1 Tbsp coconut sugar

Instructions

  • Line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper, making sure some of the paper hangs over both sides. The ends of the pan can go without paper so long as they are both oiled. 
  • Add all crust ingredients to a food processor and mix until fine and a dough can be formed when pressed between fingers. Transfer mixture to the loaf pan and press down making an even crust on the bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer.
  • Add all cheesecake ingredients to a blender (preferably high-speed) and mix on high until mixture is completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides if needed. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust. Place in the freezer overnight or until completely frozen.
  • When it's time, remove cheesecake from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour. After an hour you should be able to lift the cheesecake out of the loaf pan by grabbing onto the parchment paper and pulling it out. If it doesn's seem like it's ready, wait a little longer until it can be removed without too much force.
  • Cut the cheesecake into 8 equal squares or 6 equal bars (see notes for more options), it's important to cut it before it's defrosted completely. If the top of the cheesecake still seems completely frozen, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 or 15 minutes more before making the topping.
  • Add all topping ingredients to the food processor. Make sure the coconut oil is melted but NOT hot (in the winter this is harder, right now mine is melted in the jar, but in another month it'll be solid). Pulse ingredients until mixed and beans are no longer whole. You can decide how "chunky" or fine you'd like the topping. Distribute the topping to the top of the cheesecake (it doesn't have to be completely covered, just a little spread out). Place the cheesecake into the refrigerator. When the middle is defrosted, and the topping has set, it's ready to enjoy!

Notes

Rather than squares or bars, you can also cut diagonally, making eight triangular pieces like in my Coconut Lime No Bake Cheesecake. If you don't want to use a loaf pan, you also have a couple of other options.
You may use a cupcake pan. The full recipe will make 9 mini-cheesecakes, double it and get 18, or you can reduce the recipe by a third, using only one cup of cashews, and make 6 (ask in comments, and I will give you the proper measurement conversions). Use cupcake liners, which you can keep on, or remove when defrosted and then smooth the sides of each mini-cheesecake with a butter knife (which I have done in the picture above).
Lastly, you can make this in a 9" x 9" baking dish like my Mocha Cheesecake Squares by doubling the recipe. This can be cut into 9 large squares, or many smaller squares if desired.