Grain-Free | Dairy-Free Paleo Cookie Butter Cheesecake Bites

When I was a little girl, my Granny Elsa always had a dish of cashews by her favorite wing back chair, and to this day that’s a special memory of my visits to her downtown duplex. Maybe that’s part of why they’re still my favorite nut, even for snacking. But in nut butter and desserts, they give a deceptively creamy texture. I especially love them in these paleo cookie butter cheesecake bites.

When I decided to create a Paleo cookie butter cheesecake recipe for Allrecipes, I knew I wanted it to be grain-free, dairy-free, and of course, delicious. I didn’t know if it had been done, but when I found this recipe for easy vegan cheesecake from Minimalist Baker (I adore those guys!), I was pretty sure I could create what I envisioned. My filling recipe is completely inspired by theirs – and I LOVE their crust and topping ideas! Using cashews as replacement for dairy product has become a favorite technique (I think I first fell in love with cashews in baking with The Urban Poser’s grain-free sourdough bread!)

These treats are perfect for sharing with friends – they are made in the freezer so you don’t have to heat your oven, and even though there are several steps, they are really very simple to put together. You’ll also have a good bit of gluten-free cookie butter left over and it’s delicious stirred into hot cereal or used as a dip for fresh fruit. (You can also skip the crust and stir the filling/cookie butter together for a decadent creamy treat!) Plus, they’re made with nourishing ingredients to this splurge is a healthy one.

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Paleo Cookie Butter Cheesecake Bites

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

These non-dairy, grain-free and naturally sweetened treats have the creaminess and tart flavor of a cheesecake, matched by the spicy-sweetness of a speculoos cookie or “cookie butter.”

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cookie butter dessert, dairy-free dessert, gluten-free dessert, Paleo dessert

Servings: 6

Author: Angela Sackett | Everyday Welcome

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon coconut flour
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons salted grass fed butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Paleo Cookie Butter Topping:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup salted butter cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 3 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch black pepper

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ⅔ cup cream from the top of full-fat canned coconut milk
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder*
• Pinch of sea salt
• *Or substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

For crust:

1. Lightly toast almond flour and coconut flour in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, just until it begins to smell toasty (be careful; it burns quickly).
2. Combine flours with remaining crust ingredients in a food processor or blender and using fingers, press about 1 heaping teaspoon evenly into the bottom of 8 silicone muffin molds (see notes).
3. Freeze for 10 minutes, while preparing filling.

Meanwhile, prepare topping and set aside:

1. Combine all cookie butter ingredients in food processor and process until fully blended.
2. Remaining “cookie butter” can be stored, sealed, in refrigerator for up to 1 week; it tastes delicious with fresh fruit or in a smoothie!

Prepare filling:

1. Drain cashews and add with remaining ingredients to high speed blender.
2. Process until creamy and fully combined.
3. Pour filling into cups on top of chilled crust and freeze for ten minutes.
4. Pour a dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of filling into each cup and swirl using the tip of a butter knife.
5. Return to freezer for 30 minutes to overnight before serving.

Recipe Notes

Coconut oil can be used to replace butter if desired. Vanilla extract can be used to replace vanilla bean powder. All components can be made in either a food processor or high speed blender. The blender is a bit more difficult to clean between each component, but it results in a much creamier “cheesecake” like texture for the filling.

Some favorite supplies for making paleo cookie butter cheesecake bites:

Looking for some of these resources? Here are a few of my favorite Amazon picks for:

• Silicone baking cups
• These are adorable too!
• My favorite coconut sugar (great deal and large quantity)
• My favorite almond flour
• Anthony’s coconut flour

Want more ideas for using cashews in dairy-free desserts? Try them in this blueberry cardamom “cheesecake” ice cream for another creamy treat! I also really like these Paleo buckeyes made with cashew butter instead of the traditional peanut butter. A little sweet, a little salty, a little creamy and a little crunchy. Now I want to go make a batch… best when we’re headed to game night with friends because these are dangerous to have around. 😉

I really like cashews in easy breakfast bowls, as well. What are your favorite dairy free replacements? What are your favorite nuts for baking and snacking?

Inspiring (cool, creamy, tart and spicy) welcome,

Angela