Raise your hand if you like white chocolate macadamia nut cookies! (Ooh me, me, me!)
OK, all of you come with me. We’re makin’ (vegan, gluten-free, almost raw) cheesecake.
This cheesecake is inspired by my favorite cookie flavor, and one of my most loved cheesecake flavors.
White chocolate and macadamia nuts were seemingly meant for each other, and I did my best to capture their perfect flavor pairing in this 10-ingredient cheesecake.
The crust is a mixture of walnuts, macadamia nuts, dates, and sea salt. And the filling gets its creamy texture from soaked cashews, coconut milk, and olive oil. Plus, it’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and gets that rich white chocolate flavor from cocoa butter – hubba.
Throw a few macadamia nuts onto the bottom of the crust, pour in the filling, top with a few more nuts, and they’re ready for the freezer.
These set surprisingly fast, and, thanks to cocoa butter, they can set out at room temperature without “melting” for much longer than traditional raw cheesecakes.
At room temperature, these cheesecakes are an absolute dream – super creamy and rich with tons of white chocolate macadamia nut flavor.
If you so choose to accept the mission, upgrade them with the addition of coconut whipped cream, toasted coconut, fresh raspberries, and macadamia nuts. Then you’re looking at a little slice of dessert heaven.
I hope you all love these cheesecakes! They’re:
Rich
Creamy
Perfectly (naturally) sweet
White chocolate-infused
Studded with crunchy macadamia nuts
Simple
& Seriously satisfying
These would make the perfect cheesecakes to enjoy this spring and summer, especially for graduations, baby and bridal showers, and summer BBQs. Just keep them in the freezer to for maximum freshness, and let thaw before serving. Don’t forget the coconut whip!
If you try these cheesecakes, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (which really helps us out!), and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cheesecake
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup packed medjool dates (pitted before measuring // ~20 dates per 1 cup)
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
FILLING
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight in cool water, or in very hot water for 1 hour)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light or full-fat coconut milk (full fat for creamier texture)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (or sub melted coconut oil, though it will infuse coconut flavor)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup, agave, or honey if not vegan (use less for a more tart cheesecake)
- 1/3 cup cocoa butter (melted in the microwave or over a double boiler)
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice (for “cheesy” tang // or sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted macadamia nuts
FOR SERVING optional
- Roasted unsalted macadamia nuts (chopped)
- Coconut whipped cream
- Toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
- Soak cashews by adding to a small mixing bowl and covering with boiling hot water. Let sit uncovered for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, add dates to a blender and mix until small bits remain or it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside.
- Next, add walnuts, macadamia nuts, and salt (optional) and process into a meal. Then add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add more nuts.
- For serving dishes you have several options – muffin tins, ramekins (like these), or a springform pan of your choice. With whatever option you choose, be sure to line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- For the ramekins shown above, cut out parchment paper into circles the shape of your ramekins, as well as two thick strips of parchment paper per ramekin and lay them in an “X” shape at the base. Top with circle shape. This creates little tabs that make removing the cheesecakes easier to pop out once set.
- Divide crust among ramekins and carefully press with fingers to distribute. To pack it down, use a small glass lined with parchment paper (or the back of a spoon) to and really press it down, allowing some crust to come up the sides. Set in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up.
- Add soaked drained cashews, vanilla extract, coconut milk, olive oil, maple syrup, melted cocoa butter, lemon juice, and sea salt (optional) to the blender and mix until very smooth – up to 2-3 minutes – scraping down sides as needed. If it won’t come together, add a touch more lemon juice, maple syrup/agave or a splash more coconut milk as the liquid should help it blend better.
- Taste and adjust flavor/sweetness as needed, adding more melted cocoa butter for chocolate flavor, lemon juice for brightness, salt for flavor balance, or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Add a small handful of macadamia nuts to the crust ramekins (see photo), then divide filling evenly among the ramekins (or other serving dish). Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then top with a few more macadamia nuts and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
- Freeze until set – about 4-6 hours depending on size of dish. Once set, run a butter knife along the edge and gently remove by tugging on the tabs in an upward motion. They should pop right out. If they aren’t quite set, pop them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes and they should come out easily.
- To serve, slice and enjoy as is, or top with a touch of coconut whipped cream, toasted coconut, macadamia nuts, and fresh berries.
- Store leftovers in a well-covered dish in the refrigerator up to a few days or in the freezer up to 2-3 weeks.
Notes
*Adapted from my White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake.
ujwal meka says
Does this have a video? I like this combo a lot.
We don’t, sorry!
April says
Looks amazing! I’ve been loving all your raw cheesecake recipes. If I subbed coconut cream for the coconut milk in this one, do you think I should still add the oil?
Hi April, we’re so glad you’re enjoying our cheesecake recipes! You should be able to leave out the oil if swapping for coconut cream. Hope you love this one too!
Rochelle says
I can’t eat walnuts, or cashews; what other nuts can be substituted for the walnuts and the cashews?
Thank you
Hi Rochelle! For the crust we think almonds would work well, but for the filling we aren’t sure. It’s possible that raw macadamia nuts could work but we haven’t tried it. Hope this helps!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Daniela!
Alysia says
yummmmm. I made this in a muffin pan with large parchment paper muffin holders. it set so nicely. it’s probably my most successful attempt at a minimalist baker cheesecake recipe. turned out perfect!
Aw yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review, Alysia!
Jaimee Fogerty says
Am I missing something? I don’t see any white chocolate in the ingredients list? Thanks for your help!
Hi Jaimee, there isn’t white chocolate added, but the ingredients used (mainly cocoa butter and vanilla) give it a white chocolate taste. Hope that helps!
Laura says
Hi!
I love all of your recipes, and can’t wait to try this one….but when I use my blender with the cashews (I have a ninja), it is never completely smooth. I don’t have the budget for a new blender right now, so I’m wondering if a food processor would work better for the consistency? Also, what kind of blender do you suggest for when I do buy a new one?
Thanks! You’re one of the best recipe creators out there – I tell everyone about you!
Aww, thanks so much for your kind words, Laura! We find that a food processor doesn’t make it as creamy as a high-speed blender. For those on a budget, this blender will get the job done and is great for making sauce and dressings as well.
Little Bean says
Hi what can I use in this recipe as a replacement for cacao butter? Ty
Cacao butter is pretty essential in this recipe for providing the white chocolate taste. We have recipes for chocolate and plain cheesecake that don’t have cacao butter. Hope that helps!
Siobhan says
How do you make it smoother ? I soaked nuts over night as I usually do. So they were well soaked but it seems gritty
Also can taste the olive oil ? feeling like its ruined it how can I fix that taste ? Cashews are expensive
Hmm, sounds like it’s something with your blender. If it’s a Ninja, that may be the problem. I recommend Vitamix or Blentec for best results. And are you sure your olive oil is fresh?
Marie-Eve says
That’s amazing!!! the taste, the texture… all is perfect. My son (4 years old) ate this cake last Summer and each time I ask him what to do for desert… he tell me to do it :) so we will eat that nut cheesecake for Christmas. Thank you for this recipe.
Whoop! Glad to hear that, Marie-Eve!
Michiko says
Hi may I know how long can this sit stable at room temperature? If it isn’t sit longer, can I use agar powder to make it longer stable?
They can sit out for a couple hours at most! They can set out at room temperature without “melting” for much longer than traditional raw cheesecakes thanks to cocoa butter.
Michiko says
Is there a substitute for cocoa butter? Because cocoan butter is really expensive in my country
CHELSEA M MESSER says
Just made this last night. I doubled the recipe and used a springform pan. It came out beautifully!! I was surprised at how soft it was to cut right out of the freezer! The flavor is so amazing! I absolutely loved it! I have one of your cookbooks and have made quite a few of your recipes. They are so delicious and hope one day you can open a chain of restaurants. Great work Dana!
Sarah says
Hello! This looks lovely, what size springform would you recommend to make this recipe into one cake instead of individual serving sizes?
Suzanne M says
I just made this recipe and it’s sitting in the freezer and I am SOOOOO excited to try it! The batter tasted soooooo good.
My question:
I am not serving it until tomorrow evening. After it sits in the freezer for 4-6hrs, do I pop out the individual cakes out of the muffin tin and put in the fridge until tomorrow? Or should I leave in the muffin tin and keep in the fridge until ready to pop out and serve? Orrrr do I leave in the muffin tin and keep in the freezer until ready to pop out and serve?
Please help! I don’t want to ruin them…
Hi Suzanne! Either option will work really, but its up to you!
Georgia says
Thank you so much for this recipe, I’ve made it lots of times and everyone who has tried it loved it as well. It’s soooo delicious! I also combined it with various fruit and it was amazing. I’m a big fan of yours by the way.! Keep posting ! Love from Switzerland
Mackenzie says
My mom is allergic to walnuts is there another nuts I can use as an alternative?
Hi! You could try pecans, almonds or hazelnuts!
T says
These were amazing! I get a bit nervous about making things like this with so many dates and nuts (can end up quite expensive!) but we had it for dessert across 4 days so not so bad once you break it down like that! My boyfriend reckons they are the best cakes he’s ever eaten :)
Tina says
I was wondering if the filling can be made into an ice cream?
Hi! I am not sure that would work, but have a look here for other ice cream ideas :D
Virginia says
I love this one, made it many times in the summer, it is really a bomb of flavours!
Renea says
I know you would have to double the recipe but has anyone tried to make this as 1 large cheescake rather than the little single serving sizes. Would it hold up to being cut into slices or would it just fall apart?
That should work!
Renea says
Update: I doubled the recipe and used a store bought gluten free pie crust. I did add extra lemon juice to give it more of that “tanginess” of a cheesecake. However, doubling the recipe was too much for the pie shell I had.
I eat the extra filling that did not fit into the pie crust. It is as close as I can get to eatting a real cheesecake, I can not eat dairy. I was happily surprised at how good it was. My husband liked it too. I have not cut into the pie yet so I can not comment as to how well it will hold up once you start cutting.
Sophie says
Heya! Do you think it would work as one big one? I’ve been vegan for 2 years now and haven’t had any cheesecake, so so excited to make this baby! xx
We haven’t tried this Sophie, but I think it could work! Please let us know if you give it a go!
Renea says
Did it work as 1 big cheesecake for you?
Sophie says
Heya! It sure did, was fairly thin but so rich – worked out perfectly x
Renea Peitz says
Thank you!! I’ll double the recipe. Thanks for letting me know it worked!!
Cris says
Cheesecake = a cake with CHEESE
This is NOT a cheesecake
George says
Chris, Serious; get a life. If you are unable to execute the recipe and it really matters that to pick apart the name or have issues with BTW an amazing “cake”, like most civil people, you could offer a new name.
Millan says
OMG macademia nut! Can I change with another nut such as cashew?
Sherin says
Lovely update.: never done at my home before.. sounds like a heaven treat..
Courtney says
Dana! I am trying to make this for a BBQ tomorrow and already bought all of the other ingredients, but can’t find cacao butter anywhere :( are there any substitutions? I found some cacao paste..would that work?
Hmm, perhaps! But cocoa butter is best. I always find mine online!
Jackie says
Does it matter which I use, cocoa butter or cacao butter?
Cocoa butter!
Sorry, it’s cocoa butter! Not cacao butter. will amend!
katherine says
we followed recipe but our cheesecake came out really dry and didn’t really have much taste :(
VirginiaCasadio says
This is my favourite recipe so far! I just loved it, I can’t believe vegan cheesecake can be so tasty, blew my mind, I’ll be making this again very soon!
Sam says
I’d love to try this recipe but my partner is very allergic to cashews! Other nut-types are fine, but because the cashews are a main ingredient in the filling I’m worried subbing it out for almonds or another type may ruin it ? Any suggestions/advice?
Kathrin says
Curious – does it absolutely have to set in the freezer or would letting it sit overnight in the fridge do?
In my experience (which might be because of the products or tools I use, no idea), setting cashew-based cheesecakes in the freezer makes them grainy when thawed.
I haven’t had any grainy experience freezing them, but this would one should set in the fridge. Just be sure to leave it overnight. The only concern there is that it will be much more difficult to remove from the ramekins if that’s what you’re using. So I would recommend a springform pan instead. Good luck!
Kathrin says
I was too impatient and already made them, haha. I popped one in the freezer for testing and pulled it out after a little under two hours – perfect! I’ll leave the rest in the fridge overnight to see how they’ll come out of the ramekin.
Thanks!
Sherly says
Awesome recipe. Looks delicious?
Ayesha says
This recipe rocks! I used wax paper in muffin tins, frozen for 4 hours, came out stellar. Thank you!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Paola says
Hi Dana!
I made it Saturday afternoon and it was very good :-) Even if I prefer the other version with 7 ingredients and without cocoa butter :-) Thank you :-)
Deborah says
Hi Dana
II made this today. I had my dad for Pentecost lunch and we had a chili first, and then a cup of tea and one of these after. My dad loved them and so did I. If anything wrong with them, it would be, that they’re SO filling. Almost a meal on their own. I might try and make them smaller than the ramekins next time. I scaled down the portion for just two persons (ramekins) and that worked just fine.
I was wondering if it would be possible translating it to Danish and posting it with link back to you? Anyway I love your recipes and the site which will be an inspiration for my own foodblog which is in the making. Have a nice weekend.
Nat says
Ok.
By this stage I am all yours now.
I didn’t really like raw cakes before, they all seemed to be just so boring, and I’ve never had any idea on how to make one myself.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
I bet I will get fat now. Very soon. :P
Have a nice day!
Angel Kicevski says
Wow, i will make this to my wife toda totally as soon as i get back from work…
Sneha says
Aha. This sounds awesome . Yummy recipe . Will get my kids review by today itself. ???
Jill says
Sorry for my mis type. Coco butter is what I meant instead of coconut butter. Anyhow after reading some of the comments, looks like I would have to use the Coco butter to get the white chocolate flavor.
Jill says
Hi, I’m not vegan but I definitely want to make this ASAP! Looks wonderful! Do you if it would be ok to use butter? I have all the rest of the ingredients but no coconut butter…
Thanks, Jill
Rachel says
I am also curious if there’s a substitute for cocoa butter? When I clicked on that amazon link it just seems really, really expensive. What else could have that level of substance? Could I use coconut butter?
Ayesha says
I bought cocoa butter intended for skincare, but it said 100% cocoa butter, so I used it. It was only 7:50 for a small jar and it turned out very well.
Kim Lund says
I am not vegan either and often base a recipe off of a vegan one,
I made a very close version based on this recipe
I may use butter somewhere else, grass fed cultured that I make,
Coconut butter is something that I didn’t know I couldn’t live without,
I often add raw cream, or will soak cashews, dehydrate them, and stick in the freezer, I soak in raw cream to use in recipies, dates also,
Vegan desserts are amazing but since I have availability to raw milk I try to make as nutrient dense as possible,
As long as only certain grains, no refined sugar, limited other sweeteners, lots of good fat, works for me
I hope that helps, it’s worth having coconut butter in the house just bc so amazing,
Enjoy, I think looks amazing but everyone has different dietary restrictions and access so instead of waiting weeks for anything non essential, I find a way to make work,
I will be eating a version of this on my birthday next week.
Maya violet says
Any cashew substitute suggestions? As someone who’s low fodmap, I’m trying my best to avoid these.. Can I use soaked macadamia instead?
Thanks!
Brooke says
Made these last night and had them this morning. Super delicious and creamy, but lacks the “cheesy” taste of real cheese cake using 2 tsp lemon juice and a bit less maple syrup than it calls for. The flavor of the cocoa butter comes through with a punch– it’s pretty much all I can taste. Might do them again with more lemon juice and a bit less cocoa butter. All in all, another win for Dana. Thanks :)
Yvonne says
Anything with white chocolate, you got me.
Lucy says
You know I’ve never even made cheesecake, let alone a Vegan, healthier version! Do you reckon this could be my first?! It looks and sounds so delicious and actually, pretty damn easy. Now I need to create an occasion for 7 other people to join me as we gorge on this, or is it acceptable to just eat several in one sitting…. Probably best not do that!
Aleksandra says
Time for the next cheesecake type! I thought I’d never have cheesecake again and now I already made two of yours… It’s a real cheesecake extravaganza!
Margarita says
This look amazing! I cannot wait to try it soon!
Cassie Tran says
These look SO rich and decadent. I hate white chocolate, but I did try the Lenny and Larry’s white chocolate macadamia cookie and it was actually quite delicious!
Jade says
You are a freakin’ genius…
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
That texture looks incredible! I always huge to be a sucker for the huge macadamia nut cookies at Subway… I obviously no longer go for that anymore! Why would I even need to with delicious vegan desserts like THIS?!
Patti says
I had been searching searching for a gluten and dairy free recipe to make for a friend’s birthday. This was perfect. We opted for coconut oil and a sprinkling of toasted coconut on top. If I hadn’t made it myself, I wouldn’t have believed that it was dairy free. It was perfect!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Patti!
Roxana says
I love white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, but never thought of a cheesecake! Going to have to try this!
Dianne says
I am always confused when a recipe has coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut butter. Would you mind explaining each if possible a picture of each. Thank you.
Cocoa butter is for chocolate flavor and helps with “setting” and creaminess. Coconut milk helps thicken and blend the cashews.
Dianne says
But what are they? I understand what they are for but when I think Coconut milk is that from a can, a bottle, is it shelf stable or refrigerated, etc. Is Cocoa butter found in the refrigerated section, shelf stable? etc. I don’t even know what to look for these things and coconut cream where does one find that and what to look for…my plight is not how to use them, I get that but how to find them, where to look. Thank you.
M_v223 says
I’m not sure off the top of my head where you find cocoa butter. Coconut milk can come in many forms in the store, shelf stable in a bottle(lower fat, think almond milk), canned (lite and full fat) usually in the ethnic section, coconut cream is canned in the store as well usually located by the canned coconut milk. It is the solidified fat from coconut milk. There are some resources online as well to show you how to get coconut cream from a can of coconut milk. Hope that helps!
Eriyah says
The food grade cocoa butter I was able to locate (after combing the city) was found in a health food store called HSU in Columbus, Ohio- not sure where you live or what you have access to, however it can also be purchased online. The brand I was able to locate was called NOW Solutions, it came in a white, plastic screw top container and it was being stored on a self with other skin care items, not in a can or refrigerated. It is shelf stable. It was $9 for a 7 0z container. Pricy stuff. Don’t wait until the day of the event to attain the ingredients OR to even begin to make this cake. In spite of the minimal ingredients, this is a complicated preparation.
If you have to order the components online, your planning needs to include that reality. Just preparing and shaping the crust into the 4 individual pie tin/molds I had planned to use, took me an hour. In addition, the crusts at the thickness I used, were not strong enough once they came out of the freezer to hold the filling with toppings standing alone once room temperature was attained, so I would plan to just serve them in ramekins. I would also choose to use less of the cocoa butter as it has a bit of a wax flavor to them I felt was too much.
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
White chocolate anything I adore! Cocoa butter is one of the dreamiest ingredients, these look like dessert heaven for sure <3
Pradeep Kundan says
I would like to add green tea as it’s an antioxidant and want to cook for those experiencing chemo .. My humble attempt to share luxury of the palate. Any suggestions
Sean Lumly says
Goodness, this looks delightful — I am definitely going to surprise my partner with this!
So many recipes call for Coconut Cream/Butter/Milk/etc, but I have been staying away from canned foods due to the presence of BPA and buying the stuff in glass jars can be prohibitively expensive. Thankfully it seems easy to DIY with a blender and a bit of patience, though I have yet to try. But once I get it down (and source some local coconuts), I will certainly make this recipe along with many others (eg. Vegan Ice cream — Yum)!
Katrina says
Ok, YES! When I think of cheesecake, I never ever even consider a vegan version. This recipe is top notch!!