These dreamy and mousse-like no-bake Lime Cheesecake Cups are the ultimate indulgence! These gems are 100% plant-based, and with just a few grams of carbs, they are perfect for the keto-vegan lifestyle. Who would have believed you can indulge yourself and nurture your well-being at the same time!
About the recipe
I came up with this dessert when I was craving for a really delicious keto-vegan alternative for a lime cheesecake. Actually, I didn’t want to make a whole cheesecake but just something that serves two. And I wasn’t fancying anything baked; I was after a raw treat.
My idea was to make two small cheesecakes in tumblers. As a crust, I wanted to use crushed nuts that I would bind together with extra virgin coconut oil. Pecan nuts are naturally sweet and they would make a tasty and crunchy crust. Maybe I could use some sweetener as well to give more flavor? Vanilla stevia sounded like a great option.
I needed to do a couple of trials to get first of all the perfect amount of crust to each cheesecake cup, but also the right consistency. I used too much coconut oil in the first trial so the crust was too greasy.
For the filling, I made a few experiments. The first one was a pure catastrophe! I used coconut oil, which solidified into tiny lumps in the fridge. I have to say it’s not a pleasure to eat cheesecake with tiny lumps, actually, it’s pretty inedible because the mouthfeel is beyond disgusting.
When I replaced the coconut oil with coconut manna (i.e. coconut butter), the result was just perfect. Smooth, velvety, not too stiff, but spoonable and it tasted wonderful. Coconut manna is naturally a little sweet and it has a smooth and creamy texture.
Some conventional low-carb no-bake cheesecake recipes use gelatin to thicken and create a sturdy consistency. Gelatin doesn’t belong to the keto-vegan diet, so there has to be a plant-based option. There, coconut manna is the ultimate “thickener”.
So, these cheesecake cups is a must-try, I bet you won’t be disappointed! And this dessert is a great example how the keto-vegan lifestyle means no deprivation.
Some tips to prepare these Lime Cheesecake Cups:
If you follow a raw vegan lifestyle this dessert is also perfect for you. Just warm the coconut oil for the crust and the filling ingredients very gently so that they just melt but don’t really get hot. You can do this in a water bath so that you can better control the temperature.
Personally, I prefer the combo of lime and coconut, but you can also replace the lime peel and juice with lemon peel and juice.
A word about the texture: the finer you grate the lime peel, the smoother the texture of the cheesecake. However, if you prefer the texture extremely smooth and silky, replace the grated lime peel with 1 drop (yes, only 1 drop! Well, maximum 2 but absolutely not more) of 100% lime essential oil.
For the coconut cream, try to find a brand that is a bit thicker than coconut milk. All-natural and organic coconut cream without food additives is the best option.
So there were the tips. Now, let’s take a look how to prepare these keto-vegan no-bake lime cheesecake cups:
First, prepare the crust. Take a small bowl and add the crushed pecans…
…melted coconut oil…
…and the vanilla stevia.
Mix well…
…until properly combined.
Take two flat-bottomed glasses (like tumblers) or serving bowls.
Divide the crust mixture into the glasses.
Press tightly to the bottom of the glasses.
Place into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
For the filling, add all ingredients to a small saucepan. The order doesn’t matter. So here goes the coconut cream…
…coconut manna…
…lime juice…
…lime peel…
…vanilla powder…
…and the powdered erythritol.
Heat on a very low heat…
…constantly mixing…
…until the mixture is smooth. Let cool to room temperature. This ensures that the crust won’t melt and mix into the filling when you pour the filling over the crust (I learned it in the hard way!)
Take the glasses with the crust from the fridge. Carefully divide the filling into the glasses…
…like this.
Let set in the fridge overnight. Decorate with pecans and freshly grated lime peel and serve.
So good!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup = 80 ml crushed pecan nuts
- 1 1/2 tablespoons melted extra virgin coconut oil
- 5 drops vanilla stevia
- 1/2 cup = 120 ml coconut cream
- 1/4 cup = 60 ml powdered erythritol
- 3 tablespoons coconut manna
- 1 tablespoon freshly sqeezed lime juice from organic lime
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime peel (only the green part)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Place the crust ingredients into a small bowl. Mix well, until properly combined.
- Take two small flat-bottomed serving bowls or glasses (like tumblers). Press the crust mixture tightly in the bottom of the glasses. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the filling: Place all the filling ingredients into a small saucepan. Heat gently and all the time mixing until the coconut manna is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Don't let boil!
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Take the glasses with the crust from the fridge. Carefully pour the filling into the glasses.
- Let set in the fridge overnight.
- Decorate with pecans and freshly grated lime peel and serve
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