Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake Bites | Vegan

We all know chocolate and hazelnut is a winning combination! And this vegan cheesecake recipe delivers that addictive chocolate-hazelnut flavor in a bite-sized package. Try these no-bake cheesecake bites the next time a sweet treat is in order!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake with no Baking?

Cheesecake can be tricky – especially when you’re following a vegan recipe. Common cheesecake tips include: don’t over mix your batter! Also, don’t overcook it! But don’t undercook it! Indeed, if we claimed we’d never ruined a cheesecake recipe, we’d be fibbing!

Luckily, these chocolate hazelnut bites follow a no-bake cheesecake recipe! After you’ve mixed your ingredient together, it’s a simple case of set it (in the freezer) and forget it!

The Nutella Effect

When it comes to chocolate and hazelnut, Nutella is often the first thing that comes to mind. However, these flavors were mixed over 200 years ago! In fact, hazelnut chocolate started as a ‘hack’ invented by a Napolean-era chocolatier in Turin! Well, this is the legend, at least – and it makes a fun tale (even if it is a tall one).

Napoleon blocked trade between Britain and large parts of Europe during the early 1800s. This, as the story goes, cut off most of Turin’s chocolate supply. Therefore, the clever chocolatier improvised. He ground up hazelnuts and used them to cut the chocolate! In this way, he stretched the chocolate supply and invented a delicious new treat.

This confection is called ‘Gianduja’ – here’s an article where you can learn more (waaay more) about it!

Cashews & Cream

Cheesecakes are famous for being creamy, right? So, what’s the trick to building a vegan cheesecake recipe? In a word – cashews! In fact, the transformation from cashew to cream is really simple. You just soak the cashews in water to soften them. After that, you blend them with water to reach a creamy consistency.

You’ll need to allow some time for the soak. Three hours is really the minimum, but overnight will give you the creamiest result. In addition, a high-speed blender will make the smoothest cream. However, you can also use a regular blender or food processor. In this case, increase the soaking time for the cashews. Then after blending, push the cheesecake mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps and graininess.

Another quick tip – don’t blend the cashews in the soaking water. Instead, remove it, rinse the nuts, and add fresh water. This is because soaking cashews draws out something called ‘phytic acid’. There’s evidence that phytic acid reduces the absorption of important nutrients. So it makes sense to get rid of it.

Ready, SET, Go!

The rest of the cheesecake ingredients (including the hazelnut and chocolate) go in at the same time the cashews are blended. When the mixture is smooth, it’s time to get it into molds.

We like to spoon the mix into silicon mini-baking cups (for cupcakes). These separate really easily from your little cheesecakes. Then, we organize the cheesecakes in a mini-muffin pan. This way, they are much easier to manage in the freezer.

Finally, all you do to finish these no-bake cheesecake bites is put them in the freezer to set! Given them a few hours and get ready to enjoy your on-demand sweet treats! Just give them around 5 minutes to soften before you scarf them down.

Did you enjoy these chocolate hazelnut cheesecake bites? If you tried them, please let us know with a comment and a rating. Every bit of feedback helps make blog even better!

And if you’re still looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, we recommend our Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, Vegan Chocolate Cake, and fudgy Black Bean Brownies!

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