I’ve had this idea for a long time – to make a Christmassy version of my favorite cheesecake and turn it into cute Christmas tree cheesecake pops. My cheesecake recipe is already a classic at the Berry house and it’s because the cake is easy to make (ready in 30 min), kid-approved and delicious. It’s also vegan & gluten-free.
To read this post in Finnish click here.
This cake is not super sweet, but it is super creamy (I’ve said this many times – I love cashews!). We usually top the cake with berries as the flavors go so well together. This time it was pretty clear to me which berries to use: these cute and shiny lingonberries are like ornaments and they keep their shape well when taken from the freezer. I love the tart & sour flavor, but my kids always want sweeter berries like raspberries, which is the case also with this delicious Christmas cake.
This recipe is not just for Christmas although the spices I use are Christmassy. I can see myself eating this also in January and February with a cup of hot cocoa when it’s freezing and snowy outside. In March and April I start longing for sunnier sweets, so I’m baking my brightly colored spring version of this cheesecake.
But for now I’m enjoying all the gingerbread spiced cozy vibes . Who else loves this festive season?
Lots of love from the forest!
Tiina
Christmas Tree Cheesecake Pops
Ingredients
Crust
- 0,6 cups gluten-free oat flour (75 g / ~1,5 dl)
- 0,4 cups almond flour (~40 g / ~1 dl)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp gingerbread spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp (or more if needed) coconut oil (30 g)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (30 g)
Filling
- 1,2 cups cashews (150 g)
- 1,2 cups unsweetened soy yogurt
- 4 tbsp maple syrup (60 g)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp gingerbread spice
- pinch of salt
Frosting
- ~1 cup plant-based cream (coconut, oat, soy whip)
- pinch of spirulina (for color). You can also use matcha or green coloring (be careful when adding spirulina, the flavor isn’t so delicious with the cake but you can easily cover the flavor with spices / sweetener / lemon juice)
- berries for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390 F / 200 C.
- For softening cashews: let them soak in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
- Put a parchment paper on the bottom of a small (about a 7 inch / 18 cm) springform pan.
- Crust: mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add maple syrup and coconut oil and keep on mixing in a bowl until you get a thick batter. If you find the batter too dry, add a bit of coconut oil until the batter is firm and easy to press into the bottom of the pan.
- Blend all filling ingredients in a high-speed blender or powerful food processor until silky smooth. The filling should be liquid enough to pour on top of the crust.
- Pour the filling on the crust and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes or until the cake feels firm. Let cake chill properly before decorating.
- Whip frosting and leave a few tbsp white and mix green coloring to the rest of the frosting.
- Decorate the cake with a layer of green frosting, white frosting to the edges and berries.
- Cut into popsicle shapes and put an ice cream stick in the middle of the piece.
- If you don’t eat the cake right away, store it well covered in the fridge and take out about 30 min before serving.
- Enjoy this festive and fun treat!
Looks so delicious and perfect for Christmas! So creative and pretty!
Thank you so much Natalie! This surely was a Christmas dessert hit at our house 🙂 Hope you’ve had wonderful holidays!