Vegan Chai Spice Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust

Vegan + Dairy Free + Soy Free

There is nothing I love more than chai spice during the fall and winter seasons. It is SO warming. This cheesecake has two special surprises: candied ginger AND a pretzel crust for a little bit of saltiness.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 3 cups Pretzels + more for topping (you can use GF if you'd like!)

• 1/3 cup Coconut Sugar (or any other vegan sugar)

• 1/2 cup Non-Dairy Butter or coconut oil (melted)

Filling:

• 1 ¾ cups raw cashews

• 2/3 cup boiling hot water

• 4-5 chai tea bags

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk

• 5 Tbsp maple syrup or agave

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Chai Spice Mix: 1 tsp ground cinnamon (cassia is best), 1 tsp ground ginger, heaping 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper , 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 pinch ground clove

• 2 Tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil

• 2 Tbsp candied ginger, chopped

Directions:

For Crust:

1. Add all crust ingredients to a food processor, and blend until smooth, leaving some pieces of pretzel.

2. Push evenly into a pie pan and freeze until the filling is finished.

For filling:

• Soak cashews overnight, or in really hot water for 30 minutes.

• Steap 4-5 chai tea bags in the 2/3 cup boiling water for 30 minutes (until very dark).

• Add tea, soaked cashews, and all remaining filling ingredients except chopped candied ginger into high speed blender until creamy and smooth.

• Pour filling into frozen pretzel crust.

• Random sprinkle pieces of chopped candied ginger into filling.

• Transfer to freezer and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

• Set in refrigerator day of serving, or leave out at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Can be frozen for up to 1 month!

Happy eating! :)

Let me know how it turns out! Post comments and pictures below! SHOW ME YOUR SKILLS!