• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Unconventional Baker
  • Recipes
  • Book
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Book
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Book
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Fruit & Flower Cheesecake

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake

    Published: Jan 13, 2016 · Modified: May 14, 2019 by Audrey · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake (Free from: gluten & grains, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar)

    This raw cranberry rose cheesecake recipe is the very first raw cheesecake I've ever shared on this blog. Actually, I believe it may be one of the first few recipes on here period (Dec 2013 -- holy cow! Where has time gone?!). As you know, I've been recently reconstructing many of may oldies, but this cake honestly needs no changing. It's always been perfect as is. I went to try and improve it recently, and found no flaw to my taste. A classic remains a classic...

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake (Free from: gluten & grains, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar)

    Actually, I think if I did try and change anything about this cake my dessert-hating cranberry-loving husband would have been pretty unhappy. This is one of the few desserts he loves and gets excited for each time I make it. He's loyal to his faves, and so I've stayed loyal to the recipe over the years as well ;)

    So just updated the photos a little with new ones from my latest batch of this cake and called it a day. Plus since it's an oldie it tends to get buried away in the back of the recipe queue here, so I wanted to bring it to your attention again because this cake is so lovely I wouldn't want you to miss out on it by not even knowing it exists!

    Fresh cranberries and rose are such a wonderful pairing. The rose flavor here is quite subtle, but adds a lot of depth and a delicate fragrant taste. If you prefer, you can leave the rose water out, but if you can lay your hands on some -- highly recommended!

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake (Free from: gluten & grains, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar)

    Oh, the only thing I am changing from here on is... getting rid of this ridiculous mini-cheesecake pan! Sure the cakes look cute, but honestly, I haven't touched the pan in over a year. It's a pain not to lose any of the removable bottoms. AND who needs an extra useless cluttery pan around? Anyone? Didn't think so. I'm sorry I even ever recommended it when I originally shared the recipe. The moment I finished taking photos of this cake, it went straight into the donation bin. Unless you're really set on making tiny cheesecakes, save your money and your cabinet space and just use a regular 6" springform pan or some cupcake molds instead.

    I kept the cake as minis for the photos though because that's how the original appeared. And I'm feeling a little sentimental about it :) If I have to give up the pan, at least I'll have mini cakes in a photo...

    What about you, have you purged any useless items from your kitchen lately?

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake (Free from: gluten & grains, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar)

    Print

    Raw Cranberry Rose Cheesecake

    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Creamy vegan cheesecake with a mix of tangy cranberries and fragrant rose water. Raw and naturally gluten-free.

    • Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 12 mini cakes or a single 6" cake
    • Category: Cake
    • Method: Raw
    • Cuisine: Dessert

    Ingredients

    Base layer:

    • ¾ cup pecans, pre-soaked and strained
    • 6 medjool dates, pitted
    • ¼ cup fresh cranberries
    • ½ tsp raw ground vanilla beans (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)

    Cheesecake layer:

    • 1½ cups cashews, pre-soaked and strained
    • 5 tbsp lemon juice
    • 6 tbsp maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
    • 6 tbsp coconut oil, liquefied
    • ½ tbsp rose water (optional)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ½ cup fresh cranberries (room temp)

    Cranberry topping layer:

    • 1 cup fresh cranberries (room temp)
    • 3 tbsp maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
    • 3 tbsp coconut oil, liquefied
    • 3 tbsp lemon juice

    Topping:

    • 6 (or more) fresh cranberries (sliced in half)

    Instructions

    1. Process all base layer ingredients into a fine crumble in a food processor. Scoop the mixture into the cake pan (dividing evenly between the 12 cake molds, or simply empty into your springform pan). Press ingredients down until an even layer is formed. Place in freezer, while working on the next step.
    2. Blend all cheesecake layer ingredients in a power blender until smooth (you may need to pause and scrape down the sides a few times throughout blending if not using a power blender).
    3. Remove cake pan from freezer. Scoop out cheesecake layer ingredients into the cake pan on top of the base layer (divide into 12 equal parts if using the mini cheesecake pan). Tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place back in the freezer while making the topping.
    4. Blend all cranberry topping layer ingredients (except for the optional 6 cranberries) in a power blender (you don’t really need to clean out the blender from the previous step, so long as you scooped it well. Any leftovers will blend in nicely into the topping layer). Process until smooth.
    5. Remove cake pan from the freezer. Pour topping layer ingredients evenly on top of the cheesecake layer. Decorate with sliced cranberries if desired.
    6. Freeze for 5 hours or overnight. Remove from pan and enjoy! Keep leftovers frozen.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @unconventionalbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #unconventionalbaker

    Share on PinterestShare on FacebookShare on Twitter

    More Fruit & Flower Cheesecake

    • Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
    • Chocolate Persimmon Cheesecake
    • Tahini Persimmon Cheesecake
    • Raw Chocolate Lavender Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kacie says

      July 06, 2022 at 11:42 am

      I just picked about 6 cups of wine berries in my yard, and I am searching for healthy dessert recipes to use them up. They are sort of similar to raspberries, do you think it would be worth trying to sub them in for the cranberries here?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        July 06, 2022 at 8:17 pm

        Oh sweet! We had tons of them growing at our old house.

        Yes, I think they'll work well here. Here are a couple other suggestions where you can use them up in case you need more options :). Personally I always found them to work great in pies.

        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/red-currant-pie-vegan-gluten-free/

        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/raw-vegan-white-chocolate-and-raspberry-cheesecake-gluten-free-paleo/

        Reply
    2. Michelle says

      November 03, 2018 at 8:35 am

      Hi, excited to try this recipe, i love rose and it looks so pretty, but am not keen on coconut oil - mostly because of the taste and greasiness, but also worried by the negative press and it being a saturated fat ... is there anything i could use instead, or maybe reduce and use something alongside it ? Thanks Michelle x

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        November 04, 2018 at 12:13 am

        Hi Michelle, you can't really taste the coconut oil in this (and it definitely doesn't feel / taste greasy), but here are a few options:

        1. Use an unscented coconut oil -- the taste and aroma are extremely mild.
        2. Use cacao butter instead (it will give the cake a chocolatey taste) -- you'll need to use less, I'm guessing 4 tbsp should suffice.
        3. If trying to avoid oil, you can try using one of these recipes instead:
        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/pink-pitaya-and-rose-raw-cheesecake/
        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/oil-free-vegan-coconut-lime-cheesecake/
        They both use coconut milk in place of oil (as a wholefood source).
        4. If you'd rather not have any coconut altogether, here are a few alternative recipes you can try out:
        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/pistachio-orange-blossom-raw-avocado-cake/
        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/nut-free-sunflower-seed-butter-cheesecake/
        https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/vegan-no-bake-peanut-butter-cake-with-brownie-crust/
        (There are lots more you can find on the recipes page here -- select the tags that apply at the top, like "cake" + "oil-free" + "coconut-free", etc.).

        Reply
    3. Cheri says

      May 22, 2017 at 2:06 pm

      could I make these in silicone muffin trays, and just pop them out after chilled

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 25, 2017 at 8:24 am

        Hey Cheri, you can definitely use silicone muffin trays for this -- I do that all the time for mini cakes and it works great :)

        Reply
    4. Fatma says

      February 10, 2017 at 8:38 am

      Dear in your cranberries cheesecake I can't find in the ingredients any cheese ????

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        February 10, 2017 at 10:48 am

        Hi Fatma, it's a raw vegan cheesecake, which is a type of cake that mimics the texture and flavor of cheesecake but without the dairy :)

        Reply
    5. Cleo says

      August 08, 2016 at 6:44 am

      Hi there- just found this ( and you) on Pinterest. I actually have a little tear on my cheek- a tear of joy to find someone who really gets it, makes beautiful things and has an eye for beautiful photos too! Thankyou- a hundred times thankyou. For myself and my 11 year old daughter this is a game changer.

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        August 16, 2016 at 12:28 am

        Thank you so much, Cleo :) So happy to hear the recipes are making a difference. Enjoy them! <3

        Reply
    6. hanna says

      May 12, 2016 at 5:43 pm

      Hello Audrey

      This cake looks delicious
      I would try it but I've never seen fresh cranberries in France
      you think I can do it with dry cranberries
      thank you
      Hanna

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        May 14, 2016 at 1:17 pm

        Hi Hanna. You absolutely could. The only thing is you'll need to re-hydrate the cranberries -- so soak them in warm water until they plump up and soften (about 10-15 mins if you cover with boiled water or a few hours at room temp with warm water). Otherwise your blender will struggle.

        Reply
    7. Heather says

      February 19, 2016 at 2:47 am

      Hi can these be prepared in advance and frozen ? Party I need them for us in s month

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        February 19, 2016 at 2:49 am

        Hi Heather,

        Can definitely be prepared in advance. If they are properly sealed (so there's no frost bite), they can keep up to 3 months frozen no problem.

        Reply
        • Heather says

          February 19, 2016 at 12:20 pm

          Awesome thank you so much they are beautiful !

          Reply
    8. Debbie says

      January 25, 2016 at 1:22 pm

      will the cheesecake layer work with dried white mulberries instead of cashews?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 26, 2016 at 1:34 am

        Hi Debbie,

        No, I don't think it will -- the mulberries just don't blend down into a smooth consistency. You can try steamed or boiled cauliflower instead (like in this cake) or sunflower seeds or sun butter.

        Reply
    9. Lucie Javorska says

      January 15, 2016 at 11:00 am

      yay! I literally just bought my first bottle of rose water (because that pistachio cake in your new book is just begging to be made) and now I have another amazing treat to use it in :) plus I love cranberries so all the better <3

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 25, 2016 at 12:22 am

        That's awesome, Lucie! Rose water is one of my favorite flavors -- as I'm sure you've noticed from the book :) Have fun with it. Just be sure to use it in moderation -- too much and it can make things taste soapy... :S

        Reply
    10. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

      January 13, 2016 at 7:59 pm

      Okay so the pan might be a total pain in the butt with waaaaay too many parts, but these little cheesecakes are so CUTE!!! I love the berries in the crust too--pink all the way through :)

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 25, 2016 at 12:22 am

        Yes, that's true -- they are very tiny and cute. I was sad about that. But the pan was a pain. Hopefully someone else can find more joy in it...

        Reply
    11. The Vegan 8 says

      January 13, 2016 at 3:16 pm

      I love the pink Audrey, it's so pretty! I bet my daughter would love these too, she loves ALL things pink, haha!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 25, 2016 at 12:23 am

        Yes, it's quite a princess pink :)

        Reply
    12. Evi @ greenevi says

      January 13, 2016 at 1:29 pm

      Beautiful Baker, I agree!
      These cheesecakes look so fantastic and the absolutely stunning. And the pictures....oh so dreamy ♥︎

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 25, 2016 at 12:24 am

        Thanks so much, Evi :)

        Reply
    13. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      January 13, 2016 at 10:04 am

      Just rename yourself "The Beautiful Baker". These are stunning Audrey!!
      You know I had rose water the first time in 6th grade? One of my friends had it and made us try some! Haha!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        January 25, 2016 at 12:25 am

        6th grade?! No way! In what?

        Reply
    14. vegetarianmamma (Cindy) says

      February 16, 2015 at 4:38 am

      This looks super delicious!!! Thanks for linking up, I pinned this!

      -Cindy

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        February 16, 2015 at 11:26 am

        Thanks Cindy!

        Reply
    15. Veronica says

      July 03, 2014 at 11:05 pm

      I modified this recipe and made the cheesecake layer 3 times, once with strawberries, once with no fruit and once with blueberries and layered them over the crust for an awesome red white and blue cake. I hope you have a fantastic 4th! Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        July 03, 2014 at 11:34 pm

        That sounds Amazing, Veronica! What an awesome idea. Happy 4th of July to you as well :)

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Popular

    • Anti-Inflammatory Lemon Ginger Turmeric Iced Tea
    • Simple Gluten-Free Vegan Shortbread Cookies
    • Coconut Mango Tapioca Pudding
    • Raw Tiramisu

    I'm Audrey—a baker, blogger, and author who loves to create and explore simple, wholesome, and allergy-friendly recipes. I hope you enjoy the site and find something yummy to make!

    More about me →

    Citrus Season

    • Blood Orange Tart
    • Blood Orange Bundt Cake with Salted Chocolate Ganache
    • Coconut Lime Cream Chocolates
    • Ginger Turmeric Lemon Cream Bars

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Baking Resources

    Subscribe

    • Sign Up! for recipe updates

    Questions?

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Unconventional Baker