Maple Cheesecakes with Pecan Crust

Ok, I'm really into this pecan flavor lately. I've been loving that smoothie I posted so much that I made these mini cheesecakes to expand on the maple and pecan flavors. I used the pecans as the crust and then used a variation of a pretty common cashew cheesecake recipe with maple syrup as the sweetener. Maple syrup isn't raw, so this isn't a truly raw pie, but I wanted to pair maple with pecans because it's such a nostalgic taste. I don't normally like traditional pecan pie because it's too sweet even for me, but this gave me the flavors I wanted without being too, too sweet. I served these to a friend, and they were a big hit.

Maple Cheesecakes with Pecan Crust:

Pecan Crust:
2 c. pecans chopped into flour (don't over-process or you'll have pecan butter, which is delicious but not what you're going for)
3 T. maple syrup
1 T. vanilla
1/2 t. salt

Hand mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Press about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of crust into silicone mini cheesecake or cupcake molds. Put aside.

Maple Filling:
3 c. cashew flour (simply process cashews into flour by using your highest speed on your blender)
1 c. hemp milk
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. maple syrup
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 c. coconut oil in liquid form

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Add coconut oil last and blend until it is thoroughly incorporated into mixture. Pour filling into each mold.

Freeze for 2-3 hours before serving. Freezing the cheesecakes will give them more body so they pop out of the molds easily.  After the cheesecakes feel hard, carefully pop each one out of the silicone mold.  The cheesecakes can be refrigerated after they are out of the molds without losing their shape. Dust with cinnamon and cardamom. I chopped up cinnamon sticks to give more texture to the garnish. 

This  recipe made twelve mini cheesecakes.