St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect excuse to make bright green treats, but you don’t need artificial food coloring to get the color. This recipe uses fresh spinach to tint the filling naturally—just a handful blended in gives a subtle green hue without any noticeable spinach flavor. It’s an easy way to sneak a vegetable into dessert, and kids won’t know the difference.
These mini cheesecakes combine a chocolatey crust, a creamy mint-cashew filling, and a glossy chocolate glaze. The crust is made from gluten-free oats, nuts, cocoa, coconut oil, and maple syrup. The filling relies on soaked cashews and coconut milk for a rich, dairy-free texture, flavored with pure peppermint and vanilla. The glaze is a simple mix of cocoa, maple syrup, and coconut oil. The result is a gluten-free, vegan treat with no refined sugar and plenty of chocolate-mint flavor.
gluten free vegan mint chocolate mini cheesecakes
chocolate crust
- 3/4 cup certified gluten free oats
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
mint cheesecake filling
- 1 3/4 cups raw cashews, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup baby spinach leaves, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
chocolate glaze
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). To make the crusts, pulse the oats and nuts in a food processor or high-powered blender until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup, and blend until the mixture holds together. Press the crust evenly into the wells of a greased mini-muffin pan or silicone mini-cheesecake mold. Bake for 8–10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely in the pan while you prepare the filling.
Soak the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. Add the cashews, coconut milk, and melted coconut oil to a food processor or high-powered blender and blend on high for 1–2 minutes until smooth. Add the maple syrup, packed spinach, and salt, and continue blending on high until the mixture is creamy and uniform in color. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts and pulse to combine. Spoon or pipe the mint filling over the cooled crusts, smoothing the tops. Cover and transfer the pan to the freezer for 1–2 hours, or until the cheesecakes are firm.
To make the chocolate glaze, whisk together the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil until smooth and glossy. If the glaze is too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons more maple syrup to reach the desired consistency. Remove the mini cheesecakes from the freezer and carefully pop them from the mold. Spread or drizzle the glaze over each cheesecake and return them to the fridge to set briefly, or serve immediately chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for longer storage.