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This carrot halwa cheesecake is grain-free and doesn’t need to be baked at all! You make the carrot halwa crust with cardamom spiced shredded carrots on the stove and the cheesecake mixture in your blender. Then chill this cake to set it up, then slice and serve. Nut-free option
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The crust for this cake is based on gajar halwa( carrot halwa). This is made with shredded carrots that are cooked down and caramelized on the stovetop with toasted nuts and cardamom to boost the flavor. Then it is topped with a creamy cheesecake layer. Think cardamom scented flourless carrot cake cheesecake!
Carrot halwa is absolutely delicious and makes an amazing, grain-free base for this vegan carrot cake cheesecake topped with a simple, blender cheesecake mixture. Caramelized carrots topped with creamy vegan cheesecake cream and topped with pistachios, is decadent and festive!
Indian festive season is in full swing with navratri right now and Diwali coming up. This fusion dessert is a crowd pleaser for an Indian dinner party or a holiday party! Change up the spices and flavor to compliment your menu. Omit cardamom and add more vanilla for a Carrot cake cheesecake!!
Why You’ll Love Carrot Halwa Cheesecake
- no-bake dessert
- melt-in-your-mouth grain free carrot cake crust
- easy, creamy blender cheesecake
- naturally grain-free and soy-free
- nut-free option
More Vegan Carrot Cake Recipes
I’m slightly obsessed with carrot cake flavors! Try my other carrot cake-inspired recipes:
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Carrot Cake Bars
- Carrot Halwa Cake
- Carrot Cake Bites
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
No-Bake Carrot Halwa Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8- or 9-inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the carrot halwa layer:
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, or use oil
- 4 cups grated carrots
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon flax meal
- 2 tablespoons raisins, , soaked in warm water for at least 10 minutes and then drained
For the cheesecake layer:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 15 minutes
- 15- ounce can of full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 drops of almond extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil, optional
For topping:
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped very finely
- 1 tablespoon pecans, chopped very finely
Instructions
Make the carrot halwa:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter, then add the grated carrots and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes, until the carrots start o change color. Then mix in the maple syrup, sugar, and cardamom. Continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add in the almond flour and mix in. If the carrots are drying out too much, cover the with the lid for a minute at a time, then open the lid, mix, and continue to cook uncovered. Continue to cook for another 7 to 8 minutes. The time depends on the carrots, your skillet, and your stove. Taste and see if the carrots are cooked and starting to get browned and caramelized on some edges.
- Mix in the drained raisins, and switch off the heat, then mix in the flax meal. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to cool.
- Line and 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment so that you can easily lift the whole cheesecake out, or use a springform pan. Then, add the carrot mixture to the lined pan and spread it out with a spatula. Set this aside.
Make the cheesecake layer:
- Add the drained cashews and all of the other cheesecake ingredients to a blender and blend for a minute. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and blend again for a minute. Repeat until the mixture is very smooth. Taste adjust sweetness(sugar) and flavor. Add in a little bit more tang(lemon juice), if you want.
Assemble the carrot cake cheesecake:
- Drop that smooth, creamy cheesecake mixture over the carrot mixture and spread it with a spatula. Then top it with some chopped pistachios and pecans. Dress as you like.
- Chill in the freezer for about an hour, so that the cheesecake layer sets. Depending on your freezer, you might need to keep it in for another hour or so to get it to set and produce nice, smooth slices.
- Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, slice with a sharp warm knife and serve or store.
- Storage: You can keep the sliced cake in the freezer for up to 2 months. To serve, take your slice out of the freezer, then let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, so the cheesecake becomes soft and creamy before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- vegan butter or oil – To caramelize the carrots.
- grated carrots – This is the base for the carrot halwa crust.
- maple syrup and sugar – To sweeten and help the carrots caramelize.
- cardamom – The iconic spice used in carrot halwa.
- almond flour – Adds texture and a nutty flavor. Omit for nut-free.
- flax meal – Helps hold the crust layer together.
- raisins – Soaked raisins add sweetness.
- cashews and coconut milk – This is the base for the cheesecake layer. You can use add coconut cream or a mix of coconut cream and non-dairy yogurt instead of cashews for the nut-free option.
- vanilla and almond extracts – To boost the flavor of the cheesecake layer.
- lemon juice – Gives the cheesecake layer that signature zing.
- sugar – For sweetness.
- salt – Brings out the cheesecake-y flavor and balances the sweet
- coconut oil – Adds richness, but you can omit it.
- pistachios and pecans – For topping. Omit for nut-free.
Tips
- You want to really caramelize those carrots well! That will give you the best flavor and the most cohesive crust.
- To reduce total prep time, start the cashews soaking before you make the carrot halwa layer.
- Make it into Carrot cake cheesecake: Use 1 teaspoon vanilla instead of cardamom.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cheesecake – Step pictures
First, make the carrot halwa.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter, then add the grated carrots and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the carrots are starting to change color.
Mix in the maple syrup, sugar, and cardamom. Continue to cook for another four to five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Then add in the almond flour and mix in. If the carrots are drying out too much, cover the with the lid for a minute at a time, then open the lid, mix, and continue to cook with the lid off again.
Continue to cook for another seven to eight minutes. The time depends on the carrots, your skillet, and your stove. Taste and see if the carrots are cooked down and starting to get browned and caramelized on some edges.
Mix in the drained raisins, and switch off the heat, then mix in the flax meal. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to cool.
Line and 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment so that you can easily lift the whole cheesecake out, or use a springform pan. Then, add the carrot mixture to the lined pan and spread it out with a spatula. Set this aside.
Then, make the cheesecake layer.
Add the drained cashews and all of the other cheesecake ingredients to a blender and blend for a minute. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and blend again for a minute. Repeat until the mixture is very smooth.
Taste adjust sweetness(sugar) and flavor. Add in a little bit more tang(lemon) , if you want, or a pinch of salt.
Now, assemble the carrot cake cheesecake.
Drop that smooth, creamy cheesecake mixture over the carrot mixture and spread it with a spatula. Then top it with chopped pistachios and pecans.
Chill in the freezer for about an hour, so that the cheesecake layer sets. Depending on your freezer, you might need to keep it in for another hour or so to get it to set and produce nice, smooth slices.
Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, slice and serve or store in the fridge or freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Carrot halwa – also called gajar halwa or gajar ka halwa – is an Indian dessert that has a fudgy carrot cake-like flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s amazing on its own or as the grain-free base for this carrot cake cheesecake!
This carrot cake cheesecake is naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and soy-free.
To make this without nuts, omit the almond flour from the carrots. use 1 cup of coconut cream instead of cashews in the cheesecake layer. You can also use a mix of 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup nondairy yogurt. Omit the nuts in the topping.
You can keep the sliced cake in the freezer for up to 2 months or fridge for upto 4 days.
To serve, take your slice out of the freezer, then let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, so the cheesecake becomes soft and creamy before serving.
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OMG Richa! This was fantastic! I made it for a recent dinner and everyone loved it! I made into a brownie pan so I could make smaller square pieces. Drizzled it with a few drops of rose syrup , yumm!
Yay