Coconut-Raspberry “Cheesecake”

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Last week I posted this non-dairy “cheesecake” on my recipe blog, Little Fig. It happens to be autoimmune-protocol friendly (if you are eating sugar – this one is sweetened with honey!) and so I thought I would share it here as well. This is definitely not something I would include in my diet often –  it is perfect for a celebration like a birthday party or anniversary. My family really enjoyed it over the holidays, so much so that I was scrambling to make another for our second gathering. The coconut-raspberry filling is nice and thick and it stays solid at room temperature once it has set. The only part of the cake that is baked is the crust, and it comes out tasting kind of like a cookie. If you have any leftovers, you can slice them up super thin and freeze for a little treat later. I still have a couple in my freezer for when I am no longer avoiding sugar, and I am greatly looking forward to them!

raspberrycheesecake
4.9 from 13 reviews
Coconut-Raspberry "Cheesecake"
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
The cake must be allowed to set in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Originally posted on Little Fig
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Place the jars of coconut oil, coconut concentrate and raw honey in a pan with very hot water in order to let them soften.
  2. To prepare the crust, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Strain the dates and place in a food processor or high-powered blender with the melted coconut oil. Blend for 30 seconds or so until a chunky paste forms. Be warned you may have to stop and scrape the sides if you are using a blender, and the oil will not completely mix with the dates, but the crust will still turn out fine. Combine the coconut flour, shredded coconut and salt in a bowl. Add the date paste and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture into the bottom of an 8″ spring-form pan, pressing the mixture down evenly. Use a small spatula to clean up the top edge around the sides of the pan, where the filling will meet the crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust browns and hardens a little bit. The texture will still be soft until it finishes cooling. Set aside while you make the filling.
  3. To make the filling, combine the raw honey, coconut concentrate, coconut oil, and frozen raspberries in a saucepan on low heat. Stir until the raspberries are no longer frozen and the mixture is warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add the tapioca starch, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend on high for about a minute, until completely mixed. Pour carefully into the spring-form pan on top of the crust.
  4. Set in the refrigerator undisturbed for at least 12 hours to allow the cake to cool and completely harden. When it is solid, carefully remove the spring-form pan. Decorate the top of the cake with thick flake coconut chips and fresh raspberries.

About Mickey Trescott

Mickey Trescott is a co-founder here at Autoimmune Wellness and a co-teacher of AIP Certified Coach. After recovering from her own struggle with both Celiac and Hashimoto’s disease, adrenal fatigue, and multiple vitamin deficiencies, Mickey started to write about her experience to share with others and help them realize they are not alone in their struggles. She has a Master's degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Nutrition, and is the author of three best-selling books--The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook, and The Nutrient-Dense Kitchen. You can watch her AIP cooking demos by following her on Instagram.

110 comments

  • Katy says

    Wow, this looks amazing! I would really like to try it, but I’m wondering if you can think of a substitute for tapioca starch? I combine Paleo with SCD/GAPS because of my digestive issues and tapioca starch is an “illegal” item. Thanks for any suggestions!

  • Hey Katy,
    You should be able to make it without the tapioca starch, it won’t have the thick texture but I think it will still work. I would substitute 3 extra tablespoons of coconut butter instead to make sure it doesn’t come out too soft. Please come back and let me know if that works, I’d love to add a note to the recipe if people would like to make it without the starch.

    • Kat Lilore says

      Would arrowroot work instead – is it ‘illegal’? =)

      • autoimmunepaleo says

        Arrowroot is fine for the autoimmune protocol! It sounds like a good substitution, let me know how it works out!

        • Sarah says

          This works really well with arrowroot instead of tapioca – I’ve made it a couple of times, and the frozen leftovers last me for months. Usually just knowing I could have something so decadent is enough so that I don’t actually need to eat it often 🙂

          • Xanthe says

            Please can you let me know how much arrow root you used? Does it come in a powder form like tapioca starch? Thank you! Xanthe

    • Lisa Shink says

      Maybe a silly question but would fresh raspberries work well? I’m making this, this weekend 🙂

    • Breanna H says

      I made this using the 3 Tablespoons of coconut butter and it worked perfectly!! I also reduced the honey to 1 cup of the raw honey, and it held up beautifully!! Huge hit even with my non-paleo family and friends! Wonderful recipe! Thanks, Mickey!

      • Breanna H says

        *3 Tablespoons of coconut butter instead of the tapioca starch

      • Mickey Trescott says

        Breanna,
        So happy you enjoyed it! Take care.

  • […]                                                    Coconut Raspberry “Cheesecake” […]

  • Autum says

    Some people do a little better with arrowroot instead of tapioca. I plan to try it that way. Sounds lovely!

  • Rhonda says

    What could I use instead of coconut butter?

    • autoimmunepaleo says

      That is a hard one, I am not sure the recipe would work without it!

    • Izzy says

      Tigernut butter will work.

      • Mickey Trescott says

        Izzy, have you tried the recipe with this modification? I’d love to update the recipe with that info if it works.

  • […] Coconut Raspberry “Cheesecake” from Autoimmune Paleo […]

  • patti says

    This is soo yummy!! I substituted Just Like Sugar instead of honey. We have a some leftovers, can this be frozen?

  • Danica says

    Have you tried this with any other fruits other than raspberries? Just curious what I could sub raspberries with.

    • Mickey says

      I have tried it with blueberries, and I suspect it would work with any type of berry – blackberry, marionberry, etc. Let me know if you come up with anything good!

  • Jess says

    Hi Mickey,

    On your reintroductions page you mention tapioca as an item to try reintroducing, but you’ve listed it as an ingredient in this AIP friendly recipe. Is tapioca something I should avoid during my initial elimination? Thank so much!

    • Mickey says

      Hi Jess, it is a gluten cross-reactor and something that is optional to avoid. If you have celiac or severe gluten intolerance it is a good idea. You can try replacing it with arrowroot, if you like!

      Mickey

  • Linnea says

    This is absolutely amazing!! I need to put some in the freezer because I can’t stop eating eat. Thank you sooo much for the recipe.

  • colleen says

    What is oconut butter? Has it something to do with the seperated canned coconut milk?

    • Mickey says

      Coconut butter is not the stuff at the top of coconut milk – it is pureed dried coconut flakes. It is hard at room temperature. Also known as coconut cream or coconut manna. Make sure you get the right thing, or the cake won’t turn out!

      • Glad to see this clarification. I was going bonkers. The electronic cook book version called it coconut cream in the ingredients list and coconut butter in the prep. The web version of the same recipe called it coconut concentrate in the ingredients and recipe. Three names for the same things and me a newbie. 🙂 Thank you for clarifying.

        Since the book is electronic you might consider editing the published version.

        You recipes have been a blessing to us as we start this trip.

        • Mickey says

          Todd,
          Sorry for the confusion. I am planning an update, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

          Happy you found the recipe helpful!

          Mickey

          • Debra burgess says

            Ok, I was wondering why I ended up with tasty red goo… I thought coconut concentrate was the hard part of the coconut cream. It is a pricey mistake. It probably cost me $30 for the ingredients here on Canada. It did hold up the candles as a birthday cake, we left it in the springform pan and spooned it put.

          • Mickey says

            Hi Debra,
            Oh no! This is why I link to ingredients in my recipe above. I hope it still tasted good!

            Mickey

      • Louise says

        I thought the stuff at the top of the coconut milk was coconut crea,. When I buy coconut cream in a can there is usually just a little bit of coconut milk in it. I was wondering if the coconut butter was the stuff they sell in regular grocery stores next to the spreadable butter. I thought that stuff was just coconut oil when I tried it once. Hard to tell. It was different than my coconut cream.
        Love the Q&A. I was going to ask if other fruit (seedless fruit) would work.

        • Mickey Trescott says

          Hi Louise,
          You are right the hard stuff is coconut cream, butter, or manna, not the top of a can of coconut milk. If you don’t use the right ingredient, this cake won’t turn out properly. I haven’t made this with other fruits, but I bet other berries would work!

  • […] many recipes here on my blog is how many people are sensitive to coconut! Last year, I posted my Coconut-Raspberry “Cheesecake” – and although it was a big hit in the blogosphere, I got a ton of emails from people requesting […]

  • Amazing. I am sharing this on FB with my fans right now. Can’t wait to make this!!!

  • Ariel says

    Hi, Mickey.
    Quick question. I am looking at a recipe that has fruit pectin in it – is fruit pectin allowed on the AIP paleo diet?
    Thanks!
    – Ariel

    • Mickey says

      Ariel, since pectin is a natural component of fruit, I think it should be OK, but as always be suspicious of anything in the beginning and watch for a reaction. It is also something I wouldn’t make a staple or eat a lot of, since it is a processed substance.

  • […] to put together a key lime pie using the filling from the Tasty Alternative and the crust from Autoimmune Paleo. The filling uses coconut milk in place of condensed milk and gelatin in place of the egg […]

  • […] Coconut Raspberry “Cheesecake” – by  Autoimmune Paleo […]

  • rachel says

    hi mickey

    i’m finally planning to try making this gorgeous recipe. i malabsorb fructose, so don’t eat honey. have you made it with maple? i’m thinking of upping the tapioca a little to balance the lower viscosity.

    love your cookbook, too.

    cheers
    r

    • Mickey says

      Rachel,
      I have never made it with maple syrup. I would actually suggest adding a little gelatin to the mix, maybe a tablespoon to get it to firm up more. You could also try adding more tapioca, but I am not sure it would make it completely harden. You might want to quarter the recipe and do a little experiment before making a whole one in case it doesn’t work out. Let me know if your trial works and I’ll update the recipe with modifications!

      Good luck!

      Mickey

  • Andrea says

    I’m going to attempt to make something like this, but using the pumpkin spice cake technique. I can’t do coconut but I want a berry tart-like thingy. So, berries (and maybe banana for creaminess), lard (I can also do ghee) and gelatin to set it. Total experiment, but any insides that might help me? Do you think 2 to 3 tbsp of gelatin is enough to set it?

  • Becky says

    Hi Mickey! I am enjoying your beautiful new hardcover cookbook with all the gorgeous pictures and excellent AIP recipes! Yea!!!

    I am making the Raspberry-Coconut Cheesecake for my DIL birthday tomorrow. In looking over the recipe I notice that the on line version calls for raw honey and the new cookbook calls for whipped honey! i imagine using the raw honey would be fine, but was curious why the cookbook calls for whipped honey. ( I don’t have any whipped honey).

    thanks for your thought,
    Becky

    • Mickey says

      Becky,
      The whipped honey is much more firm in consistency. I had a reader have the cake not turn out, and it turns out they used a very fluid honey. I tested it with whipped and the consistency was firmer, and less margin of error. It should still work fine with regular honey, that is how I wrote the original recipe. 🙂

      Mickey

  • Mary K says

    I made this for Easter dinner…looked beautiful, but is too soft. When I tried cutting it, it SQUISHES (like pudding)!! I used the online recipe. Is it the raw honey instead of the whipped honey?? How do you whip honey (or do you buy it?). Or can I just add a bit of gelatin to the filling next time?? How much would you recommend?? In the meantime, I’ll serve it partially frozen tonight!! Heheehehe!

    • Mickey says

      Mary, Too bad! It is because of the honey. I buy whipped honey at Trader Joes, which is solid at room temperature. It is necessary for the cake to have the proper texture. You can experiment with adding gelatin – maybe a tablespoon to start? Serving it cold is a good idea! I bet it still tastes good! 🙂

      Mickey

  • Tatiana says

    I made this a couple of days ago and everyone who had it loved it, however It was a bit too sweet for me. I’ve been off of refined sugars for a while so all that honey combined with all the dates was a bit too much for me. The crust definitely comes out very similar to a cookie crust and the consistency was nice and thick and cheesecake-esque if you use the creamed honey. Is the blueberry alternative version you suggest in your cookbook less sweet? I’d like to make this again but am looking for suggestions on how to make it less sweet without sacrificing the texture of it too much.

    • Mickey says

      Tatiana,
      Yes, it is certainly sweet! You can add less honey and the consistency should be similar, maybe a little firmer. I am always worried about it not setting, so I think you could just use 1/2 or 3/4 of the honey and it would be fine!

      Mickey

  • jennifer says

    I don’t have a spring form pan. Do you think it would work to cut recipe in half and make in a pie pan? Or even little muffin tins for a small treat? Thanks.

    • Mickey says

      Jennifer, yes! I have made them in a cupcake tray before for my book release party. Worked wonderfully!

      • Jennifer says

        Yay thank you. I hope my order from tropical traditions comes by Friday so I can try it for my birthday. I’m tired of making cakes and watching everyone else eat them. By the way I also ordered your book it is suppose to be here Friday. Super excited !! 🙂

  • Andrea says

    Just want to say this dessert is Ah-mazing. My awesome mom made this for me on Mother’s Day. We only got through a 1/3 of it after dinner so I cut it up into little bite size squares, froze them, and am still enjoying one a day weeks later. It makes me feel so much less deprived and I only need a little piece to feel I am getting a really special treat!

  • Jesse says

    Hi, thanks for the recipe. We made this for my Birthday the other day, it was really yummy! We used arrowroot instead of tapioca, and it worked just fine, and we used a mix of blueberries and raspberries. Just a couple of adjustments we will make next time . . .perhaps half ingredients for the base, it was a bit thick and sweet for me and my guests, also we’ll use half the amount of honey, it’s just a bit too sweet. The consistency of the cake was fab, just like a cheese cake! Well done and thanks! 🙂

  • Kaya says

    Thank you so much for the great recipe!
    i made a few adjustments, and replaced half of the dates with dried persimmons and apricots. it came our really good!
    i have a question about the tapioca, i found much confusing information online concerning if it is poisonous when eaten raw? what is your opinion on that?
    all the best!
    kaya

    • Mickey says

      Kaya, your modifications sound lovely!

      I have never heard about raw tapioca being poisonous–I’ve eaten the prepared starch many times with no problem. I’m sure it is processed some way to make it less toxic before being sold, but I’ll have to look into it. Thanks for the heads up!

      Mickey

  • Melina says

    I wonder if you ever tried adding gelatin to this recipe. I live in hawaii and this will melt at room temperature. I havent worked much with gelatin. How much would you add?

    • Mickey says

      Melina,
      I haven’t made it with gelatin, but that would be a good addition if you are worried about it melting. Maybe halve the recipe first for a try so that if it doesn’t work, you aren’t out a lot of ingredients? I’d start with a couple tablespoons of gelatin for the whole recipe. Let me know how it goes!

      Mickey

  • Nicole S. says

    I’m not sure if this is the best place to put this, but here goes: I bought a Paleo bread ebook, and your raspberry cake recipe is in it, with the photo too. Horrible! It is by Patty Anderson, called Paleo Bread Recipes or something. So sorry about this.

    • Mickey says

      Nicole,
      This happens all the time with ebooks. Thanks for letting me know!

      Mickey

  • Eimear Rose says

    Hi, great recipe! I have been looking for a dairy free paleo cheesecake that isn’t loaded with nuts. Some cheesecakes called for 2+ cups of nuts! I don’t have autoimmune disease but nuts are bad for my digestion and skin, but my body loves all things coconut. Thanks!

  • Melissa says

    I LOVE this cake! I made it for my birthday while on the AIP elimination phase and it was so good, my non-Paleo DH requested it for his birthday too! I must say, the flavor of the raspberries will make or break the cake, though. The first time it was just heavenly (even with using only 1 cup of honey instead of 1.5). The second time it was still good, but not nearly as much flavor as the first, even though everything else was the same. The raspberries were just not as exciting. Regardless, it’s my go-to special occasion AIP recipe. I’m eager for an excuse to make it again and try it with some other fruits. Thanks Mickey!

    • Mickey says

      Melissa,
      I am so happy you guys liked it! I agree about the raspberries. I pick them fresh every year in Washington State, and they are so much better than anything you can buy in the store! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Mickey

  • Yvonne says

    Hi Mickey,

    The recipe sounds great! I’m not a big fan of dates and wonder if you know of anything I can substitute with.

    Thanks,

    Yvonne

    • Mickey says

      Yvonne,
      You could try dried apricots, or raisins. The flavor will be different and a tad less sweet, but I think it would still be good! Let me know how it goes!

      Mickey

  • […] Dessert: Coconut Raspberry “Cheesecake”  […]

  • […] Monday: Bacon Wrapped Fillets with Herbed Sweet Potato Stacks and Raspberry Cheesecake […]

  • […] once you’ve tried that you can reward yourself with Mickey’s Coconut-Raspberry Cheesecake. Yes, […]

  • Breanna H says

    I made this without the starch and subbed 3 Tbsp of the coconut cream concentrate and reduced the honey to 1 cup and it was a huge hit even with non-paleo family and friends! So delicious!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Breanna,
      Thanks for coming back to share your subs, I am so happy everyone loved it!

  • […] after I went AIP, I was so devastated at the thought of a dessert-free birthday, until I found Mickey’s raspberry “cheesecake” recipe. It was so delicious that my family gobbled it up and when I went back for seconds there was none […]

  • Bel says

    Sorry for a stupid question but would it work to sub strawberries for raspberries? I have a son who will soon turn 1 yo and I am looking for an AIP birthday cake recipe. He is crazy about strawberries and I think he would love this cheesecake if it tasted like strawberries. 😀

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Bel,
      You could try, but I can’t really say with certainty if it will work or not since I haven’t tried it myself. If you do give it a try, will you report back?

  • […] Foodie 2. Lemon Cheesecake from The Paleo Mom 3. Paleo Snickers Cheesecake from Paleolland 4. Coconut-Raspberry Cheesecake from Autoimmune-Paleo 5. Paleo Tiramisu Cheesecake from Paleo […]

  • […] Coconut raspberry cheesecake – Autoimmune Paleo […]

  • Karen says

    Mickey, This was incredible. I didn’t even make the crust. I was so nervous parting with a whole cup of coconut oil. But I am so glad I did! Next time I’ll make the crust too. I used less honey and used the organic frozen mixed berries from Costco and wow! If I could have licked the inside of my blender I would have. I feel like the weekly batch of bone broth and this cake will be a regular for me. Satisfies every craving while nourishing my body. Thank you so much. -Karen

  • Bek says

    I made this for a friend who can never eat anything we recieve at work from patients and it was amazing! Thankyou for sharing this recipe she was so thankful and amazed it tasted so good!

  • […] cake recipes available online today compared to 2 years ago.  I have made Mickey’s Coconut-Raspberry “Cheesecake” from The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, the cake base of Kate’s Raspberry Valentine Cake, and […]

  • AIP-friendly Cheesecakes & Sound Meditation in Oakland says

    […] was sold at the Oakland Sound Chamber this past Friday. I was inspired by a recipe I found from the Autoimmune Paleo blog. I tweaked mine quite a bit to make it my own ???? I also replaced the honey with coconut nectar, […]

  • Rachel says

    Hi,
    I’ve read through all the comments and am still confused about the “coconut concentrate” ingredient. I understand that coconut cream is the thick stuff at the top of the coconut milk can (or you can buy a whole can of it). Coconut manna it coconut butter are whole puréed coconut and they come in a jar. What does this recipe actually call for? Thanks in advance for the clarification. Definitely looking forward to making this!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Rachel! It is the pureed coconut, solid sold in a jar. Otherwise known as coconut concentrate, coconut manna, or coconut butter. Some even call it coconut cream, making everything more confusing. Hope it helps!

  • Michelle says

    This looks delicious. Are there any substitutes for tapioca flour? Unfortunately that is one of my ‘no’ foods.

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Michelle,
      You can sub arrowroot for this recipe!

  • […] My husband loves pie. Apple, cherry, lemon, blueberry… You name it and he will love it. So, instead of the traditional wedding cake, we decided to have a pie table. We chose about 5 different varieties of pie for the guests to choose from and display on our table. This made it easier to have an AIP pie that we could display and cut into during the reception. My sister, the best maid of honor ever, made the Raspberry “Cheesecake” from Autoimmune-Paleo. […]

  • Heather says

    I love the idea of mango coconut. You mentioned any berries should work well, but I also wonder if mangoes would work well too?

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hey Heather! I haven’t personally tried this with mango, so not sure if it will work, but I would maybe do a test with 1/4 of the recipe to see how it works before making the whole thing? I agree it sounds delicious!

  • Teresa says

    Hello again! I made this cake twice 🙂 First with mango and two tbsp of arrowroot flour instead of tapioca. It was great but first of all much too sweet (!!!) although I reduced the amount of honey. Secound was with berrys and instead of arrowroot I took two tblsp of coconut cream. I reducet honey even more than last time and reduced coconut oil for the crust. And it was brilliant! Perfect! So thanks a lot for this recipe! It saved my life – two birthday cakes 🙂 I recommend a lot!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Teresa,
      Happy you liked it, and thanks for sharing your modifications!

  • vique simba says

    i made this on sunday and the recipe worked perfectly! i used a mixed blend of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries from trader joes, and it was delicious. also… i halved all the ingredients so it wouldn’t be gigantic, and it still worked great and made a small cheesecake that is a better size for just two people. but it’s so good i wish i’d made a full one and now i know it freezes well, i’ll do that next time! : )

  • Bonnie says

    Wow!! I had my doubts, but only because the last recipe I tried for AIP dessert went so poorly. I had read how many people like this and I now understand why. I didn’t have raspberries, so I used a frozen berry medley and to make it more zingy I added zest from one lemon. I cut back the honey by 1/4 cup because I do that for all sweets for my taste. I didn’t have any coconut butter on hand, so I made some in my twister jar of my blendtec. I was worried it wasn’t smooth enough, but it was great and saved me $$ as I used up a big bag of coconut from Costco that was about to expire. I served it to friends and they LOVED it!! I will definitely be making this again!! I froze 5 pieces for later too, so I’ll be able to relive it.

  • Indie says

    Hi Mickey,

    I made this lovely recipe for the first time yesterday. It’s been in the fridge for 14 hrs and its still like jelly and not hard at all. Do you think it’s because I used Whole Foods 365 organic, mountain forest, grade A, amber honey? Can’t use raw honey as we had a pregnant guest dining tonight. Do you think I should stick it in the freezer to harden it?

    Many thanks!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Indie – oh no! It does seem like there is an ingredient error somewhere. It could be that the honey is too viscous, but I don’t know that that would do it. What did you use for the coconut cream? The coconut cream is not the top of a can of coconut milk, but solid at room temperature and sold in a jar. I do think the freezer is your best option at this point!

  • Faith says

    This cake NEVER disappoints!! It is incredibly easy to make and is loved by everyone! It’s pretty dense so a small portion is all that’s needed. Cut it with a warm wet knife. There’s a great deal of flavor and you don’t feel like you just overdosed on a ton of sugar and flour. This is our “go to“ recipe for us! Regardless of anyone’s diet or sensitivities, everyone enjoys this and it’s beautiful! Wish I could include a picture of my result. It looks like the picture here so that’s pretty cool! Enjoy!!

    • Mickey Trescott says

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it Faith!

  • Angie says

    Hello, thanks for this fabulous recipe! I actually offer dessert workshops and this cake is one of the recipes I teach – giving you full credit of course! I have a decent picture of a couple that I’ve made but really like your photo too and was wondering if I might use it in my class to show how you decorated it? And possibly in flyers advertising the class ?

    • Mickey Trescott says

      Hi Angie! I’m so happy you enjoy using this recipe in your classes! Unfortunately I don’t allow others to use my photography as it takes me a lot of time/expense to produce the photos. Thanks for asking, and I hope you are able to get a good shot of your own to use! -Mickey

  • MICKEY! The texture is incredible! You are such a gift to us! Thank you thank you!

  • Any G says

    I made this for easter and will be making it again this Sunday for my birthday. We are not fans of dates so we use a banana teacake recipe for the base instead. It came out so good, thank you for being so creative!!

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