Today is April Fool's Day. Maybe I'm being dramatic but why does this day have to exist??? I don't know about you but I don't enjoy feeling like a fool nor do I get enjoyment of making others feel like fools. Ok, so maybe I do a little but only if they're a good sport about it! The worst April Fool's Day joke I've ever been on the receiving end of was in college. I woke up to a voicemail at 3 a.m. on the morning of April 2nd. (Not fair!) It was my friend from out-of-state and she was panicking and crying saying her and her husband just got in a bad car accident. She was calling me from the hospital because her husband was in a coma and wouldn't wake up. I felt sick to my stomach after hearing all that and called her immediately. She picked up the phone and was silent for a long time before she started laughing uncontrollably. Not. Funny. At. All. I should have expected something like that from her though. We were always very close but didn't really bother being all that polite with each other. Just extremely straightforward and to-the-point. I remember when we were probably about 10 or 11, I was talking to one of her friends in her front yard when she randomly runs up to me and kicks me between the legs as hard as she could. Before I could ask what was happening and/or throw up, she yells "I want to learn how to fight!!!" Well, if I ever had any inclination to fight, it had just been kicked out of me. I guess our relationship was always a little strange.
Ok, I like to consider myself a decent writer but I have no idea how to transition from all that to talking about cheesecake dip. I'll give it my best shot:
Fortunately, if you've been fooled into believing your friend almost died or have been kicked in the crotch this April Fool's Day, this cheesecake dip is sure to cheer you up! (How'd I do?) Not long ago, I made a chocolate chip cheesecake dip recipe and would love to continue making more flavors. This version is more of a "deconstructed cheesecake" style. The "filling" isn't strawberry flavored but tastes like plain cheesecake. I saved the strawberries to be used for dipping. The topping is a pecan/coconut sugar/cinnamon crumble that mimics a graham cracker crust.
I used a small dip bowl in the photo because I thought it looked cute but the best way to serve this is in a wide, shallow dish. That way there is topping in every bite. You know what else might be good? Hollowing out the strawberries and stuffing the dip inside them. I haven't tried that yet but it'd probably be a good way to stop people from double-dipping if you serve this at a party. Dang double-dippers. Depending on the size of the crowd you're feeding, you may want to increase the recipe. The recipe below is a good size to share with the family for dessert.
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Prep Time:
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PinIngredients
- 1 C cashews, soaked 4 hours or overnight
- 1/4 C coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp coconut sugar, divided
- 1/4 C maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 C finely chopped pecans
- 1 lb whole, fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Drain water from cashews and add them to a blender or food processor along with the melted coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons of the coconut sugar. Blend until smooth and ingredients are fully mixed.
- Transfer mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.
- Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and transfer to a serving dish. A wide, shallow dish works best since you will be adding a layer of "crust" topping.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of coconut sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Spread this over the top of the cashew mixture.
- Serve with fresh strawberries for dipping.
Notes
Allow at least 4 hours to soak the cashews and another 4 hours for the dip to chill. Because of the "standby" time, it's easiest to soak the cashews overnight and make the recipe a few hours or the day before you need it. I recommend adding the topping immediately before serving though.
This recipe can serve 4 or 5 people and can easily be doubled or tripled if you want to share it at a party.
This was really good!!
How awful of an April Fools joke, that's just terrible!!
lol isn't it awful? can't say she didn't get her fair share of torment from me though ;)