Raspberries are high on my list of favorite fruit.
My favorite are the local farmers market berries I inhale by the pint, and I cannot wait for those. In the meantime, I buy them every so often from the co-op.
This next recipe for Vegan Valentines – raspberry cheesecake cookies – is one I have had in my head for a bit. I have wanted to add fresh fruit to a cookie, and a cheesecake component just naturally fits with raspberry, doesn’t it?
These cookies are at their best warm fresh from the oven, which is why this recipe is a small batch. I store them in the refrigerator, and put them in the toaster oven for a bit – bringing back their warm freshness.
My go to dessert is rarely a cookie, but this recipe may change that – everyone who tasted these loved them! The cookie dough has a mild sweetness, with raspberries adding that natural tart sweetness throughout. The cream cheese brings the dense cheesecake aspect to this dough, which might be my favorite part.
I will be making these often once summer hits – blackberries, blueberries, even strawberries.
raspberry lemon cheesecake cookies
dairy, egg, and gluten free, vegan
makes 12-15 cookies
1 tablespoon flax seed, freshly ground
2 tablespoons warm water
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup dairy free cream cheese (non hydrogenated), softened
1/2 cup sugar (agave, coconut nectar, raw sugar)
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
pinch salt
3/4 pint fresh raspberries
zest of 1/2 small lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind flax seed in blender, coffee grinder. Place 1 tablespoon ground flax in a bowl, add water and stir. Place in refrigerator to set into gel (this equals / replaces one egg).
Cream together coconut oil, cream cheese, and sugar; stir in flax mixture. Add flour to the top of this mixture, do not stir. Add baking powder, xanthan gum and salt, stirring into the flour before combining flour with coconut cream cheese. Fold in raspberries and lemon zest. Drop cookies by spoonful onto prepared (silpat, parchment) baking sheet, bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.
What is your favorite berry? Would you add it to a cookie?
{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
I just have to say how much I love that you made a vegan cheesecake cookie.
I’m going to not choose a berry… but an OREO cheesecake cookie. Oreos are vegan!
now you’re thinking!
Again, beautiful. I would adore the strawberry. My fave fruit and it always reminds me of my grandmother.
aww – that’s a good reason to like them
What a great recipe. I’m just trying to learn about vegan food as my husband’s doctor put him on a vegan diet. I really want to try the flax instead of an egg.
it works very well!
YUM. My favorite is definitely a perfectly ripe strawberry, but they rarely work in baking since they have so much water content. Dried strawberries do well though.
yep, dried works much better, for sure. these were fantastic right out of the oven, and we finished them the next day. Making a more dense “cheesecake” dough helped hold up to the berries too, I’d make these again…
LOVE THESE!! You must have been thinking of me when you were making them! Or telepathy is in the works between you and I.
I made something similar, but nowhere near as healthy as this. I need to change my recipe, asap!
telepathy is fun
looking forward to your cookie…
Yum! A year or two ago I made some blueberry cheesecake cookies that were amazing (if I do say so myself) but they involved very non-vegan and non-lactose intolerant friendly ingredients. I’m glad you’ve solved that quandary.
Favorite berry? Raspberry!
And don’t ALL cookies taste best warm from the oven?
Mmm, blueberry cheesecake sounded good too, and I bet yours were! and yes, warm out of the oven is always best… I really should make cookies more.
I need to stop reading your blog when I am hungry for lunch
Pinning!! <3
noooooo!
Your valentine is REALLY lucky!!!!
I think so
My go-to dessert is ALWAYS a cookie
These sound amazing! I want to make myself a treat for Valentine’s day…these cookies just might be it! I love raspberry and lemon together. I think my favorite berries are blackberries–especially if baked up in a roly-poly or as a cobbler!
okay, you are going to have to tell me ALL about roly-poly!! I have never heard of this, but I KNOW it is good
Oh man, it is–it’s just biscuit dough with a filling of blackberries, lemon juice, and sugar tossed together–simple, rustic, amazing!
I just love the name
well, and the sound of it… I may have to do this soon!
Oh, my goodness these look PHENOMENAL. I officially just pinned these and put them on my ‘to eat’ list!
xx Kait
thanks, Kait – hope you love them!
Raspberries are my absolute favorite berry, and I’d add them to anything. These cookies look and sound great.
my favorite too
Raspberry and lemon in cookie form sounds so good! I never thought to wonder why fresh berries aren’t a usual cookie ingredient. Dried fruit, yes; jam, yes. But I don’t know if I’ve ever had a cookie made with fresh berries. That said, I’d absolutely make some!
I think dried would make them last longer, you know? but that’s why I made a small batch – these really are best right out of the oven, and the next day.
(but yes, with their very short life they are delicious!)
Hey you used Xanthan gum, I had no idea what it was used for and really was hoping to figure it out before it came up in a few weeks! These cookies sound amazing!! Kirk used to make cheesecakes all the time, so I bet he would love this!
I use xanthan gum a lot, Heather! most of my baking, anyway – it makes a HUGE difference with gluten free baking!
Raspberries in cookies is really interesting and delicious idea!
Hmm no xanthan gum in the house during the blizzard…not sure what it does. Do I need it if I use regular flour? Or maybe replace with Agar (I’ve heard they can be substituted)?
hi Amanda, if you are using regular flour, you do not need the xanthan gum, so you should be fine! enjoy, and stay warm and safe!
I just saw these shared by VegNews on Facebook. WOW. I seriously wish that plate was in front of me right meow
Dallas and I are staying in for Valentine’s Day, making a sushi dinner together, sharing a bottle of wine, & watching a movie. I think I will have to add these to our Valentine’s night in, for a yummy dessert
Thank you!
awww, I sure hope you do, Char!! that just made my day knowing these could possibly be your dessert
I made them!! I can’t wait for Dallas to get home & try them because they are sooooooooo good!! I made a couple changes:
There wasn’t any flaxseed at the store!
So I had to use an egg. Next time I will try it with the flaxseed, though, because I bet it would add a nice nutty taste.
I used regular all-purpose flour because I didn’t have gluten-free. Obviously I left out the xantham gum for this reason.
And that’s it!! Thank you so much for this recipe! I will definitely be making it again
If I don’t care about the ‘gluten-free’ aspect of the recipe, can I just do a straight substitution of regular all purpose flour for the non-gluten all purpose flour? Thanks!
hi Alison, yep – just use the same amount of regular flour, and you do not need the xanthan gum. enjoy!
That looks sooo nice! Thanks for the recipe!
thanks, Karolina!
Oh, nice! These look really good. I’ve just started using xanthan gum … seems to work really well (even if it’s a little weird).
I don’t know how I didn’t see this post/recipe until now, b/c raspberries are by far my favorite berry and I adore cheesecake. This is quite possible the best recipe ever.
oh, I hope you make these then, Anna! we loved them!
Thank you for this fabulous recipe! Mine came out with the consistency of little muffins – not so much cookies. I wonder if it was because I used all liquid sweetener (1/2 agave and 1/2 maple syrup – it was what I had on hand).
I also used frozen raspberries. Perhaps the added moisture is the cause.
I’m not complaining though because they’re delicious! Yay!
I am happy you still like them! not sure why they were muffin like, but that sounds great to me!
If I use AP flour ( I don’t need gluten free) then I don’t need the xanath gum, correct?
yes, that’s correct Amy – no xanthan gum needed if you are using regular flour. enjoy!
Sounds like a great recipe however I don’t have coconut oil. Is there something you could suggest as a substitute (doesn’t have to be gluten free)? Thanks!
hi Bridget, you could definitely use butter (or dairy free margarine), or another kind of oil commonly used in baking. I have only made these cookies with the coconut oil, but those other options should work as well. Enjoy!
Is there a way to do this raw?
hi Ozzie,
a raw cookie would be good with these flavors, it would be an entirely different recipe that I would have to play around with. I will give it some thought and share what I come up with!
Kristina
Hello Kristina!
What kind of gluten free flower do you recommend? I have millet, coconut, brown rice and buckwheat…. do any of them work better than others?
Thanks!
Do you know of any dairy free and soy free cream cheese? These sound amazing, but I can’t have the soy in the cream cheese alternative.
i tried twice in a row making these and both times they would not stay together once they were baked, what could i be doing wrong
hi Willow,
I am sorry this is happening, I am really not sure why? I have made these several times and have never experienced them not staying together. does this mean they do not stay in cookie shape, that they spread out on the pan? the only thing I can think of is the raspberries, some might be more juicy than others?
different types of dairy free butters can change the consistency of a recipe, but since this recipe calls for coconut oil, I really am at a loss here.
if you can tell me more about what is wrong, I might be able to figure it out? are they falling apart after baking, or not cooking right? sorry again, I would love more details please.
thanks,
Kristina
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