This 5 ingredient silky eggnog cheesecake filling is one of those quick and easy desserts that everyone will love. My secret? Tofu! That’s right, serving 20 grams of protein per cup, tofu adds to the creamy, silky texture of the filling while also giving this recipe an extra boost of nutrition while adding to the satisfaction of the recipe!
I was first introduced to using tofu in desserts by my brother-in-law with a variation of this no-bake white chocolate tart. I won’t lie, as a Registered Dietitian, and self-proclaimed foodie I was both intrigued and a little skeptical. How could tofu give you that same creamy texture we all love in a dessert? Boy, was I wrong!
After years of recipe development, I’ve learned that tofu is one of those ingredients that can take on the texture and flavor of almost anything. You can bread it to make crispy tofu nuggets, marinate it to absorb salty soy flavor and fry it to get that meat texture (like in this crispy black pepper and maple tofu recipe), or you can whip it together with chocolate and eggnog to make that silky, light cheesecake texture we all know and love.
What You Need For These Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes
White chocolate chips: The white chocolate chips contribute a rich and creamy sweetness that pairs perfectly with the eggnog. Any white chocolate chips or pieces will work but melting chocolate is often best for the smoothest texture.
Firm tofu: This ain’t your average cheesecake recipe. Instead of using cream cheese to get that silky texture, this recipe calls for my secret ingredient – firm tofu. Tofu is one of those ingredients that absorbs the flavor of what it’s paired with. In this recipe, the tofu blends up to a nice creamy texture while also being able to maintain its shape in the silicone molds.
Virgin coconut oil: Its smooth texture adds a velvety touch to this dessert and helps blend the ingredients together into an incredible smooth consistency. Make sure to use virgin coconut oil (not refined) which will help the filling set.
Eggnog: I love when eggnog season is upon us. It’s the holiday spirit in liquid form. In this recipe, the eggnog brings a rich, creamy, and distinctly spiced flavor which is absorbed by the tofu and complements the white chocolate perfectly. It also adds a little extra moisture to the cheesecake filling which helps us achieve that creamy texture.
Vanilla and sea salt: Every recipe needs a little flavor booster and this dessert is no different. The vanilla adds a little sweetness to the filling while the salt brings enhances the overall flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
Have a store-bought or homemade cheesecake crust ready like my 3 ingredient gluten-free cheesecake crust.
Melt coconut oil with 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave, on high, in 30-60 second increments until mostly melted. It’s ok if there are still a few unmelted pieces, continue stirring and the rest of the chocolate will melt from the residual heat, without burning.
Add the melted chocolate mixture, tofu, eggnog, vanilla and salt into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, a regular blender will do but may not be as smooth
Pour mixture into cheesecake crusts and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours or in the fridge overnight to set. If storing in the freezer, thaw partially before serving, 30-60 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. You want them to remain firm enough to hold their shape but soft to bite through.
To serve, top with regular or coconut whip, and a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg. Enjoy!
The Benefits of Tofu
I have been eating tofu since I was a little girl. It’s a very common ingredient in Chinese cooking and we ate it regularly as a family. Now, as I have my own family, tofu still makes a regular appearance at our dinner table.
There are a lot of reasons why I love cooking with tofu but here are 3 of the main reasons.
It’s so versatile. I touched on it earlier but tofu has the ability to take on any flavor and almost any texture you want. Tofu doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own and is able to adopt the flavors that it’s cooked with.
It can be baked, grilled, fried (like in this buffalo tofu caesar wrap), sautéed, blended into smoothies (try it in my pina colada smoothie), used as a meat substitute in numerous recipes, or added to a creamy dessert.
It’s super quick to make. Tofu comes ready to eat so you don’t need to worry about cooking it all the way through like you do with other proteins. As a bonus, it doesn’t take long to heat up and you can whip it up as the protein of your meal in a matter of minutes.
It’s packed full of nutrients. This recipe follows the principle of nutrition by addition. What exactly does that mean? It looks at what you can add to your plate instead of take away. This eggnog cheesecake has an unexpected ingredient – tofu. The tofu adds to the texture and creaminess of the dish without sacrificing flavor plus it adds a boost of nutrition.
While I’ll also never turn down traditional cheesecake, this is a fun way to mix things up!
Tofu is rich in protein and packed full of micronutrients like calcium, iron, and manganese. In fact one serving of tofu has approximately 20g of protein, 50% of your daily requirement of calcium, 50% of your daily requirement of manganese, and 15% of your daily requirement of iron.
Talk about the power of plants!
Is Using Tofu Instead of Cream Cheese Still Intuitive Eating?
There is some chatter in the nutrition world that healthify-ing recipes do not follow intuitive eating. After years of practicing intuitive eating myself and helping clients break free from diet culture and learn to trust their bodies, I want you to know that this just isn’t true.
It all comes down to intention.
Yes, this recipe uses tofu instead of cream cheese. I like it because it’s a creative way to use tofu and incorporate more protein into your diet. I enjoy the texture it adds to the dish and the flavor the tofu is able to soak up, making each bite a delicious, eggnog-y, creamy adventure.
It follows my goal of developing recipes that serve feel good nutrition that doesn’t take away from your enjoyment of the dish.
When you’re deciding whether or not eating this variation of cheesecake is intuitive eating, ask yourself these questions (they will help you tune in to your body and understand your intention):
- Are you modifying this recipe because you will feel guilty if you don’t? Or do you like having a little extra protein in your dessert so you feel full and satisfied for longer after eating?
- Is this a food rule – one that says you should only eat high protein desserts and snacks? Or do you give yourself permission to enjoy all desserts?
You see intuitive eating isn’t an all or nothing practice. It doesn’t have the hard and fast rules we commonly see with trendy diets. It’s a daily practice where you tune into your body and fuel it with food that would feel good, taste good, and be satisfying. Some days it’s a triple chocolate cake with the kids and others it’s a creamy, silky tofu and eggnog cheesecake.
At the end of the day, I want you to feel empowered to make food choices that feel good in the moment – mind, body, and soul without a side of food guilt or shame (more on that here). This is something my clients continually practice in the Make Food Feel Good Program. Building your intuitive eating muscle takes time but it is so worth it!
If you make these 5 Ingredient Tofu & Eggnog Mini Creamy Cheesecakes, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! XO
Print5 Ingredient Tofu & Eggnog Mini Creamy Cheesecake
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This 5 ingredient silky eggnog cheesecake filling is one of those quick and easy desserts that everyone will love. My secret? Tofu! That’s right, serving 20 grams of protein per cup, tofu adds to the creamy, silky texture of the filling while also giving this recipe an extra boost of nutrition while adding to the satisfaction of the recipe!
Ingredients
3 tbsp melted virgin coconut oil
1 cup white chocolate chips + more to taste if needed, melt before adding
1 x 350g package firm tofu
1/4 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch sea salt
Instructions
-
Have a store-bought or homemade cheesecake crust ready like my 3 ingredient gluten-free cheesecake crust.
-
Melt coconut oil with 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave, on high, in 30-60 second increments until mostly melted. It’s ok if there are still a few unmelted pieces, continue stirring and the rest of the chocolate will melt from the residual heat, without burning.
-
Add the melted chocolate mixture,tofu, eggnog, vanilla and salt into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, 1-2 hours. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, a regular blender will do but may not be as smooth
-
Pour mixture into cheesecake crusts and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours or in the fridge overnight to set. If storing in the freezer, thaw partially before serving, 30-60 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. You want them to remain firm enough to hold their shape but soft to bite through.
-
To serve, top with regular or coconut whip, and a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
Jenna says
You’d be surprised that these cheesecake bites secretly contain tofu! They taste so darn good, and I appreciate how the recipe uses simple ingredients.
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
Thank you for sharing Jenna! So glad you liked it!