Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls (Vegan)

Creamy, zesty, coconutty balls of deliciousness that will melt in your mouth. These lemon cheesecake bliss balls are a more refreshing take on your traditional date bliss balls and are the perfect healthy any-time treat!

Like me, you may have seen recipes for cheesecake balls floating about on the internet, but struck out when it came to finding a dairy-free, vegan version.

Most cheesecake ball recipes include cream cheese as a key ingredient to get that creamy, cheesecake feeling. Sure, you could simply replace that with a vegan cream cheese, but it’s not something I normally have on hand, so wanted to make a simpler, healthier version using whole foods that I always have in the pantry.

The result is so delicious! Creamy, tangy, and very moreish. Make a batch of these lemon bliss balls and they’ll be gone in a flash.

What are Cheesecake Bliss Balls?

Bliss balls, often also referred to as protein balls or energy balls, are healthy bite-sized treats that are typically made from dates, nuts and coconut as a base. You can find them in peanut butter flavor, chocolate, even strawberry or apricot. They’re super versatile to your personal preferences.

Cheesecake bliss balls are a little different in that they skip the dates in favour of cream cheese, coconut cream, or yogurt to create a creamier, more velvety texture and taste.

The result is just like the creamy insides of your favorite cheesecake – only much easier to make, healthier, and in bite-sized ball form!

Vegan Lemon Bliss Balls Ingredient Notes

To make these zesty lemon balls you’re going to need to have the following ingredients on hand:

• Almond Meal. You can make your own in a food processor or powerful blender, or use store-bought. If you want your lemon cheesecake balls to look light yellow, it’s best to opt for blanched almonds.
• Desiccated coconut. Shredded/desiccated coconut is best, as you’ll be rolling the balls in it once they’re formed.
• Raw cashews. The cashews are going to work as our vegan cream cheese, so you’ll need to soak them beforehand. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to soak them for hours, you can do a quick soak in hot water for 15 minutes instead.
• Lemons. You’ll need either one large lemon or two small lemons for the juice and the zest.
• Coconut oil. I prefer to use unrefined organic coconut oil, especially in raw treats such as these, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
• Yogurt. I’ve used soy greek-style yogurt in this recipe, but feel free to sub for whatever unsweetened plant-based yogurt you have on hand, or forgo it completely and use coconut cream instead!
• Maple syrup. For added sweetness. You can substitute this for honey, monk fruit, or date syrup depending on your dietary preferences.

How to Make Lemon Coconut Bliss Balls

Making these sweet treats is really simple. You basically just throw everything in your food processor and process it until it’s a smooth, dough-like consistency.

Then, scoop out around a heaped teaspoon’s worth and roll it into a ball shape between your hands. Then roll each ball in desiccated coconut.

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These lemon cheesecake bliss balls are best when they’ve had time to set in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, but preferably longer. This will allow the lemon flavors to intensify and the inners to get creamier!

How to Store your Bliss Balls

Keep your lemon cashew bliss balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. They can also be frozen and taken out individually as needed. They’ll last up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.

However, you may want to “flash freeze” them on a tray before transferring to a box or bag, as otherwise, they could squash together a little.

Ways to enjoy your healthy vegan bliss balls

I like to keep these in the fridge and grab them whenever I feel like a sweet treat. But there are several other ways you can enjoy them. Here are some ideas:

• As a healthy lunchbox filler – for yourself, or your kids!
• Party food – they’re a hit with all ages.
• As a small sweet treat after dinner.
• With your morning or afternoon cuppa.
• As an edible gift – they’ll be well-received.

Other vegan lemon treats to enjoy:

• Vegan Lemon Tartlets
• Raw Lemon Slice
• Lemon Poppyseed Cake

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