Icebox Cheesecake with Stovetop Granola Crust

Better than vintage icebox pies are my favorites. No fuss here, just simple ingredients that many of us always have on hand. It's a taste of childhood for many of us, with a bit of a nourishing makeover.  

I use local oats to make for the nuttiest tasting crust that's allergen free for many folks. If you prefer a nut crust, or no crust, that's fine also.

 

This simple ingredient icebox pie features a honey and lemon sweetened cheesecake filling. Real, seasonal fresh fruit can accompany this dish, or you can make a quick compote when fruit isn't fresh and plentiful. 

IceBox Cheesecake with Stovetop Granola Crust 

STOVETOP GRANOLA

•1 1/2 Cups Local Oats

•2 Tablespoons Honey 

•1 to 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (optional) 

•1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

•1/2 teaspoon sea salt

•1 to 2 Tablespoons Butter 

For the Crust

+ One or two Tablespoons of extra butter or some chopped dates

Freezer CHEESECAKE filling 

•1 Cup Heavy Cream , Whipped

•Two 8 oz. Packages Cream Cheese, softened

•1/2 Cup Raw Honey 

•1/4 Cup Sour Cream 

Lemon or Orange Zest, from about 1 large fruit. (Around 1 Tablespoon) 

+ A few tablespoons of raw sugar if you want more intense sweetness. (Optional*) 

Stovetop Granola: In a large skillet, toast the oats over medium to medium high heat. Stir to prevent burning. You want your oats to become rich and golden brown, but not burnt. Once they are ready, Add the honey, sea salt, cinnamon and sugar if you are using it. Cook for about one to two minutes longer and remove from the heat to cool entirely. Once the granola is cooled blend it in a blender or food processor or until it's mostly crumbs. I like to try and leave a few oaty bits. To make the crust you can add butter to help it hold it's shape, or even some chopped dates. You'll just blend either into your crumbs, or you can leave it out to have a crumbly granola texture.-  Press the granola crumbs into a greased 10" cake pan, or you can line the pan with plastic wrap if you are hoping to get it out whole. Set Aside or freeze until the filling is ready. 

(To make this for a breakfast granola, just add your favorite nuts or seeds with the final ingredients for caramelization. Let it cool, and add dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.  ) 

CHEESECAKE FILLING

Blend cream cheese, honey and sour cream together until smooth. Add zest and gently stir in your whipped cream. It's best to do it in a few small batches, so that you do not deflate the cream too much. Pour the filling into your prepared crust and freeze for several hours, or until it's solid. 

To Serve- Take the cheesecake out of the freezer. I usually "test try" a slice to see if it's soft enough. Sometimes it's warm enough to slice straight away, other times it can take a few minutes to soften. ( Once it's sliced, pop it back in the freezer if necessary to harden back up. )

Serve with your favorite seasonal fruits, maybe even more whipped cream! 

I like a little spoon of whole milk Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream, and fruit with my desserts. 

For reduced Sugar, and/or Keto Recipes- Use a Paleo crust recipe that uses flax, nuts or nut flours. You can also omit the crust entirely and freeze these cheesecakes into muffin tins or silicone muffin cups for portion controlled clean eats! - 

For sugar free cheesecakes, I use about one third of a cup of stevia at most. You can use your favorite sugar free substitute to taste, I feel like less is more where these sugar substitutes are concerned especially.