Vegan Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecakes

I know I’m supposed to be making Christmas cookies right now, but these vegan mini chocolate cheesecakes may be my new favorite holiday dessert. Only seven ingredients, the dark chocolate filling stays rich and creamy while the Oreo crust adds a nice crunch. They’re perfectly sweet with a with a hint of freshness from the peppermint. I’m drooling just thinking about them. The best part is that they’re mini so it’s totally acceptable to eat like five, right?

A few notes—

• To make this cheesecake super creamy, this recipe calls for tofu in the filling. I’ve found that firm tofu works the best. If you can’t find firm, extra firm will work too, your cheesecakes might just be a little firmer.
• I recommend using chocolate anywhere from 60-70 percent cocoa, if you use something else, you might want to adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.
• I’ve made this recipe with and without muffin wrappers. Both have worked, if you don’t use wrappers make sure your muffin tin is super nonstick and well greased. It’s also helpful to allow the cheesecakes to come to room temperature after they’ve chilled before you try to remove them.
• The chocolate topping is totally optional, I think these cheesecakes are delicious on their own, it just gives the crushed peppermint something to stick to.
• I like to use a 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract, the taste is subtle so if you want something a little stronger, up it to 1 tsp, maybe even 1 1/2.