The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (2024)

By Gretchen 76 Comments

JUMP TO RECIPE

Welcome to the Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever!

No seriously! I repeat it really is the best vegan cheesecake recipe ever!

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (1)

My famous vegan cheesecake recipe is luscious, creamy and dense at the same time!

Just like a perfect New York style cheesecake should be and this vegan version is unmatched!

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (2)

It’s a very simple food processor or blender recipe that is ready in minutes

Pour the batter into a 7″ cake pan, yes that’s right I bake all of my cheesecakes in cake pans, never spring form pans; Believe me once you try it, you won’t go back!

For more information on that sensitive topic click through to find out my reasons!

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (3)

With a classic graham cracker crust and homemade recipe for fresh strawberry compote

You will be begging for more!

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (4)

This website may contain links as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, which means when you click a link and make a purchase through my website I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you

Notes for success:

In the video you will notice that I used frozen strawberries for my fruit compote.
I always use frozen berries over fresh because I find that frozen berries have a brighter taste and I do not have to add any water to help the cooking down process
If you do use fresh just add some sugar and a few tablespoons of water to help it cook down to a sauce

You may notice that my base recipes for cheesecake are always the same with some slight variations to the sugar or an added spice depending on what flavor I am making.

Additionally I only use Tofutti Cream Cheese for my BAKED recipes. *not sponsored
I have not had success with any other brand in BAKED recipes, for some reason some other brands I’ve tried have broken down into an oily mess when baked.
Until more recently I tried Violife again and it works! Although I still prefer the Tofutti brand

Cornstarch is a very difficult ingredient to measure consistently with a volume spoons measure
So while I list both measures below I cannot stress enough how the grams measure with a scale is going to give you the best results.

Lactic acid gives vegan cheesecake that authentic tang and it really is unmatched, but if you do not want to buy another ingredient simply sub in apple cider vinegar

One last thing! Nabisco Graham Cracker are VEGAN!

There’s No Honey in the recipe, so be sure to check your ingredients list when buying your crackers if you cannot find Nabisco Brand *not sponsored

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (5)

Can Be Made GLUTEN FREE & SUGAR FREE!

To make this cheesecake gluten free simply substitute gluten free flour for the all purpose flour or leave out the flour altogether and add 1 more tablespoon of cornstarch
Also be sure to use gluten free graham crackers to make the crust!

Sugar Free is so easy in a recipe like this!
Monk Fruit is my sugar substitute of choice but you can use your favorite sugar sub or any refined sugar too!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT SUGAR FREE BAKING!

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (6)

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE MY VEGAN CHEESECAKE RECIPE

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (7)

Tools I Use for this Recipe

7″ CAKE PANS

LACTIC ACID

14 cup food processor

Yield: serves 8-10 people

The Best Vegan Cheesecake

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (8)

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time1 hour

Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • Graham Crackers 1 package = 10 sheets (140g)
  • Vegan Butter melted 4 tablespoons (56g)

For the Cheesecake:

  • Vegan Cream Cheese *see notes 12ounce (339g)
  • Firm Tofu 4ounces (113g) * see notes
  • Vegan Butter melted 2 tablespoons (28g)
  • Granulated Sugar 1 cup (200g) *see notes for sugar free
  • Cornstarch 4 Tablespoons (32g) *see notes
  • All Purpose Flour 3 Tablespoons (24g) *see notes for gluten free
  • Plant Milk 6fl oz (177ml)
  • Vegan Lactic Acid or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon *see notes
  • Salt ¼ teaspoon
  • Vanilla Extract 3 teaspoons (15ml)

For the Strawberry Compote/Glaze:

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries (454g) *see notes
  • Sugar as needed 1/4 - 1/2 cup *optional or sugar free

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
    Grease & parchment line a 7" cake pan *8" cake pan will also work fine your cheesecake will just be slightly thinner than mine- no change to the recipe needed
  2. First prepare the graham cracker crust by crushing the graham crackers in a food processor to fine crumbs.
  3. Add the melted vegan butter and pulse until it resembles wet sand
  4. Press the crumbs into the prepared greased & parchment lined cake pan evenly on the bottom and up the sides.
  5. Freeze while you prepare the cheesecake batter
  6. Placing all of the cheesecake ingredients into the work bowl of your food processor and pulse to blend
  7. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure an even mix then blend again to a smooth mixture
  8. Pour the batter into the crust and bake in a water bath in a preheated 350°F and bake for 60 minutes
  9. After 60 minutes turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked open to cool slowly for another 60 minutes
  10. Remove the cheesecake & cool completely at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set or overnight before unmolding.
  11. For the strawberry compote place the fresh or frozen strawberries with the optional sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pot and cook over low to medium heat
  12. Bring to a low boil stirring often to prevent scorching
  13. Cool compote and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week before using
  14. Loosen the sides and bottom of the cheesecake pan with a blowtorch or by submerging the pan into hot water and running a small spatula around the edges
  15. Vegan Cheesecakes unmold very easily so flip int out onto your serving platter then add the cooled strawberry compote to the top

Notes

Cheesecake must be kept refrigerated at all times, I do not like to freeze cheesecakes as I think the texture changes on the thaw; but this cheesecake will stay fresh wrapped loosely to prevent drying for up to 10 days in the refrigerator

The Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Ever! - Gretchen's Vegan Bakery (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan cheesecake made of? ›

These 7 ingredient beauties begin with a 2-ingredient crust! Dates and raw walnuts (or almonds) – that's all you need. Whirl and set aside. Next up, the 5-ingredient filling: Soaked cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, lemon juice and agave nectar.

Why is my no bake cheesecake base soggy? ›

I'd say it's too much liquid in the cheesecake batter and it didn't set fast enough and the liquid and moisture got into the base. Baking the base would help, but I guess if you need to bake it then there's no point to make a no bake cheesecake. Buiscuits, butter and a bit of cocoa powder for the base.

Why did no bake cheesecake not set? ›

The first is that your ingredients are not cold enough. When a no-bake cheesecake recipe calls for heavy cream, it's relying on you being able whip up the cream. This will make the cheesecake firm in texture. However, heavy cream won't whip up well unless it's cold.

What happens to cheesecake when the eggs are added too soon or it is over mixed? ›

Make sure to add eggs one by one on low speed and mix until just combined. Over mixing the eggs will incorporate too much air into the batter, which will result in the cheesecake deflating and possibly cracking when it comes out of the oven.

What do vegans use instead of cream cheese? ›

Best Healthy Substitutes For Cream Cheese (Vegan)
  • Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese.
  • Hummus.
  • Tofu Sour Cream.
  • Cashew Sour Cream.
  • Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese.
  • Avocado.
  • Strawberry Chia Jam (Fruit Spread)
  • Unsweetened Plain Yogurt (vegan)
Mar 11, 2021

What not to do when making cheesecake? ›

Cold ingredients are a big no-no when it comes to cheesecake. If your ingredients are cold you will have to mix them longer which will whip too much air into your batter. If the cake has too much air, it will rise too much in the oven and then the middle will sink when cooling. Nobody wants a sad, sunken cheesecake.

How do you thicken cheesecake batter without gelatin? ›

You can mix a tablespoon or two of cornstarch into your cheesecake filling mixture before baking. Another option is to use a little bit of flour or arrowroot powder. These ingredients will also help to thicken your filling and give it a more consistent texture.

How can I thicken my no-bake cheesecake mix? ›

To thicken a no-bake cheesecake, refrigerate it for an extended period or consider adding dissolved gelatin, more cream cheese, or Greek yogurt to the mixture before chilling.

How do you keep a no-bake cheesecake firm? ›

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is better. For a sturdy no-bake cheesecake with beautifully neat slices, refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This makes for a great make-ahead dessert!

Does no-bake cheesecake taste better? ›

They both are great in their own way. It all narrows down to your personal preferences. If you enjoy dense and velvety cake, a baked cheesecake is the one for you. Or if you crave some light and airy dessert post-dinner, go for the no-bake one.

Can you eat a no-bake cheesecake straight away? ›

No-bake cheesecakes may not need an oven, but they do need a refrigerator and several hours to chill before serving. When the filling is still above 50°F (10°C), it's soft, loose, and airy, something like a mousse, with a crust that crumbles a bit more readily.

What does overmixed cheesecake batter look like? ›

It will look like it's quite runny, or becoming more runny – but the texture will have soft lumps inside it. (Almost like split cake mix!) Cheesecake can split or curdle for a few reasons – often it's down to the temperature of ingredients.

What to do with a failed cheesecake? ›

Perhaps your kitchen is colder because of weather or your oven has a hot spot. For whatever reason, the cheesecake has cracked despite your best efforts. Remember, your cheesecake is still delicious, so instead of calling it a failed experiment, cover the crack with a delicious topping, like a sour cream coat.

Why does my cheesecake taste like scrambled eggs? ›

Not cooking your cake at the right temp or time; cooking your cake for a longer bake time than needed could make your cake taste eggy. When exposed to consistently high heat for extended periods, the sulphur from the egg whites causes a chemical reaction, resulting in an unpleasant taste.

What makes vegan cheese cheese? ›

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

What is vegan cream cheese made from? ›

Ingredient Notes

The cashews create the creamy base for this recipe. Lemon juice gives it the tang, which is the basis for the cheesy flavor. Coconut cream – adds creamy flavor and texture and also contributes to the beautiful white color. It also helps it to thicken up nicely once it's in the fridge.

What is the difference between vegan cheese and dairy cheese? ›

In terms of health, vegan cheese is generally considered better for you than dairy cheese as it's lower in saturated fat and often has added vitamin B12, which contributes to a healthy nervous system.

What kind of vegan cheese does cheesecake Factory use? ›

Finding vegan options at The Cheesecake Factory is easier than ever—the chain has added Field Roast Chao cheese and Best Foods vegan mayo to its menu at locations nationwide. Now, you can enjoy an animal-free burger topped with dairy-free cheese and egg-free mayo at this popular restaurant.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 5902

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.