I bet you never thought a cheesecake could be vegan (as in dairy FREE) raw, gluten-free and delicious all at once. Well trust me it can. Try this vegan cheesecake recipe and you’ll see for yourself.
Though I’m not a big fan of sweets or dessert in general, I’m a sucker for cheesecake (and I used to make a ton of them). As I’ve mentioned before it must be because the base is made with cream cheese – which is generally categorized as a savory ingredient.
As I started thinking about my love of cheesecake I started to realize how sad it must be for vegans who have been missing out all these years. Cheesecake is the king of all desserts but unfortunately it’s essentially 90% dairy based so that’s a no no for vegans.
There had to be a way though. A way for people of all dietary restrictions to be able to enjoy the satisfaction of a well made cheesecake. So I started thinking about ways to make a vegan cheesecake.
Looks like my fellow food bloggers had already thought of this, and there are apparently dozens of vegan cheesecake recipes out there.
What replaces the cream cheese you ask?
Nuts!
I know I couldn’t believe it at first either.
It’s true though. Blended and processed nuts really do make a great substitute for dairy products – I tried this already in a butternut squash gratin and it was fantastic.
The key in this vegan cheesecake recipe is to really blend the nuts though. They need to be silky smooth otherwise the texture will feel grainy. So make sure to blend once, twice, three times, as long as you need to to get that texture as smooth as can be.
From there on out it’s more nuts! Nuts in the crust too of course. No graham crackers or sugar here.
So not only it this recipe vegan, but it is also gluten and refined sugar free.
Unfortunately this vegan cheesecake recipe does not work for those with nut allergies. Those of you hopefully aren’t also vegan as well so you can enjoy the traditional cream cheese loaded cheesecake.
Overall I fully enjoyed this vegan cheesecake. Of course it doesn’t taste exactly like standard cheesecake but it’s the next best thing.
Oh and D didn’t even notice that he was eating vegan cheesecake.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe:
• KitchenAid KFP7I5 7-Cup Food Processor, White – a food processor is such a useful kitchen tool, perfect for pesto and cheesecake crusts, and this model is my favorite
• Nordic Ware Leakproof Springform Pan, 10 Cup, 9 Inch – a springform pan is a must for cheesecake and a good sturdy one prevents the cheesecake from leaking
I bet you never thought a cheesecake could be vegan (as in dairy FREE) raw, and delicious all at once. Well trust me it can. Try this vegan cheesecake and you'll see for yourself.
- For the crust:
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
- 4 dates pitted
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 teaspoons water
- For the lemon filling:
- 1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup agave nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2-2/3 cup coconut oil melted
- For the strawberry topping:
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of the filling
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In a food processor, process the almonds and coconut until coarse. Add the dates, vanilla and salt and process until well combined.
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Press the dough onto the bottom of a springform pan. Place in fridge.
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For the filling:
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Ina blender blend the macadamia nuts, almond milk, lemon juice, agave and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure the nuts are well blended otherwise the cheesecake texture will be gritty.
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Set aside 1/2 cup of the filling, pour the rest into the springform pan with the crust. Gently tap the pan to remove any air bubbles.
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For the strawberry topping:
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Using a blender, blend 1/2 cup of the reserved filling with the strawberries and lemon juice until smooth.
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Pour the strawberry topping on top of the cheesecake.
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Place the cheesecake in the freezer to set for 2 hours, or until the middle of the cheesecake is firm.
Recipe from A Dash of Compassion
Diana says
This was AMAZING!
Lindsay @ VeganYumminess says
Ummm…..can I have reach my fork through this computer screen and take a bite right now??! This looks incredible!
Vicky says
Hahah thanks so much! Definitely a great alternative to traditional cream cheese heavy cheesecake!
Rose says
I can’t wait to try out this recipe. I love all the ingredients! Great job on the photos, too. I’m glad I found your site!
Vicky says
Thanks so much! Let me know how it comes out!
Aimee B. says
This looks amazing! Questions. 1. Can I sub cashews? Macadamia nuts are crazy expensive here. 2. How do you determine how much coconut oil to add? How much did you add? 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup? Thanks! 🙂
Vicky says
Thanks Aimee. I’m sure that this would work with cashews too. I honestly can’t remember how much coconut oil I added but start with 1/2 cup and if it looks wayyy too think add a bit more. It shouldn’t be liquidy but shouldn’t be super super thick either. Let me know how it turns out!
Fantasia says
what if you don’t have a food processor?
Vicky says
To make the crust you could pound the nuts by hand and then add them to a blender with the other ingredients for the crust — but it might not come out as smooth as in a food processor. Still worth trying though.
Emma says
Yum! This looks so divine.
Vicky says
Thanks! It truly is : )
Allison says
Love this recipe!