Friends, few times have I been more excited to share a recipe with you as I am today.
This recipe has been taste-tested and approved by 6 of my closest foodie friends and heartily approved. And they weren’t even vegan! I even like these better than real cheesecakes, which I can no longer stomach with my dairy intolerance. Crisis, averted.
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. So good, so creamy, so insanely delicious you’ll want to drink it with a straw.
This is where the fun begins: you get to pick your own flavor!
Of course, you could leave them as is. They’re extremely delicious plain. But, to perk them up a bit I created three varieties: blueberry, bourbon caramel, and peanut butter. My favorite being peanut butter (as if you expected anything less).
Instead of baking these cheesecakes you simply pop them in the freezer to set. To make removing them from the pan a breeze, I simply cut out strips of parchment paper and made little tabs so I could just pop them right out. Worked like a charm! If you don’t have parchment, just slide a butter knife along the sides to pop them out. Easy, simple removal either way (no special equipment or springform pans required).
If you’ve ever been suspicious of cashew-based vegan desserts, don’t be! I can wholeheartedly attest that these are some of the best desserts I’ve ever had! No seriously. I can’t even begin to tell you how insanely delicious these guys are – and I’m a cheesecake snob!
They’re:
Creamy
Perfectly sweet
Slightly tart
Luscious
Sexy
Smooth
Insanely satisfying
& Perfect topped with coconut whipped cream
OK, this is beginning to sound like a Victoria’s Secret ad. You catch my drift. Just make, these, cheesecakes!
7-Ingredient Vegan Cheesecakes
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup packed pitted dates*
- 1 cup raw walnuts
FILLING
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (quick-soaked*)
- 1 large lemon (juiced // 1 lemon yields ~scant 1/4 cup or 50 ml)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 2/3 scant cup full-fat coconut milk (see instructions for note)
- 1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
FLAVOR ADD-INS optional
- 2 Tbsp salted natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 3 Tbsp bourbon caramel sauce
Instructions
- Add dates to a food processor and blend until small bits remain and it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside.
- Next add nuts and process into a meal. Then add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add more almond or walnut meal. Optional: add a pinch of salt to taste.
- Lightly grease a standard, 12 slot muffin tin (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). To make removing the cheesecakes easier, cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in the slots. This creates little tabs that makes removing them easier to pop out once frozen.
- Next scoop in heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers. To pack it down, use a small glass or the back of a spoon to compact it and really press it down. I found the bottom of a glass works well. If it sticks, separate the crust and the glass with a small piece of parchment. Set in freezer to firm up.
- Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth. For the coconut milk, I like to scoop the “cream” off the top because it provides a richer texture. But if yours is already all mixed together, just add it in as is.
- You don’t need a Vitamix for this recipe, just a quality blender. I mixed mine for 1 minute, then “liquified” or “pureed” it until silky smooth. If it won’t come together, add a touch more lemon juice or agave or a splash more coconut milk liquid as the liquid should help it blend better.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If adding peanut butter, add to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined. If flavoring with blueberry or caramel, wait and swirl on top of plain cheesecakes (optional).
- Divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard – about 4-6 hours.
- Once set, remove by tugging on the tabs or loosening them with a butter knife. They should pop right out. Our favorite way to devour these was with a little more caramel and a touch of coconut whipped cream. But they’re perfect as is! Keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks.
- Optional: You can set them out for 10 minutes before serving to soften, but I liked them frozen as well.
Video
Notes
*To quick-soak cashews, pour boiling hot water over the cashews, soak for 30 minutes uncovered, then drain and use as instructed.
*Adapted from Sidesaddle Kitchen (Absolutely smitten with her.)
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without toppings or added flavors.
*Prep time does not include freezing (4-6 hours)
Brianna Beasley says
These are awesome! I had to modify quite a lot due to not having all of the ingredients and wanting them to be sugar-free. I didn’t have raw cashews or canned coconut milk so I used cashew butter and coconut milk from the carton. I also added additional coconut oil to make up for the extra liquid as well as a fresh vanilla bean. For the crust, I made a cacao powder, sweetener (stevia and brown Swerve), and coconut oil mixture and froze it before adding the filling. I did make a lot of alterations but I’m sure the original recipe is as good if not better!
So creative, Brianna! Thanks for sharing! xo
Katie says
I’m allergic to coconut. Is there a substitute I can use? Cheesecake is my favorite, but I do not tolerate dairy well.
Hi Katie, it won’t be quite the same, but you could try using another non-dairy milk for the coconut milk and another oil (such as olive oil or butter) for the coconut oil. Let us know if you give it a try!
Trish says
Made these and put fresh raspberries on them. Really lovely. So happy to have come across this recipe
Yay! Thanks, Trish!
Erin says
I made this and used a spring form pan instead of individual cheesecakes and it turned out fantastic! I ended up making it early and froze it for about 6 hours and put it in the fridge an hour before serving. Once I was ready to serve, it sat out for about 20 minutes and cut perfectly. My gluten free and vegan friends loved it!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Erin. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Emily says
Thanks for sharing! This was my question and glad it worked out.
Erin says
Can’t wait to make this! Do you think it’s possible to make in a large springform pan instead of the cupcake tins?
Hi Erin, yes, that should work! Let us know how it goes!
Helena Lucca says
It’s a little weird, but I got a sample of a lavender bodylotion from Lush (it’s called Sleepy) that has the most amazing scent. I was so tempted to taste it, (don’t tell me you have never wanted to eat scented products). But, alas, we all know that wouldn’t be the best idea. So instead I wanted to try and create a dessert inspired by this body lotion, and I decided to use this cheese cake as a base. This is how I made it taste like the body lotion:
If you make a strong lavender “tea” by soaking dried organic lavender flowers and then mixing it with a bit of lemon juice, you get the loveliest naturally occuring hot pink color. I just added a few tablespoons of this pink lavender-lemon mixture to the batter with about half a teaspoon cinnamon, and it ended up smelling and looking exactly like inteded! Thanks for a great recipe! I’m gonna make it again today!
What a creative idea- thanks so much for sharing! We are so glad you found the recipe helpful! xo
Allison says
Would it work with lime?
Hi Allison, we haven’t tried it, but others have used lime in this recipe with good results. Check the comments for additional info!
Katy says
Hi there! Would it be possible to use nut milk instead of coconut milk in this? Would it change the texture much? Thank you!
Hi Katy, it won’t be quite as creamy, but it might still work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Katie says
Yum!! Big hit over here! I used half the sweetener (1/4 cup maple syrup) because I tend to find everything way too sweet. It was perfect. I swirled in some blackberry compote I’d made earlier in the week and topped it with a couple of blackberries from our yard. I also used silicone muffin liners and they popped right out. Thanks!
That sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lulu says
I went for this recipe (over endless others available) due to all the outstanding reviews. I’m going to struggle to trust reviews after this and this site for that matter. The filling completely curdled and although I decided to freeze them anyway (I had gone to a lot of effort sourcing ingredients and then making the base – different to recipe and the toppings), the filling parts were just awful.. completely bland and clearly impoverished by the curdling that occurred whilst mixing. For any new/potential vegans, please don’t lose faith! There are plenty of other recipes to try (I am going to source some vegan cream cheese next time!) and there is a great Oreo mini cheesecake recipe floating about that I have tried and tested.
Lulu, Thanks for the feedback. This is one of our favorite recipes, so I’m sorry you had trouble! I can’t think of why it would’ve curdled. I’m wondering if either you changed the ingredients / preparation, or if your coconut milk was oily (or not fresh?)? Please let us know. I’d love to help troubleshoot.
Lulu says
Hi Dana, I am wondering if it is due to the lemon? Lemon + milk (coconut).. ? I can’t see how the blender can be blamed for it splitting unless it over mixes it but I really don’t think that is the culprit here. May I ask why you use lemon in this recipe? Unfortunately, they are inedible because of it so I would also love to learn from this experience.. Re the coconut milk – I put a tin with high coconut content in the fridge overnight so that I could scrape the cream. There did seem to be more cream than usual (I used a different brand from usual). However, again, I just don’t see how this the culprit for it curdling. And texture aside, I did find the filling bland – and I used fruity toppings too.
Lulu, thanks for providing more information. Lemon provides tanginess, which is why it’s added. And I typically always add lemon to my vegan cheesecakes and have never had the separation issue. I can’t think of why else this would be curdling. What brand coconut milk did you use?
Lulu says
I followed the filling recipe exactly and used only the cream at the top of the coconut milk. I used my top range Ninja to blend – after the first mix it still looked somewhat grainy so I put it on for a second mix and the mixture completely split. It looks awful and although I’m pursuing with it (mainly because of the effort I have put into bases and different toppings) I don’t even want to try them. I was testing this recipe out ahead of a dinner party so am glad I didn’t wait until the day! Any thoughts as to what has caused the filling to split like this?
Hmm, so strange! I will say the ninja blender isn’t our favorite and it never seems to get things as creamy as we hope. As for it splitting, I have no idea! Did you change any of the ingredients? Also, sometimes if your coconut milk is too oily / fatty that can be problematic.
simon says
oh my bob! i don’t even like cheesecake – but i like these = gave some to the staff of my local health food shop and they liked em so much they said i could sell them in the shop – i’d have to sort some packaging – so yeah they are lush – think you
haha yay! Thanks, Simon. Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! xoxo
Jim says
Hi Dana, I tried to make the recipe but couldn’t get the filling to bind together, the taste of the filling was awesome but it is sitting in a split state ATM. I have put the split mixture in the fridge and will try to fix it tomorrow. I’m using a tiny kitchen wiz not very high powered with the flattish chopping blade, I’m thinking this may not be helping, would I be better off using an electric wisk?
THankyou
JIM
Hi Jim, it sounds like the equipment might be an issue. You could try an electric whisk, but it may require a quality blender. Good luck!
Jim says
I will try again with different equipment, if there’s any of the mix left that is, yummy. cheers Dana.
Yaya says
Everyone seemed to enjoy this recipe in my house I mean LOVED IT.. .. it was amazing I just thought it was a bit too sweet. But that’s just my personal taste buds. Maybe next time I’ll cut it down on the agave and add more fruit to it. Making this was very easy and I’m Glad you included the shortcut for soaking the cashews. We waited about 2.5 hours in my freezer and it was pretty much set. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Lu Mac says
The caramel sauce has cream in it….!!
Hi Lu, there are two options for the caramel. This one is vegan.
gunes says
Hi there!
I wonder if i can change cashew with almond as we do not have cashew here but almond trees and it would be more eco friendly to use local products. Also have you ever tried and know how much almond milk I would need? Is it ok if i use same amount of almonds? thanks in advance!
(I love your style and blog so much – thanks for doing it)
Hi there! It won’t be as creamy and you’d need to use blanched almonds. I haven’t tried it but it should be the same quantities. Let us know if you do!
shaun williams says
I don’t happen to have a freezer in my home. Would I get the same success with these with just refrigeration?
Hi Shaun, They will be closer to a thick pudding consistency if you put them in the fridge instead of the freezer. Hope that helps!
Erin Duke says
Let me start out by saying we’re a family with lots of food sensitivities, but who also still crave the foods we used to love. And I gotta tell you: these are absolutely sensational! I’ve made them several times now–varying the flavors each time and they’re always a hit! Even my skeptical cheesecake-snob friends and family love them! I will note that I’ve needed additional liquid every time, but that’s so easy to do and probably more to do with my blender (non-commercial-grade) than the recipe itself. Thanks for creating such wonderful goodness!!
So glad you and your family enjoy these, Erin! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Shell Veganista says
This flavor profile matches traditional Philadelphia cream cheese recipe I grew up with, ty! 2nd time I made these, made 48 mini-cheesecakes in silicone pans. (no spray, popped right out, no parchment strips needed) Amount of filling was just right. For crusts, I used 3/4 cup each of dates & walnuts, & had a little left. I’m doing red, white & blue theme today, cherry preserves w/fresh blueberry topping, & 1/2 with blueberry preserves & fresh strawberry topping. 1st time I subbed super-fine almond flour for walnuts & that worked great. This will be an oft-made recipe for holidays, potlucks, guests. I love make-ahead recipes!
Yay! Yay! Thanks for sharing!
maddie g says
i’ve made these more times than i can count. i’ve followed the recipe exactly, and i’ve made small adjustments, and they’re awesome every. single. time.
recently, i used pecans instead of walnuts in the crust because that’s what was in the freezer needing to be used. i have also made 1/2 of the amount of crust because i was short on dates, and it was still plenty for me. finally, i fresh out of fresh lemons, so i used that [questionable] bottled lime juice. still great! more of a key lime pie vibe.
every person, vegan and non-vegan alike upon whom i have shoved this incredible dessert, has enjoyed it. most vegans, like me, think it tastes just like dairy cheesecake. non-vegans tend to disagree but like it all the same.
this is my go-to for pitch-ins and barbecues and summertime snacks!
Thanks for sharing, Maddie! So glad everyone enjoyed these! xo
Maddy says
Great recipe, but the addition of the date-walnut crust made it way too sweet (and I love sweets!) maybe try a different crust and they will be perfect!
Thanks for sharing! Perhaps try this crust next time! It’s baked but it is less sweet!
Luna says
I’d like to make these a day before I plan to serve them would I need to keep them in freezer for 4-6 hours THEN keep in fridge until next day when I’d serve? Or just keep them in freezer over night and take them out to thaw?
Same question about another recipe- “ snickers cheesecake”
Big thanks!
We would say keep them in the freezer overnight and thaw just prior to serving.
Ester Mina M Silinsky says
This recipe was easy to follow, and my blender is a medium range one, and it did quite well – the mixture came out really creamy. I used an 8 x 8 inch pan and it seemed like it wasn’t enough to make a nice looking piece of cake. After it froze, and we served it, it was MORE than enough. I cut brownie size pieces for everyone, and it was so rich, it was really plenty. Enjoyed making and eating it, and like the fact that it was minimalist – I am one lazy vegan! Thanks.
Dasa says
Hi! Thank you for a delicious recipe! Just have one question- my crust came out super sticky! Is that because of the dates possibly? Or did I blend up the mixture too much?
Hi Dasa, we aren’t sure why that happened- perhaps your dates were extra fresh! If this happens again, you could try adding additional nuts next time. Hope that helps!
Laura says
Hi! I have made this recipe like a million times and brought to numerous gatherings and parties and it is always a hit! I have to confess that I am making only the filling because I find the crust unnecessary. It’s the best cream ever and it tastes like ice cream when straight form the freezer. I use around 100 ml of sweetener (half a cup (125 ml) was a little too sweet for me). And I use silicone muffin pan for really quick removal. My best combo is lemon zest and black currants (from my parents garden). Thanks, Dana! :)
Shonee says
OMG you are a genius Laura, I read your post as this is the second time I’m making this recipe and tadaaa you opened my mind … forget about the crust and just make the filling, which I just did :D …. waiting ever so impatiently for it to chill.
Thank you Dana!!!!!!! this is my absolute favorite cheesecake!!!!!!!!!! tho I have to admit that I throw in 2 whole peeled and seeded lemons and the lemon zest and some extra coconut oil and cream cause I like it extra zingy. I’ve shared this recipe with friends too.
Micheala says
These should be called coconut cheesecake, they just taste like sickeningly sweet coconut. I wanted to like them but after struggling for over an hour toiling over them I can’t enjoy them because they’re too sweet and way too coconutty. A lot of people love this recipe but apparently it’s not for me.
Hi Michaela, Sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t for you. You may prefer this cheesecake recipe made with less coconut. Better luck next time!
River says
I made these for my birthday and everyone loved them! My only question is I accidentally made too many and so the rest of them have been in the freezer, in a tray, uncovered since the 27th of April. Will they still be okay to eat? How much longer will they keep?
Thanks, River!!
I’d say they keep best when covered up to 1 month in the freezer.
Mavis says
I made these this past Monday to take to work for a coworkers birthday. I’m the only vegan, so I always make / bring something that I can eat. These were a big hit. So much so, that I think my coworkers ate more of them than I did.
I’ll be making them again today to take to a vegan potluck this weekend.
Susan says
Hi! I have made these before, and they are WONDERFUL!!!!! (Making them again for this Easter Sunday dinner!) Have you or anyone used silicone cupcake molds for these? I’m going to try it and see how it works!
Thanks!
Susan
We haven’t tried it, but other readers have done so with success. Hope that helps!
Susan says
Thanks for the quick reply! I’ve popped them in the freezer for this Sunday! Will let you know how they turned out!
Susan
Femke says
I also used a silicone mold and it worked great. very easy to take out
Laura says
I always use silicone muffin pan, it is so much easier to remove :)
Joe says
OMG…we just made a phenomenal variant of this crust. Instead of walnuts, one cup of raw almonds. 5 pitted dates. 1 TBSP of unsweetened cocoa powder. The leftover crust dough is it’s own healthy snack!
Joe says
I have found that a cup of dates is waaaaay too much for the crust. Maybe I use different dates than you, but I only need one or two medjool dates to get a nice sticky crust dough. More than that and it’s too oily. Your thoughts?
Interesting! We find we need the full amount of dates so we aren’t sure what would contribute to the difference. Perhaps yours are more fresh? Hope that helps!
Megan Saxbury says
Madjeel are moister then others. I have seen this happen when using a diff kind
Julia says
I’ve made this several times now, all to rave reviews. When I have it on hand I’ve been adding 1/4 of a fermented lemon, instead of the lemon juice, and it adds a great savory “cream cheese” flavor to the filling.
T says
I made these a few years back but never reviewed. I used a graham cracker crust (in the US it’s the ones in the red box. No honey so still vegan) They tasted so good!
Mélanie says
I made these twice in a week and they were a huge success. I added lemon zest to the cheesecake batter and as a topping I used canned blueberry pie filling. Everyone adored them.
Anile says
I’ve made them twice now. The first time, I followed the recipe, using almonds for the crust and adding peanut butter and roasted cocoa nibs. They were so good! I wanted to make them again for my MILs birthday. This time I used hazelnuts for the crust and added a swirl of vegan “Nutella”. OMG, yum! My only problem is trying not to eat them all before the birthday dinner!
Susan says
These are A-mazing! I made them for my daughter for her birthday, and she loved them! (She loves the Earth Fare vegan cheesecake) and said these were better than the Earth Fare one! Everyone who had one loved it!! I made no changes, did the recipe as written….I did use strawberries and blueberries for topping some, and I swirled natural peanut butter into some…I DO want to make them again and make the bourbon caramel sauce!! I haven’t read through all the comments, but I’m assuming you could make this into an actual cheesecake? Thanks for a great recipe!!
Hi Susan, So glad you and your daughter love these! Yes, you can make a big cheesecake. Either use a parchment-lined springform pan or 8-inch cake pan! Best of luck!
Nicolette Marzolf says
I made these in little Dixie cups and little spoons and gave them out for teacher appreciation week at the kids schools. The teachers really liked them and most couldn’t tell they were dairy free:) some teachers I knew were dairy free so I made sure to bring one to their class personally and tell them they could have them!!! This year I’m making it in a cheesecake pan for my bday and inviting friends over for coffee and cheesecake while our darlings are in school!!!
What a creative idea! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nicolette. We are so glad everyone enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Victoria says
I just made these ?. I used a whole vegan Girl Scout Thin Mint as the crust. Followed the filling recipe but added two scoops of 100% cocao. They are so good! Next I’m going to try a whole cheese cake with smashed thin mint crust. Their no longer raw but I’m not a real vegan anyways ?.
Kerry says
Once frozen, would these survive a 5h train ride?
Hmm that might be a bit long, but its worth a shot if that’s your only option! Let us know how you make out, Kerry. Good luck!
Mlle Lupita says
Made it and used chocolate syrup to make chocolate hearts on the top for Valentine’s Day. Beautiful success! Also I did some substitutions others might find helpful: used almonds in the crust and though I don’t have a food processor I just bought sliced almonds and chopped them and the dates with a big knife a whole bunch. Also was running low on coconut oil so I used a combo of coconut oil and vegan butter and it all turned out great!
Xtina says
I was wondering if it’s possible to bake these instead of freezing them?
See comments above!
Ashley says
Not only were these easy to make, they were delicious. The only dates available to me were dehydrated, so I had to add water to the food processor to get them to blend. My crust held together, but was soggy..still bomb.com, but will absolutely have more walnuts on hand to compensate next time. Totally my bad but try to buy fresh dates, or as close to it as you can get!
Melanie Hamilton says
Sooooooo delicious!!! This is such a great and dare I say, healthy treat that anyone could love. Will be making again and again.
XO
Melanie
Manon. says
Really like the recipe, easy to make.
Was afraid they wouldn’t look as cool but actually really happy with the end result! Tomorrow I’ll use them as little birthdaycakes for my 2 year old.
I think I need to keep them partly frozen, so my suggestion to others (and myself in future) is to really go for the tinnef coconutmilk and only use the solid parts. Or soak the cashews for a shorter period of time (went for an overnight version).
I also did taste the result and felt it needed some extra to hide/blend in the cashew-taste some more (only had roasted cashews which may have caused this minor dilemma). Am really happy with the end result though!!!
Added some lemon zest & vanilla and a touch of sugar (it’s a birthday!)
Also couldn’t help adding a bit of maple syrup to the walnut & date mixture.
Soooooo looking forward to tomorrow!
The peanut butter core and berry-cores really make them look cool and super festvive!
Thanks a bunch!!
Debbie Carter says
Can this recipe be used using a spring form pan, & if so, what size? And should filling ingredients be doubled? Thanks in advance….love your recipes.
Yes that will work!
Devon Kelly says
Hi there! These look amazing! I am making for the first time and bringing to a party this Saturday. Do you suggest keeping in freezer until it’s dessert time? It seems like they thaw quickly (per your statement, 10 mins). I also plan to top with cherry sauce because I love it so much haha. Do you recommend I mix it in or just dollop on top?
Hope to hear from you!
Devon K.
Daniela Piscitello says
Can I use macadamia nuts (or any other nut) instead of cashews? I cant eat cashews and I’m dying for cheesecake.
Lenguadita says
OUTSTANDING!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. We loved it. Perfect as they were – no need to make any recipe changes, we served with fresh passion fruit pulp.
Susan Yarrow says
Like a lot of families we have severe allergies, egg, cows milk, cheese and cream.
Gluten and yeast are also a problem.
One is also a vegan, which is no worry if there are only two families getting together, but last week there were 12 of us and l offered to do the dessert.
I was delighted to find your recipe and followed it exactly, though I did do just one in a flan tin. It was loved by everyone. I served it with fresh raspberries.
Thank you for the inspiration, yours kindly
Sue Y
Mike says
Followed the recipe exactly. The cream cheese was good at room temperature after defrosting for about 20 minutes. A creamy flavour with the tang of the lemon (maybe slightly too much of a tang). But the disappointment was the crust. Was not ‘crumbly’ – rather too dense and sweet. 2 of my family who love cheesecake and desserts in general said they prefer other recipes…so have 8 of the cupcake sizes to share with neighbours!
Collette says
@Dana, any advice on how to achieve a more crumbly crust?
Hi Collette, if you prefer a more crumbly crust, you may prefer this cheesecake recipe! Hope that helps!
Cat says
Very simple for basic making skills , it’s taken me 2 hours but I did have to rumage round for a few bits . As it’s Christmas I used a mixture for berries including cranberries. I’m pretty sure I’ve winged it with measurements as I don’t have cups , I used grams. I had some base mixture left over which I’ve frozen to use at a later date and I managed to make 18 from the mixture. It tastes nice to me so fingers crossed the vegans I’ve made them for enjoy. Happy Holidays X
Great! Thanks for sharing your process, Cat! Happy Holidays!
Mary says
I love this recipe!!!! Newbie vegan and sugar fanatic… this was EASY to make and so sweet and satistying. Without sugar!!!!!!
??I used the almond option for my crust
??I added a few drops of stevia to boost the sweet factor
??I added 8 drops of lemon essential oil and the zest from the lemon I juiced because I LOVE lemon
Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for sharing your recipe modifications, Mary! We are so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jackie Evans says
I followed the directions exactly and they are terrible….? The filling is so bland and the crust is bitter. I’m going to try again using coconut cream, add vanilla extract and pecans instead of walnuts.
Oh no! We’re sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t work out for you, Jackie.. I’d recommend giving this cheesecake recipe a try next time!
Sarah Morgan-Carr says
Do I put these back in the freezer in between servings? Or the fridge? Thank you!
The freezer would be best!
Penni Parisi says
thanks for sharing this information.have shared this link with others keep posting such information..
Bella says
Hi! I made these and the filling was tasty, but I went wrong somewhere with the crust. It was very oily, no matter how many walnuts I added. I wasn’t sure how long to process the crust either. Is it possible I over processed? Thank you!
Hi Bella! Its possible to over-process the crust mixture. It should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers and if its too wet, add more almond or walnut meal. Hope this helps!
Amy says
I made the peanut butter version yesterday and it was great! I put in 4 tbsp of peanut butter to give it a strong taste.
My only query is, it has left me with a strange taste in mouth and i’m wondering could that be the dates? What could i substitute the dates for? (not prunes or raisins though…)
Thanks so much!
Sky says
This looks so amazing! I’ll be making these next week for sure. But quick question; if I wanted to make all 12 of these into pumpkin cheesecakes, how much puréed pumpkin do you think it’d take to make them? I don’t want to add too much and it end up not setting right. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Sky! I’d recommend checking out our Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe and working off of that :)
A person says
So my best friend has a birthday coming up, she can’t eat dairy but she absolutely LOVES cheesecake. How comparable is the actual “cheese” part of the cheesecake to a dairy-laden one?
Taylor Sivak says
Can you use almonds or pecans for the crust? Instead of walnuts
Robert B Arnold says
Do you have a vegan alternative to the bourbon caramel sauce? The one pinned has heavy cream
Hi Robert! This vegan caramel sauce may interest you!
Kaytee Mitten says
I just made these… and they are SO good!
I ‘tested’ one after only 3 hours in the freezer, and the consistency was perfect.
I made some plain, some peanut butter & some chocolate by adding some cocoa powder.
This recipe was so easy to follow and yielded awesome results! Thank you for sharing!
Barbara says
I come back to this recipe time and again because it’s so delicious! Rich, creamy, tangy, and so satisfying. I do cut the sweetener in half (maple and raw sugar both work) and add more lemon juice -or lime- and a little zest. Also, to me, they don’t need the mix ins or toppings as they are just perfect on their own. 15 mins to thaw is just enough. Thanks for this fabulous recipe!
Rosie says
This is the first cashew cheesecake recipe I’ve ever tried, and I absolutely loved it! I have also always been a bit fond of dairy cheesecake, but am again making a push towards a more plant based diet, so needed something a bit decadent to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Probably the biggest fans of these in my household are my cats! They go mad for it every time I have one, as much as they do for dairy cream or ice cream (or likely dairy cheesecake if they ever sniffed it). I think that’s a pretty good indicator that they are as good as if not better than dairy, from a feline perspective!!
(In case anyone freaks out that I’m feeding my cats dairy, I’m not, I know about their lactose intolerance etc, and they only get the tiniest lick of these ones as an extra special treat. But any of you who have ever had cats know they can smell cream at quite a distance, and will come running to investigate! Sometimes it’s hard to fight them off ?)
Jordan says
I made this recipe twice in the same week cause it was so good! The first time I made it I blended half the batter with peanut butter like it calls for but the other half I blended with a handful of blueberries and it gave it an amazing blue color. Then the second time I made it I bought Oreo cookies (cause they are vegan) and crumbled them into the batter to make Cookies & Cream cheesecake which turned out amazing!
Julie says
I’ve made these before and loved them. I am in Greece aniw and our apartment doesn’t have a freezer, but want to make them for a group dinner….do they have to be frozen? Or maybe just let the sit in Dixie cups?
They will be closer to a thick pudding consistency if you put them in the fridge instead of the freezer. Hope that helps!
Miranda R says
LOVE these! So indulgent yet healthy. I sometimes add shredded coconut to the crust, use less sweetener in the filling, and don’t usually put toppings on them. I keep them in the freezer and let them sit out for a couple minutes before eating so they’re not as hard. I’ve poured them into muffins cups and used the parchment paper criss-crosses; had the best results with the parchment paper. Make sure the criss-crosses aren’t too thin or they’ll tear and it will be super difficult to get the cheesecakes out!
Yum! Thanks for sharing your process, Miranda!
Jeni says
Hi I am making this and misread! I did the quick soak method for the cashews and used that with the dates for the crust instead of the walnuts. Bc they were soaked first will that ruin the crust? I’ve never made cheesecake ?
Yeah, that won’t work for the crust but you can use them for the filling!
Carolina says
I’m so glad I found those! My husband is intolerant/ allergic to so many things so finding a recipe that is vegan gluten free and doesn’t require super expensive and weird ingredients is not always easy. Made those for his bday party and everyone kept commenting on them. Definitely stole the party :D
Love your recipes! Can’t wait to try some more.
Tanshania Newbold says
Can I use peanuts instead of cashews. Family allergies.
We haven’t tried using peanuts, but you could try subbing the cashews for vegan cream cheese? Let me know how it goes, as we haven’t tried it that way.
Kenzi says
SOOOO I just made these cause I had some soaked cashews and they ARE AMAZING. my family came up and they were in love. I got crazy with the toppings and did blueberries, strawberries, peanut butter swirled in, and chocolate. Absolutely perfect little bite of heaven. It is so rich and creamy that you are satisfied with only one! But are so irresistible. Delicious. Must make!! and so easy too with minimal ingredients.
Kate says
Are vegan nut-free versions possible?
Maybe you could try subbing a raw seed, such as sunflower? Good luck!
Ashley says
Hi! I would like to make this buy it can’t eat coconut oil – or any oil. Is it possible on make this without oil or not? I hope I’m not repeating someone else’s question. X
Rusty says
Just found these and made them in the Thermomix. Absolutely delicious. I used dried dates and 50/50 almonds and walnuts for the base (with a little lemon peel and juice for zing – I think I added a touch of water to bring everything together).
I used peanut butter, mango and blueberries for the different flavours. And I used a silicone muffin mold so they were easy to just pop out. Thankyou, this one has gone straight to the keep-book…..
We are glad you enjoyed this recipe, Rusty! Thank you for sharing your recipe changes!
Kate says
Hi Dana – I want to make these but they will need to sit out at room temp for 4-5 hours at an event. Will they hold up ok or should I make something different instead?
Might I recommend this recipe instead? Or this?
Carly Alexander says
When I go to blend the soaked cashews tonight for this recipe, I drain them right?
I went a little off the books and soaked them in the fridge because I have the time.
Yes, drain them before blending!
sarah says
would it work as a full size cake? or would it not cut well?
That should work! Check the comments above as others have successfully done it!
Haley says
Your “Easy Baked Cheesecake (Vegan + GF) recipe page isn’t working. The link leads to an error page. Can you please email me this recipe, as I was planning to make it for guests this weekend?
Please and thank you,
Haley
Hi Haley! It should be working now!
kathy says
This was my first venture into vegan cheesecake. They turned out perfectly and are delicious. I followed the peanut butter flavoring (substituting sunflower seed butter). After chilling for 1 hour, I drizzled the tops with melted chocolate (2 tbsp of Organic Nutiva Dark Chocolate–vegan friendly– whisked with 2 Tbsp of melted coconut oil) and put them back in the freezer for the desired time. I also sprayed the muffin tins lightly with coconut oil, and then used paper muffin cups. They popped out with inserting a knife, and the paper muffin cups peeled off easily so I could put them all into a zip lock bag in the freezer. A bit hit in our house! Next time I may sprinkle 1/2 tsp of crushed pecans on the top before drizzling with chocolate.
Faye says
Um… WOW!!!!
I made these today and they are amazing!
After 2 hours, I took them out and they were already set and tasted delicious. From the recipe, I got 15 cupcake-sized cheesecakes! They didn’t contain any add-ins but were still amazing.
I only added 1/4 cup of maple syrup and found it was sweet enough. Personal preference I guess?
Thank you so much for the recipe, I will definitely use it in the future!
We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe, Faye!
Kristen says
How long can these be out of the freezer? Like if they are in the car for a 2 hour road trip will they get too soft? Should they stay in the muffin tins? Should they go back in the freezer once we get on location?
2 hours out of the freezer is a bit long for these ones, so I would recommend keeping them in their tins and then popping them back in the freezer upon arrival. You may want to try these chocolate ones instead! They hold up at room temp for hours. Good luck!
Claudia says
Hi :)
I’ve made these yesterday, all peanut butter and they were lovely! And so easy to make. Unbelievable.
I was wondering, if I wanted to make them vanilla flavour, how much vanilla would you recommend? Have you ever tried it yourself?
Thanks
Hi! Others added vanilla and I recommend scanning through the comments above for tips! Good luck!
Alyssa says
I made these for a family get together. I’m not vegan but a few of my family members are. Needless to say I was a little nervous working with some new ingredients. I made the crust with dates, oats and a little cinnamon. Every thing else I followed exactly and they turned out amazing! Thank you!!
Glad to hear it turned out amazing!
Mel says
These look gorgeous! Will they set up properly if made in a single, traditional size cheesecake pan, sliced into 8 slices?
Fleur says
Made these for a high tea party. Everyone really liked them.
Sarah says
I have had this recipe pinned for so long now, and last night I FINALLY made it! I am so beyond happy with how they turned out and they will definitely be a hit with my non-veg fam. Couple of things I did differently: 1) Because my dates were really hard so I gave them a quick soak beforehand. This made the consistency of the crust a little watery, so I added 1/2 cup of oat flour to the mixture. Worked out great! 2) I used canned coconut cream in place of coconut milk for a richer consistency. I think it also helped them set faster.
Can’t wait to try your other cheesecake recipes as well!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Sarah!
Brittany says
Made this today in a full sized pie pan. I blanched some almonds and used those as I didn’t have cashews. I did a quick soak for the full hour but it probably would have been best to do two soaks.
The mixture ended up quite creamy just not 100% smooth.
I added in peanut butter but the flavor wasn’t too noticeable. And that’s just fine!
Now it’s in the freezer and I’m very impatient lol. It’s been about two hours and it’s soft as can be.
I’ll be pacing around until it’s done haha. Thanks for another amazing recipe.
Alexandra says
Can I make this recipe in a traditional springform pan? Or will it not ser right?
Alexandra says
Set*
Yes, it will work!
Jacqueline CV says
I made these for our office Christmas party, to help accommodate the dietary needs of staff who were vegan and/or had to eat a gluten-free diet. The omnivores loved it, and I got requests for the recipe. One thing I found is that they didn’t come out well from my baking tin – next time I used paper muffin-cups and got a better result, plus they looked pretty with the pleated edges.
Kirsten says
I made these today and they are good, but very sweet. I made two batches – used honey in one and maple syrup in another. I could really taste the honey, so I think that more like 1/3 cup might taste better (to me). Not sure yet about the finished maple syrup batch – still in the freezer!
My wife really liked the honey batch (made apricot/chili (jam) flavour and blueberry) and said they were better than Daiya dairy free cheesecakes. Thanks for the recipe!
Hannah says
Loved this recipe!! Made it for a family dinner tonight, and every one enjoyed it ?
Holly says
I made this recipe and LOVED it. I have vegan friends and they’re particular…, so I wanted to make something delish. My meat eating husband LOVED them also. I’m making them again and actually writing this out in my “good” recipe book. Thank you!
Btw… when I was first dividing these out into individual cupcake tins I was hating it and thought I’ll just put them in a casserole dish next time, but they’re so cute as cupcakes and the perfect size that I’ll likely keep the recipe and method exactly the same. AWESOME! Thank you.
Joseph says
I find this recipe calls for too many dates in the crust. 3 or 4 pitted dates is plenty for holding it together.
Julie says
DO else at taste coconutty? Thanks. Making this you not picky, nonvegan boyfriend. If he likes these, they could get us one step closer to him being vegan. He is also minorly lactose intolerant. Thanks again!
Julie says
Do these taste coconutty?*
They are not overly coconutty at all, no!
Julie says
Thank you! Love your site! Pumpkin pie rocked at Thanksgiving!
Sharon says
OH! MY! I made this last night, but, it was too late to wait for it to freeze, so first thing in the morning, I ran to the freezer to see how they turned out! MMM MMM Good! Good enough to have with my fruit for breakfast! This is definitely a new staple (uh hum…dessert) in my house!
I didn’t have walnut so I used pecans, and only had honey dates, and they worked great together, and I did try to use the cream from the milk and it all went together great! Thanks so much
Rhea Boyd says
THIBKing about substituting yogurt for the couple tablespoons of coconut cream th thoughts? Also couldn’t find any dates in my tiny town ha ha so I Ann going to try an fig and cran substitute… advice? I’m going to soak the fo hs figs in warm water to get them nice and plump first
Sarah says
Amazing recipe! After trying it at a friend’s house I made my own raspberry cheesecake! I used pepitas for the crust and sunflower seeds for the filling because my dad is allergic to nuts. My roommate was more than happy to be my taste tester – and she has no dietary restriction!
Jacqui says
Made these for Christmas day. OMG amazeballs. These will be a family staple for now. Cheesecake is one of my faves, so happy. They are just so easy to whip up aswell. Making more rigjt now.
Cecilie says
I have made this a few times within the last month and it is currently my boyfriends favorite recipe!
I actually did not even use any agave in the cashew filling, except for the water from the soaked dates + some fresh squeezed orange juice and it was my favorite! I liked this one more than the agave sweetened one! And I just love how simple and easy this recipe is to make!
I want to share that I made your recipe in a WIE video on my YT channel, can I use 1-2 of the photos here, for reference, of course referring people to your site and recipe?
Thank you Dana, for this amazing recipe :)
Maya says
This is the best vegan cheesecake EVER! Thank you ❤️
Raschelle says
Thanks for the recipe. Made this for Christmas. Love this so much and so easy to make.
Tausha says
I added a little less than a tsp vanilla to the filling mixture, and it added a nice layer of depth. Doesn’t change the taste hardly at all, but the vanilla + blueberry combo is way too good. I also used coconut cream in the can instead of the top layer of refrigerated coconut milk, the density is excellent. This recipe is so good to mix different flavors in. I bet some lime zest would be stellar.