Easy Baked Chocolate Cheesecake (Vegan + GF)

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Showing the filling texture of a slice of vegan chocolate cheesecake

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! Our beloved Easy Baked Cheesecake is a fan favorite (and for good reason), but there’s a new treat in town stealing our hearts: Chocolate Cheesecake! We already have No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecakes on the blog, but this new baked version really takes things to the next level. 

A perfectly tender chocolate cookie crust is topped with a rich, creamy, not-too-sweet chocolate cheesecake layer and fresh raspberry sauce. Swoon! Simple methods and just 9 ingredients required to make this show-stopping gluten-free and vegan dessert. Let us show you how it’s done!

Cashews, salt, coconut oil, maple syrup, cocoa powder, arrowroot starch, almond flour, raspberries, vegan cream cheese, and coconut cream

This cheesecake starts with a chocolate cookie crust adapted from The BEST Thin Mints (V/GF) (another must-try recipe!). Almond flour and arrowroot starch combine with cocoa powder, salt, coconut oil, and maple syrup for a chocolaty, crispy yet tender base.

Using a fork to mix chocolate cookie cheesecake crust

We press it into a loaf pan to pack the dough, then bake it to make it crispy.

Using a cup over parchment paper to pack chocolate crust into a loaf pan

While the crust is baking then cooling, we transition to the filling.

Cashews, coconut cream, and vegan cream cheese are the creamy, tangy trio that makes this cheesecake taste like the real deal and ensures it’s totally swoon-worthy! They’re blended with arrowroot starch for thickness, coconut oil for richness, sea salt for flavor, and cocoa powder because CHOCOLATE!

Pouring creamy vegan chocolate cheesecake filling into a pan

And you know what goes well with chocolate? Raspberries! Chocolate + raspberries = heaven — it’s a fact!

Cooking raspberry sauce in a saucepan

So we included an optional raspberry sauce that comes together by simmering and cooling a mixture of raspberries, maple syrup, and arrowroot starch. It adds a gentle tartness that pairs beautifully with the bold chocolate flavor.

Raspberry sauce drizzled over slices of chocolate cheesecake

We hope you LOVE this chocolate cheesecake! It’s:

Rich
Creamy
Chocolaty
Decadent
Perfectly sweet
& Insanely delicious!

It’s the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers, impressing dinner guests, adding to the holiday table, and beyond!

More Vegan Cheesecake Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Fork holding up a slice of vegan chocolate cheesecake with coconut whipped cream and raspberry sauce

Easy Baked Chocolate Cheesecake (Vegan + GF)

Creamy, dreamy vegan chocolate cheesecake with optional raspberry sauce! Super chocolaty, decadent, and gluten-free. Just 9 ingredients required!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Slices of vegan gluten-free chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce
4.67 from 15 votes
Prep Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings 9 (Slices)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
  • 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp refined coconut oil (solid, not melted)
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup

CHOCOLATE FILLING

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup coconut cream (we like Savoy brand)
  • 8 oz. plain vegan cream cheese (Miyokos is best, but Tofutti or Kite Hill also work)
  • 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 2/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp melted refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 scant cup cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

RASPBERRY SAUCE optional

  • 12 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries (~2 cups)
  • 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 ½ tsp arrowroot starch

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard loaf pan (or 8×8 inch baking dish) with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • CRUST: To a medium bowl add almond flour, arrowroot starch, cocoa powder, and salt and stir to combine. Add solid coconut oil and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, fork, or clean hands. The mixture should look like wet sand and hold together when squeezed. Add the maple syrup and stir until combined.
  • Transfer mixture to parchment-lined loaf pan and spread evenly to distribute. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, like a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed.
  • Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until dry and slightly firm to the touch — it’s okay if it still feels a little soft. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. At this time, turn your oven temperature down to 325 F (162 C).
  • FILLING: While the crust cools, add all of the filling ingredients (cashews, coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, arrowroot starch, maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, and salt) to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until very smooth and creamy — about 1 minute — scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, salt for balance, or cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor.
  • Pour the filling onto the pre-baked crust and tap it down on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top looks and feels tacky and the center is still a little jiggly. The center might sink slightly when you remove it from the oven — that’s okay!
  • RASPBERRY SAUCE: While your cheesecake is baking, make your raspberry sauce (if using). Place your raspberries in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to low. Begin smashing the raspberries with a wooden spoon until no large pieces remain, then add the maple syrup and arrowroot starch and stir to combine.
  • Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir constantly until the mixture begins to bubble slightly. Lower the heat to medium (you want it steaming a bit, but not bubbling) and continue stirring for 5-10 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken and is a rich, red color. At this point, you can set it aside to cool or strain the seeds out using a fine mesh strainer for an extra smooth sauce (we prefer straining)! Let sauce cool completely before serving, and store in the refrigerator.
  • When your cheesecake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator (uncovered) to let cool completely. Once cooled, cover (waiting until cool will prevent condensation) and continue refrigerating for a total of 5-6 hours, preferably overnight.
  • To serve, lift out of pan with parchment paper and cut into bars or triangles (we carefully cut off the very end pieces because they weren’t as creamy as the center pieces.) Drizzle slices with the raspberry sauce.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3-4 days, though best within the first 2 days.

Video

Notes

*Prep time includes chilling cheesecake in the refrigerator.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Miyoko’s vegan cream cheese and without optional raspberry sauce.

Nutrition (1 of 9 servings)

Serving: 1 slice Calories: 439 Carbohydrates: 38.9 g Protein: 9.7 g Fat: 30.3 g Saturated Fat: 13.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.8 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 207 mg Potassium: 350 mg Fiber: 6.2 g Sugar: 20.6 g Vitamin A: 1 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 85 mg Iron: 3.7 mg

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  1. Alyssa says

    Wow! This recipe is fairly straightforward and doesn’t taste like it lacks anything even though it is gluten-free and vegan! The vegan cream cheese I had wanted to use had already spoiled, so I used a different one I had already opened and added a few spoonfuls of vegan yogurt I had in the fridge to make up for the missing bits of the 8 oz called for in the recipe, which worked great. This cheesecake is super rich-tasting and feels less guilty to eat than a regular one would, plus most of the people in my life could eat it! Will definitely be making this again soon and will try it with the sauce next time!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it and that those in your life can have it as well. Thank you for sharing, Alyssa! xo

  2. Taryn says

    Hello, I’m on an anti inflammation diet and allowed Stevia but not maple syrup. do you think that I could omit the maple syrup in this recipe for powdered stevia? Let me know what you think.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Taryn, that will be tricky in this one because the maple syrup is also playing a role in the consistency of both the filling and crust. You could possibly try powdered stevia + almond milk, but the result will vary!

  3. McKinsay says

    I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and love it! I’m wanting to make this cheesecake with peppermint for the holidays. Any recommendations on how much peppermint extract to use?

  4. Carley says

    This was amazing! I wanted to make a peanut butter cheesecake with a chocolate crust so I followed the recipe perfectly except I subbed powdered peanut powder (PB2 brand) for the cocoa powder for the filling. It was SO good! The texture was perfect and the flavor was still perfectly balanced. The cookie crust bubbled a bit for me on its first bake, but it settled down and turned out perfectly soft yet crisp.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woah, that sounds amazing, Carley! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Madison, we think it would work, but it won’t be as tall and will likely cook faster. Let us know if you try it!

  5. Kristen says

    Can’t wait to try this fab sounding recipe! I’m interested in making them into individual cheesecake bites in a small muffin tin – how would the baking time adjust to do so?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kristen, we’d suggest ~10 minutes for the crust, or until dry and slightly firm to the touch. In step 8, probably closer to 30-40 minutes. You want the center to still be slightly jiggly. Let us know how it goes!

  6. Jessica says

    This turned out so good! I don’t eat dairy, and I love that I can still enjoy cheesecake with this recipe. Thank you for sharing! I actually used strawberries in the filling instead of cocoa powder, and it turned out pretty well.

  7. Risa says

    We loved this! Only mod was to use dairy cream cheese as we are not vegan and didn’t have vegan cream cheese on hand (still worked really well), and skipped the raspberry sauce (holiday rush) for a fresh raspberry per slice dusted with vanilla sugar. So decadent, gorgeous, and yet incredibly easy to make. Will def make this again next year. Thanks Dana and all the best in 2022!

  8. Kat says

    I made this cheesecake and it was delicious, it was very dense and chocolatey so I wish I had made the raspberry sauce or coconut topping to offset it. In the below comments they said it was brownie like and I will admit when I first took it out the oven it looked like a brownie but after chilling over night it did set like a cheesecake and had the right texture when serving.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Kat! The raspberry and coconut whip really do lighten it up nicely. xo

  9. Marilyn says

    I always count on Minimalist Baker for home run recipes and this was no exception. I made this for our Christmas meal for a mixed group that included vegan and gluten free, and it was loved by all. I used a loaf pan and subbed cornstarch for the arrowroot and used Miyokos cream cheese. Added raspberry jam I had on hand to the sauce as I didn’t have enough fresh raspberries to make the full recipe. I always make another traditional chocolate cheesecake loaded with sour cream and everything else and I won’t go back to that after making this. So easy and absolutely delicious! LOVE this!

  10. Jess says

    Hey there! Wanting to make this for Christmas and wondering if I can use regular cream cheese? Will that mess with the consistency or will it be alright? Not a huge fan of vegan cream cheese but need the other dietary restrictions associated with this recipe.

    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jess, We haven’t tried this with regular cream cheese, but we think it would work if it’s in the same amount. It just might have a tangier flavor in the end. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  11. Kelly D. says

    I made this! The flavor is absolutely delicious and it makes a LOT more than a typical loaf pan can handle. The crust is really yummy too. The only thing I modified was I added a couple drops of raspberry extract just for the slightest hint of raspberry. I also added just a slight dash of espresso powder because, when I make chocolate desserts, I always add espresso powder to enhance the chocolatey flavor. I mixed mine in a Ninja and it worked perfectly. Very smooth and creamy. Unbaked, it tastes like chocolate pudding. Yum.
    My biggest issue was baking it. It calls for 45-50 minutes…mine was in the oven for at least TWICE that! The cake just would NOT set up! I kept looking for that slightly jiggly middle…but the whole thing was super jiggly for the LONGEST time. Finally, I was running out of time, so I pulled it from the oven. It looked mostly correct, but honestly, upon tasting it, it was still a little under and probably could’ve used maybe 10-15 more minutes if you can believe it! Tasted amazing though! No complaints on taste.
    I baked another cheesecake right after (…actually it was Minimalist Baker’s other baked cheesecake with cashews, lemon zest, and the oat/almond crust, which I’ve made a few times before and always have success). It baked like a charm, so I know it’s not my oven.
    I don’t know what the deal was with baking the chocolate cake???

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kelly, we’re glad to hear the taste was delicious, but sorry to hear it didn’t bake up correctly. What brands of coconut cream and vegan cream cheese did you use? It sounds like it was too liquidy!

      • Kelly says

        I used Thai kitchen canned coconut cream and kitehill cream cheese. You know….I just rechecked the recipe and noticed it calls for one cup coconut cream. I just dumped in the whole can. Oh no!….was this my issue?? Arg!

  12. Kelly says

    With your regular baked cheesecake (which is fabulous, by the way), we have to soak the cashews. This recipe doesn’t mention soaking… So, to soak or not to soak? That is my question. Thanks! Looking forward to trying this one!

  13. Mary says

    Great looking recipe. I’m wondering about 2 substitutions:

    Could I sub the almond flour with regular wheat flour?
    Could strawberries be used instead of raspberries (don’t like them)?

    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Mary, Strawberries would be delicious! You may need to cook them longer and/or add more arrowroot starch because they have more moisture. We haven’t tried replacing the almond flour with all purpose flour, but it you try it, we’d suggest starting with half as much and working your way up to match the texture in the photos/video because it’s more absorbent. Hope that helps!

  14. Becca says

    What can I substitute for almond flour? I can eat almonds but I have a peanut allergy and all the almond flour I’ve found says it may contain peanuts. I can’t wait to try out this recipe! Thanks

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Becca, If you can have it, coconut flour might be a good option here. We’d suggest starting with 1/2 cup and increasing if need be (you can reference the video to see the texture you’re looking for). Otherwise, oat flour might work? But we haven’t tried it. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Rouve, we haven’t tried this recipe with honey but think it would be too thick for the filling.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Corwin! Unfortunately we haven’t tested that and we aren’t confident it would work, the flavor and texture might not mix well. Let us know if you try it!

  15. Alexis says

    I made this today for my husband’s birthday. Oh my goodness it is divine!! Smooth, rich, and chocolate-y. I’ll definitely make this again.

  16. Polina says

    What can I replace vegan cream cheese with? There’s no vegan cream cheese in by city:(( Will silken tofu work?

    (Thank you, this recipie is just awesome)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Polina! We haven’t tried this with silken tofu but it could work, alternatively you could increase the cashews and/or use a lesser amount of coconut/dairy free yogurt? Let us know how it goes!

    • Amy says

      Hi I made this for thanksgiving but kinda disappointed with how it came out – when I took out from the oven it looked like a baked brownie and when I tasted after it cools off it has the texture of a brownie not a cheesecake. Yours seems to be very smooth and mine is not. I used kite hill cream cheese. I run out maybe 2tbsp of it and also didn’t do the full recommended maple syrup.
      I baked 45 mins. I was disappointed with the filling texture that it came out like a brownie. I’ve always wanted to bake a cheesecake and I failed with this :( any thoughts??

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Amy! So sorry to hear that this didn’t work out for you. Did you make any other modifications? If you significantly reduced the maple syrup it might have made the filling thicker, and it might have baked to a much firmer texture. Let us know if we can help you troubleshoot further!

        • Amy says

          Hi,
          Yes I did reduced the maple and I also run out of it so I added a little honey. I think overall I use a little over half of the recommended. I tend to reduce sweeteners when I bake. I know maple syrup are healthy sweeteners but it’s still packed with sugars. So maybe I’ll use the full recommended??

          The cream cheese 8 oz was recommended (16tbsp) unused 13-14tbsp if I’m not mistaken. I feel guilty finishing the entire cream cheese container as I thought it was a lot :( Could this be the reason to why it didn’t came out good?

          When I blended everything I see chunks of cashews and took off the big ones. I used ninja blender

          I also use a loaf baking pan instead of the 8×8 pan.. Not sure why my crust came out little when I tried to transfer them to 8×8 pan and I’ll end up with a very thin crust I ended up using the pan so I used the loaf pan.

          The texture came out like a brownie and not a cheesecake at all😩 I baked for 45 minutes

          Those are all the modifications that I made. Thank you for taking the time to respond here.

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hi Amy, using less maple syrup and more cream cheese would make it thicker, so that could definitely be the issue. Also, it sounds like the ninja blender wasn’t powerful enough because the cashews should get fully blended and no longer be visible.

      • Sarah says

        same exact thing just happened to me! I followed the recipe exactly and it’s nothing like a cheesecake consistency. Like you said, it’s a brownie texture. :( I used all the appropriate measurements and used my Vitamix to blend the cashews. No idea what happened!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Sarah, sorry that happened! What brands of vegan cream cheese and coconut cream were you using? We’re thinking they may have been too thick. Or is it possible it was baked too long?

  17. Sally says

    Hello, I’m new to your site and looking forward to making this beautiful cheesecake for our Thanksgiving dessert. My question: what is the lovely fluffy white topping shown in some of the pictures?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Welcome, Sally! It’s coconut whipped cream. You can use store-bought or find our recipe here. Hope you love it! xo

  18. Andrea Bushnell says

    I just made this recipe and did not modify anything…I think it’s one of the best desserts I have made since going vegan!! I was testing out recipes to make for Christmas, this is a MUST!! Absolutely delicious. I was skeptical about it since the filling was so watery but trust it, it thickens up. So good!!!

  19. Cynthia says

    I will try using almond meal as I don’t have almond flour. This recipe looks so delicious, Thank you so much for sharing 💖 ❤
    Cynthia

  20. Kira says

    My stomach doesn’t do well with cashews: do you think any other nut or replacement ingredient would work in this recipe? It looks amaaaazing :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kira! We haven’t tried it in this recipe, but it’s possible that macadamia nuts would work here, though we would recommend soaking them for at least an hour in boiling water. Let us know how it goes!

  21. Candice says

    WOW! I make your simple cheesecake bites all of the time and saw this recipe this week and I am so glad I decided to make it. The flavor was perfection. texture of both crust and cheesecake was so good. Thank you for such a amazing easy dessert that my family can enjoy! <3

    • Deanna says

      Hello! I’m eager to try this recipe today for tomorrow and I don’t have parchment paper, I’ve done without for other recipes before and it’s been fine mostly.. do you think I’ll run into huge problem getting it out of the pan? Sorry for the weird question and thanks in advance, this will be my first cheesecake!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Deanna! We haven’t tried this without parchment so we aren’t sure if it will work. We’d suggest you generously grease the pan with coconut oil and then dust some flour or cocoa powder as well to try and get it out easily. Let us know how it goes!

  22. Meagan says

    Hello! I there anything I could substitute for the vegan cream cheese ?? The stores are closed today..! lol. Would it work without?

      • Cara Mia says

        In regards to using something other than vegan cream cheese…can I use regular dairy cream cheese? I have someone who is avoiding soy right now.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Cara, We haven’t tried this with regular cream cheese, but we think it would work if it’s in the same amount. It just might have a tangier flavor in the end. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  23. Caroline says

    YUM!!!!! Yes, this recipe was posted only yesterday, but I saw it yesterday afternoon and IMMEDIATELY jumped to it – I love chocolate cheesecake. And with that raspberry sauce? *chefs kiss*.
    Must. Make. The crust is sooooo good, the filling decadent. Amazing.
    Thank you for another one of your delicious recipes!!!! I am always up to date with your recipes (I comment on a lot of them) and so thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your work on this blog.
    Delicious cheesecake.
    Love from Australia,
    Caroline 🐨 🇦🇺

  24. Katia says

    This recipe sounds amazing, though sadly my whole family hates cashews :(.
    do you have any cheesecake recipes without em?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katia! We don’t currently have any cheesecake recipes without cashews, they always give the creamiest results and the most neutral flavor! We haven’t tried but it is possible that soaked macadamia nuts could work instead, or you could check out our cashew-free chocolate silk pie! Hope this helps!

  25. Baiba says

    Dear MB Team,
    I am drooling from the pictures alone. But before I start baking, I need to ask – is vegan cream cheese key to the filling? Or can I substitute with cashews/coconut cream/tofu?
    Thanks so much!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Baiba! Thanks so much, we hope you love it! The cream cheese is pretty important here for the right texture as well as the best flavor, unfortunately we wouldn’t recommended substituting it with other ingredients, but do let us know if you give anything a try!

      • Baiba says

        Hi MB Team,
        Thanks for your reply. Can I make my own vegan cream cheese? I can make it from cashews+water+coconut cream in my magimix. Or is it important that it is “cultured” with good bacteria?
        I really want to make the cake, but don’t have access to vegan cream cheese.
        Thanks :)

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          It’s not too important that it be cultured, the texture is most important. You could try increasing the cashews in the recipe to hopefully achieve similar results, though it might not taste as tart or “cheesy”. Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tara! We haven’t tried it but we think this recipe would work with macadamia nuts, if you can have them! They might not give the same exact results, but if you soak them for ~1 hour in boiling water, they should work pretty well. Hope this helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sarah! If you can have it, coconut flour might be a good option here. We’d suggest starting with 1/2 cup and increasing if need be (you can reference the video to see the texture you’re looking for). Otherwise, oat flour might work? But we haven’t tried it. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  26. Jenny says

    Is it possible to substitute the almond flour for a different kind? My kids have nut allergies and would love an alternative. Have loved every recipe from this site, thank you for sharing it all!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jenny! If your kids can have coconut, coconut flour might be a good option here. We’d suggest starting with 1/2 cup and increasing if need be (you can reference the video to see the texture you’re looking for). Otherwise, oat flour might work? But we haven’t tried it. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  27. Francine says

    Hi, this recipe sounds divine! What is the difference between refined and unrefined coconut oil? And can I use unrefined coconut oil instead of refined?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Francine! Refined coconut oil has almost no coconut flavor, whereas unrefined might add a slight coconut flavor. It will work perfectly, we just preferred the taste with the refined oil! Let us know what you think if you give it a try!

  28. Meghan says

    I’m wondering if anyone has tried this with non-vegan cream cheese? I’d prefer to use classic cream cheese as it’s easier to locate locally.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Meghan! We haven’t tried this but we think it would work if it’s in the same amount… it just might have a tangier flavor in the end. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lynn! We think tapioca starch would be the best substitute for the filling and the crust in this recipe, if you can’t find that, cornstarch should work but the crust might be more crumbly! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Matty! We haven’t tried it but we think this recipe would work with macadamia nuts, if you can have them! They might not give the same exact results, but if you soak them for ~1 hour in boiling water, they should work pretty well. Hope this helps!

    • Ashley says

      Hi,

      Can I use tapioca flour instead of arrowroot? The same questions for the other recipes that require arrowroot?

      Thanks,

      Ashley

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Chanis! We haven’t tried that but it should work well. But if your pan is 8-9 inches the cheesecake will not be as tall! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!