It’s here! It’s here!
Authentic, baked, vegan, gluten-free cheesecake! And it tastes like real, true cheesecake (no lie)!
I’m so happy I could dance (and I totally did).
If you’ve followed the blog for a while now, you know I have a thing for cheesecake:
7-ingredient Vegan Cheesecake
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cheesecake
White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake
Hubba.
I love all of these recipes, but they’re all raw and leave me partially unsatisfied when I’m craving a real, true baked cheesecake.
I once ran a half marathon and then went straight to Cheesecake Factory and ate a giant slice of their white chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake. So TRUST ME. I think I know what “real cheesecake” tastes like (and this is it!).
This recipe is not only delicious and insanely close to the ‘real thing,’ it’s also simple, requiring just a blender to make! Plus, there’s no water bath involved like a traditional cheesecake, simplifying the process even more.
In other words, this truly is an easy cheesecake that just also happens to be vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free.
Hello, thank you, I’m Dana, you’re welcome.
The base is an adaption of my new go-to almond-oat crust that ends up tasting very reminiscent of graham cracker crust!
And the filling is a mixture of cashews, coconut cream, and vegan cream cheese. I tested other varieties but found that this combination yields the absolute best texture and flavor.
I hope you all LOVE this cheesecake! It’s:
Insanely creamy
Perfectly sweet
Slightly citrusy + tangy
Rich
Satisfying
& Like the real thing!
Make this cheesecake, because, well, you must! It would make a great one to have around for special events, like graduations, cookouts, bridal showers, baby showers…pretty much every occasion you can think of.
The best part is it’s baked, so it can sit out at room temperature for hours without melting like frozen, raw cheesecakes. Another win!
If you try this recipe, let us know what you think! Leave a comment, rate it – it’s super helpful for us and other readers – and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’ve LOVE to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Easy Baked Cheesecake (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup coconut cream*
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese* (Toffuti is best, or Kite Hill brand // see notes*)
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil (for extra creaminess)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
CRUST
- 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats*
- 3/4 cup raw almonds*
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar (plus more to taste)
- 4-5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
Instructions
- Add raw cashews to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let rest for 1 hour (uncovered). Then drain thoroughly.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard loaf pan (or 8×8 inch baking dish // adjust number/size of pan if altering batch size) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add oats, almonds, sea salt, and coconut sugar to a high speed blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved.
- Remove lid and add melted coconut oil, starting with 4 Tbsp (60 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and adding more if it's too dry. Pulse/mix on low until a loose dough is formed, scraping down sides as needed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a dough instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil.
- 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. Let it come up the sides a little, otherwise it can be too thick on the bottom.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly, then reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (162 C).
- Wipe high speed blender clean. Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to the blender along with coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, arrowroot starch, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, lemon zest for tartness, or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears only slightly “jiggly” but not liquidy. When you shake it, it will have some give to it, but it shouldn’t all look liquid – only the center should jiggle.
- Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely (uncovered). 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. (I carefully cut off the very end pieces because they weren’t as creamy as the center pieces.)
- Enjoy as is or with coconut whipped cream and fresh berries. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3-4 days, though best within the first 2 days.
Video
Notes
*I would not recommend trying to substitute the vegan cream cheese for anything else. It’s essential to get that creamy, cheesy texture in this recipe.
*Readers have reported Violife vegan cream cheese does not work well in this recipe.
*For all other substitution questions (including oats and almonds), see our Recipe FAQ.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Recipe loosely adapted from my Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars.
Jerca says
Hi! I love the recepe, but I can’t find vegan cream cheese anywhere. I’m not vegan, so can I use normal cream cheese? And I’d like to make it for a birthday. What would you recommend putting on top?:-)
Yvette Cortez says
First of all I have to say that I love all your recipes. So my question is ,is there a different way to make this with out using nuts? For people who can’t have any nuts? If so what do our suggest ? Tofu?
Hi! If you can’t have cashews, the next best thing I can recommend is subbing either macadamia nuts, or upping the amount of coconut cream to 1 1/2 cups, and supplementing with 3/4 cup extra firm silken tofu. I have not tested the recipe this way, however, and cannot guarantee the results. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Ashley Labat says
Hello – has anyone tried doubling this recipe and using a springform pan? I was thinking of making this for my husband’s birthday this week as he is allergic to dairy – so this is perfect! Let me know if you think doubling would be a bad idea…
Grace says
Hi Dana,
I was wondering if any cream cheese would be okay? We don’t have Trader Joe’s in Aus, so it wouldn’t be an option.
Thanks :)
Hi! Any cream cheese brand should do the trick!
Lenoir says
Best vegan cheese cake. Found a vegan graham cracker crust. And didn’t add maple syrup. And it was so delicious. Made. One for Thanksgiving. And one with lime for Christmas. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Cheyane says
Hi Dana,
I would like to make this as cupcakes. Any suggestion on baking time or temperature changes? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi! I haven’t tried it but it should work! You are going to want to reduce your baking time though as cupcakes generally require less time!
Kristina says
Any replacements for the coconut cream? I’m allergic to coconut!
Eden says
Hi Dana,
Your recipe is AMAZING!!! I made it for a dinner party and everyone GF/VG or not LOVED it! I’m planning on making it again for New Years and wondering if adding pumpkin or another type of filling to make this a pumpkin or berry cheesecake would work? Any suggestions on what to leave out if incorporating other flavors so it doesn’t become too runny?
Thanks,
Eden
Hi! Glad to hear that it was a hit at your dinner party! I haven’t tried altering this recipe but if you do, I’d love to hear how it goes! Have you thought about adding a topping instead to change up the flavor? If you do end up adding pumpkin/berry to the filling, you may want to cut down the amount of vegan cream cheese used, but again, I haven’t tested! Happy baking!
Leyla says
I rarely leave comments, but this cheesecake was amazing! It tastes just like real cheesecake. I made it with a classic graham cracker crust and it was delicious.
Janelle says
Dana-I made this cheesecake yesterday and served it today following our christmas meal. I followed the recipe exactly and I think it was the best cheesecake I have ever had, my guests could not believe it was vegan. I toped it with the coconut whipped cream and fresh raspberries. My dad even said your cheesecake is better than the Cheesecake Factory cheesecake and that if you sold it to them, they would sell it by the truckload! Happy holidays and many thanks for this amazing recipe!!
Lois says
I made this, it was great. You could slightly taste the cashews, but it was rich and creamy just like the real thing. My daughter recently was told of her alergies to gluten, eggs and dairy, so I made this especially for her, but everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Leyla says
Would this cheesecake work with a graham cracker or an oreo crust?
Yes! Just pre-bake (not too much – slightly brown) and then bake along with the filling!
Daisy says
I was a pastry chef in my former life before I was vegan. I have done a ton of R & D using various recipes. This one is excellent. I made it today, but tweaked it to be a pumpkin cheesecake. Instead of the vegan cream cheese, I substituted baked pumpkin and silken tofu, then added some pumpkin spice and ginger. It looks and smells absolutely amazing. I also upped the amounts in order for it to fit into a standard springform pan.
I will keep using this as a base for future “flavored” cheesecakes, as well as the classic.
Thank you so much for your excellent recipes. I frequent this site often and have had much success with your recipes and ideas.
Cheers!
Daisy
Seattle, WA
Thank you!!
RACHEL says
Made this Wednesday evening for thanksgiving and oh man, it was delicious ? My uncle who has celiac disease was so happy, as it’s been a long time since he’s been able to eat a cheesecake! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!
Sara says
I am not vegan by any means, but I ended up making this for Thanksgiving as a healthier dessert option, and I am impressed!! The crust recipe is amazing, and the filling is creamy with a nice buttery, lemon flavor. I didn’t end up using the maple syrup since my coconut cream (Goya) already had a lot of sugar added, so wondering which brand of coconut cream was used?
I used Trader Joe’s!
JaLia says
What is the next best thing to coconut oil?
vegan butter or olive oil?
Avi says
Can this also be used a a base recipe to then add flavor to (i.e. add a can of pumpkin and spices to make it a pumpkin cheesecake)?
I think so, yes!
Rose says
What does the 2/3 cup of maple syrup do in this recipe? Can I use pancake syrup? any other substitutes?
Hi there! It is a sweetener. You can certainly try subbing other sweeteners, but wouldn’t recommend fake maple syrup.
Carol says
This sounds delicious! One question, if i wanted to make it a pumpkin cheesecake, at what stage would you add the purée and how much?
Hi there! I’d maybe suggest adding 2/3 cup pumpkin puree during the blending process, along with 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice + more to taste. Good luck!
Laura says
Is there a way to convert this to a standard springform pan? I want to make it for a party and I just like the way the round ones look.
Of course! Just bake in a small springform pan lined with parchment paper. Baking time will vary depending on size. Good luck!
Nicole says
I have made this 4 times I and everyone who has tried it absolutely love it so thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I am vegan and love to cook so really enjoy baking cakes.
My 4th attempt came out the best because 1. I didn’t bake it for as long as the others, even though they tasted delicious they were a lot harder than my last cake which I baked on a lower heat and for at least 15 minutes less time. Ovens do definitely vary. and 2. I first used violife cream cheese but this time used Tofutti for the first time which I think did made a big difference.
Also its very nice if you make your own strawberry or raspberry sauce to drizzle over it, amazing!
Lizi says
Made this for my girlfriend’s birthday, it’s absolutely incredible!! I think I used a bit too much coconut oil in the topping so it took a little longer to bake. A bit brown on the top so I covered in in coconut whipped cream – even better!!
Caitlin says
This recipe is AH-MAZING. I brought it into work for all my non-vegan coworkers and they gobbled it up! Two people told me I should sell it and one person said it was the greatest cheesecake he’s ever had! I’m making it again right now. This time I significantly upped the lemon juice and lemon zest and then marbled a raspberry sauce on top to make a lemon raspberry cheesecake. It can’t bake quick enough! Thank you!!
Jenica says
Do you know if it can be frozen? Would the texture still be the same if it was frozen and thawed later? Thank you.
Nabila says
Hi!
I love your recipes! I would love to try this, I don’t, however, have cream cheese. Is it possible to omit it?
Thank you! :)
We haven’t tried this, but you could try subbing the vegan cream cheese for a mix of more cashews and coconut cream, kind of like this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-vegan-lemon-bars/
Hannah says
Loved it! Makes mine for a bit too long, but it still turned out great!
Hannah says
*baked
Also, I subbed the maple syrup for good quality honey. Stunning results!
Katelyn says
Made this cheesecake yesterday, but added 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries to the mix before blending and used my own graham cracker crust recipe. The blueberries made it such a beautiful color… But this baked cheesecake did not disappoint!! I’ve made so many raw cheesecakes before but this baked version really gave me that taste and texture I was looking for. Thank you Dana for another outstanding recipe!!!
Sarah says
I just tried this recipe on Labor Day and with 2 minor substitutions. First, I did not have any maple syrup so I substituted honey from my dad’s hives. The honey was very delicate in flavor and if anything, might have made the cheesecake too sweet. Secondly, I was hoping for a key lime taste so I replaced lemons with limes. I may have overdone the lime though as the flavor of the lime intensified with baking. I also made another mistake with the crust and baked it a bit too long. The texture of the crust remained a bit more crumbly than is ideal and I have contemplated if it needed an additional binder like the 1 tbsp. ground flax-seed/2 tbsp. water that one uses to replace egg. I would definitely do this recipe again.
Anna says
Hey – I’ve recently got my hands on some amazing vegan baileys (called besos del oro if you want to check it out!) and I’m wondering how you might suggest incorporating it into the recipe? Less coco cream maybe?
BreeAnna says
I came up with a name for my cheese cake! I call it tease cake since its vegan! Mine is baking in the oven right now so I havent tasted it yet but i dont have any doubts about it. I replaced the oatmeal with actual graham cracker because graham cracker crust is my favorite. The smell of the crust after it was baked was heavenly. The whole tease cake has been in the oven for 65 min now and still seems to jiggly, maybe i will do a little less coconut cream next time but im excited to try it! It smells amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Genny says
My non vegan friend has requested a strawberry cheesecake for his birthday, and this recipe looks like the best I’ve seen so far, especially given that it will be scrutinized by a load of non vegans……..apart from that its not a strawberry recipe that is! I love your recipes in general though, so can I make this strawberry flavoured simply by adding strawberries into the filling mix? Not sure how that will go down in the oven is why I thought I’d ask. Or do you already have a strawberry cheesecake recipe I’ve missed while searching?
Thanks!
Tammy says
I am so Excited to try this recipe!! I have been wanting to try one that has a substitute for cornstarch as my loved one also is allergic to corn. Your recipes are always so amazing! Thanks for this one ?.
Sabine Caldwell says
I see a lot of recipes that use coconut milk and cream. I have used coconut oil to cook with and it does not taste like coconut. But doesn’t the coconut milk and cream impart a coconut flavor to the recipe? This is my question, and I could not find the answer on the FAQ’s page. If you agree that coconut milk and cream make the recipes taste like coconut, then what could I use as a substitute? Thank you!!
Chelsey H says
Ahhhhhhmazing!! I made this in a 8-9″ spring loaded pan, bottom lined with parchment paper. It turned out great! Brought it to a vegan bake sale and it was gone so fast! I topped it with the strawberry chia jam from oh she glows blog. It was amazing. A must try!!
Bianca says
I was so excited to try this since I’ve made so many dinners etc from recipes on here, all of which have been a success.
I followed this recipe exactly, used my Vitamix to get it all nice and creamy and baking it for 50 minutes since it was looking brown on the top. That made me a little concerned but I let it cool overnight and had a slice for lunch. However, upon tasting, it wasn’t bad but it definitely wasn’t very good either. The crust was burnt, greasy and the filling was more like a very greasy, spongy pudding, not like cheesecake at all.
I’m hesitant to try this again unfortunately. Maybe my oven was hotter than usual? Maybe it was just over cooked? Either way, it was just far too greasy for my liking.
Erin says
Could you use a springform pan like for normal cheesecake? Is there reason you use a loaf or 8×8
Chelsey H says
I used a springform pan about 8″ and it worked great!
Ashleigh says
Just made this tonight, and let me tell you it is AMAZING!! I ended up subbing the oats in the base for plain gluten free flour as unfortunately oats aren’t gluten free in Australia :( , however it still turned out fab! I also did this in a round, loose bottom tin which still worked well . The texture of the filling is so creamy and…cheesecake-like, my family loved it! Can’t wait to try it on the test subjects at work tomorrow.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Delaney says
Hi! I am wondering if I can sub hazelnuts for the almonds in the crust? Originally I wanted to do a raw crust but I’m not sure how to bake the filling without a crust. What do you think? I want to top it with coconut whip and lemon zest!
Eves says
Fantastic recipe! The closest to baked cheesecake you could get without using cheese. I baked it in a shallow flan case and only baked for 30 minutes, otherwise followed exactly.
Jessica E. says
I’ve made a lot of vegan cheesecakes in my day and let me say, I’m eating this one right now and it is AMAZING. So creamy, dense, bright and flavorful. A lot of recipes promise all those things but have to be frozen. This one can actually deliver all that AND handle an hour or so at room temp and still look and taste gorgeous. I kept the filling as is but used a gingersnap and walnut crust. I will make this again and again whenever the need for cheesecake arises. I served with homemade caramel drizzle and a blueberry+blackberry+raspberry combo. Thanks so much for this stunner.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Anya H. says
Could this be made in a standard 9 inch pie dish?
I think so!
Elena says
I tried this recipe today. I used silicon muffin cups, and the crust burnt. How should I adjust crust thickness, heat or time in the oven if I’m using silicon cups?
Thanks!
Elena
Hmm, haven’t tried this with silicon cups. Perhaps just bake at 350 the whole time for just 15 minutes?
Julie Burge says
Dana, I just love your recipes. I had to add ‘Minimalist Baker’ as a tag in my Evernote recipe notebooks as I have so many of yours. I will be making this cheesecake as it is something I really miss from my non-vegan days. Your recipes are always beautiful, easy and turn out even better than I hope they will (Easy Vegan Gluten Free Brownies (oh my!) , SPICY RED PASTA WITH LENTILS (do not like lentils but the sauce was great), and Easy Vegan Falafel (I made falafel that I liked! Finally) – all spectacular!. Thanks again, Dana! Great job!
So kind! Thanks Julie!
Mindy says
Hello!Has anyone tried any toppings on this cake?
Sharon Goffe says
I made this Cheese Cake this weekend. It was delicious! Thanks for all of the effort you put in to get it just right.
Hannah says
I just made this for Mother’s Day and my. God. This is the most incredible vegan dessert I’ve made!!! Everyone absolutely loved it. It tasted just like the classic cheesecake I’ve been missing since going vegan! Thank you so much for your great recipes!
Jim says
Thank you for this awesome recipie. The taste and texture of this cheesecake is mind blowing for such a simple recipie. Baked lemon cheesecake was a favourite dessert of mine before going vegan and finding out about my gluten intolerance so very, very happy to find this recipie. One suggestion I’d make regarding preparation of the base. Add the coconut oil into the blender slowly till the texture mentioned in the recipie is achieved as I found that adding the whole 4tbsp at once made the texture too wet and I had to add extra oats to achieve the soft dough like texture (still turned out great though). Will be making another one of these today and probably many more in the future. Thanks :-)
Emma says
Do you think you could make this in a food processor? My blender is nowhere near as powerful as a vitamix/blendtec and until I can afford one, I’m using my processor for lots of things! I know it would probably be less smooth, but could it still work?
sonia says
is it possible to use regular, organic milk based cream cheese in this recipe?
Metta says
i would give this one a 3.5/5. the cashewy flavor made it taste less like a cheesecake. would adding more tofutti and less cashew make it better? i will try that. i’ll also try less sweetener. otherwise, it held up pretty well. i also used the graham cracker crust recipe from your chocolate peanut butter pie instead of the almond-based one, because i didn’t have almonds on hand.
Paola says
Hi Dana!
I’ve made it! I’m from Italy and the result was amazing! I used ingredients that I found in my Country, but when I’ll come back to U.S.A. I’ll buy all the ingredients that you mentioned and I’ll make it again :-) It’s not a sacrifice :-) Thank you for this recipe! And for all the other ones. I love your blog :-)
Fluffy says
Oh wow! I made this yesterday while simultaneously making your recipe for mac & cheese. It was worth it on both counts! Now people are going to think I’m a great cook, haha! The cheesecake was ready this morning & it’s already almost gone. One slice left. Thank you! This cheesecake is every bit as good as the non-vegan kind in a restaurant. MMMM! P.s. I ordered coconut cream on-line, since they don’t sell it where I live. It was only a 5 oz. can, so I used almond milk for the rest. I also used roasted cashews & almonds instead of raw. It still came out great tho! :)
Tobias says
Dear Dana,
this recipe sounds delicious.
May I ask, your coconut cream is sweet? Because here in Dominican Republic we can only get sweet one.
Thanks.
Eno says
The coconut cream used here is not sweet. It is available at a store called Trade’s Joe.
Tobias says
Thanks!
Jeffery Hultman says
This was amazing! The only bad thing I can say is that it was too dang good and I couldn’t stop eating it. I cannot wait to make this for my meat and dairy eating friends, they will be amazed. Thank you for the recipe.
Pim says
I cannot wait to make this! My hubby always wants cheesecake, and since I recently went vegan, I haven’t been able to find a good, baked cheesecake. Will make soon!
Antony says
This cheesecake looks delicious, iam going try this soon :)
Chloe says
THIS IS AMAZING!!! Mine was not quite as smooth (b/c my blender isnt amazing) but the flavor is sooooooo good. I am also happy to report that rhe flavor and texture isnt changed by freezing. Just slice, freeze, and pull a slice out in the morning for a sweet in the evening.
Ellie says
This was delicious! So good! Made it for the boyfriend this weekend and he loved it :)
Thanks!
hailey says
So I made this and the top cracked and it fell a little in the center :( I haven’t tried it yet, but what do you think I did incorrectly. I would love to perfect this for next time!
Thanks so much!
Hailey
Hailey says
Update: we ate it today. The flavor is absolutely delicious. It is just sunken in the middle. Not sure if it’s from the high blending in the vitamix? Have you experienced this?
Patricia Smith says
hello Hailey, I am sure your reading of helpful hints in cheesecake baking have discovered that a pan of water increasing humidity in the oven or a convection stove with a fan helps in minimizing the cracking. Or enclosing your cheesecake pan in one of those plastic covers they use for cooking turkeys in and then submerging it into a water bath to bake in the oven will also do the same thing.
Patty
Anita says
I made it and it is freaking fantastic..
Rebecca says
So, I’ve had an issue with EVERY recipe I’ve tried from Minimalist Baker. This baked cheesecake. The salted caramel peanut butter truffles. Whoopie pies. Pumpkin spiced apple pie. You name it.
I’d expect every other, unsuspecting follower has felt the same! I don’t know how… I mean, I just can’t… Look, here it is, I’m just gonna have to come right out and ask – is Hogwarts real? Did you go there? Is there a Culinary Arts division that was left out of the books?
And it’s like you don’t even care – you just give that magic away!
I literally cannot understand your sorcery, but I’m a massive fan.
Thanks for coming up with awesome stuff.
Kristin says
Thank you for concocting a vegan version of cheesecake. I just finished making this and sampled it. I don’t think I want to share with my friends anymore… ;) I appreciate the time you take to re-imagine the standard American fare as well as generously sharing your creative ideas for those seeking a healthy alternative. So again, thank you!
Kassidy says
Can confirm that this recipe is amazing! My non-vegan family was so impressed and agreed that it tasted just like traditional dairy cheesecake.
Kerianne says
I haven’t had real cheesecake in years and I forgot how much I LOVE it! This is the real deal, thank you so much :) I ate the whole thing myself and I don’t feel bad at all!
Ellen says
LOVED this….made it last night and it is amazing! I cannot eat all of this in two days…so just wondering if I can freeze the leftovers and if so the best way to do that. thank you!
Amy says
Hi Dana,
I’m so looking forward to diving into this when it cools. I had a similar problem though as a previous commenter, when I blended together my filling, it was nice a creamy and then all of the sudden seperated and I couldn’t get it to come back together. Hoping my cake turns out okay. Any reason why that would have happened?
Ros says
Man, this recipe looks good. I really want to try it, but i don’t tend to react well to coconut milk, and I’m afraid coconut cream will be worse. Any ideas for substitutions? I didn’t see anything about coconut products in the FAQs.
Kim says
Hi Dana,
On my first attempt, while blending the filling ingredients (in my Ninja processor) it definitely separated. I couldn’t have blended for more than a minute. It went from appearing almost pudding like with a few specks of cashews, so I let it go just a bit longer, and then it was just a mess. Do you think I just blended it for too long? I’m now trying it for a second time, after I blended it with a close eye, and not too long.
Thanks!
Myriam peters says
I was wondering if I could freeze this cheesecake ?
Carly Syms says
Hi Myriam! Dana answers questions about freezing her recipes here.
maya says
is it wrong to have made this cake four times in the past week?
i’m ADDICTED
tastes 99% like real cheesecake.
tried to make it with white sugar instead of maple (to lower the cost a bit), and although the top looked a little less ‘cheesecakey’ it tasted almost the same. i found that the addition of coconut oil doesn’t affect the texture all that much but i might be wrong. also, tried to make it with block tofu i/o tofuti (again, to lower costs), but the cheesecakey flavor was dimmed in favor of a slight ‘soy-y’ taste. still pretty tasty.
thank you. this recipe rocks!!! i’m not even vegan
Terry says
Hi Dana, I have tried so many of your delicious recipes but I have to admit I have a special love of your sweet treats. I eat gluten free and was so excited to see and try this cheescake (especially the mock Graham ckacker crust) I didn’t have a whole cup of cashews so I substituted with walnuts about a 1/4 cup. The taste was phenomimal but it turned an ugly dark brown not that creamy color yours was on the inside. Also although I baked it for an hour at 325 it ended up being a little mushy or undercooked on the inside. What did I do wrong ? The flavor was so yummy I definately want to try to make this again. Thanks so much for all of your wonderful creative recipes
Joanne says
I’ve been vegan for only 1.5 months now so I have tried so many different cheesecakes before but this not only tastes just like real cheesecakes (my non-vegan friend had no idea it was vegan) but the best cheesecake I have ever had in my life. Dana, thank you so much for sharing such an amazing recipe! You make being vegan so easy!
Kerry - My Fruity Kitchen says
LEMON CHEESE CAKE?! I think you read my mind! Thank you so much for posting this. Will be trying it over the weekend and I’m so excited! <3
Allison says
Hi Dana, I live in Australia & vegan cream cheese seems to be a bit hard to come by. Because of this I was going to try and make it myself with cashews. Do you think this would be the same thing? Apologies if this is a silly question lol
suzanne says
Vegan cream cheese is available in WW in South Australia. Called ‘Toffuti’. Try googling images to see what the container looks like, you should be able to get it reasonably easily…
Jim says
I’m in Victoria and Toffuti vegan cream cheese is available in my local Woolworths in Ferntree Gully. I just bought some from there today to try this recipie (will provide a rating once made). It comes in a 227g tub which aligns with this recipie perfectly.
Rachel says
I had to respond to this. All i could think of was ferngully the last rainforest movie :)
Allison says
Hi Suzanne, I live 8n Qld & turns out Woolies stock tofutti. Thanks for your help! ?
Marieke says
I saw an interesting quote on Instagram yesterday: ‘Everything you eat, I can eat vegan’. And I think with this recipe you’ve definitely proven that! I love that there are so many vegan alternatives out there, which are not only more animal-friendly, but also much healthier! Thank you for creating this recipe and showing us again that we can eat everything we can imagine :D
Laura says
I would love to see a recipe for a yummy strawberry sauce topping!!!
I include one in our cookbook!
Deborah C. says
If you weren’t already married and if I didn’t already have this beautiful boyfriend that I adore I would propose to you woman! Lol! This Vegan journey has been fun so far (especially with your AMAZING recipes) but my heart quietly mourned for the loss of cheese and most importantly cheesecake. I won’t even lie to you. I set my expectation not too high ONLY because I didn’t want to be left broken, lost and wounded. All that’s left to say is I made this over the weekend and Wow. Wow. Wow. Amazing! Simply amazing! This recipe was UNBELIEVABLE. I made some in hopes of sharing with the neighbors but for some reasons beyond my control…it never made it over. Lol Thank you for this epic recipe. ?????
Yay! So kind! Thanks for the kind (and funny) words, Deborah. xoxo
EveG says
My husband and I eat vegan quite a bit for religious purposes, and it can be difficult to get my sweet fix. Since we eat both vegan and non vegan food it is also hard for me to get on board with vegan foods that try to emulate non vegan, so was admittedly more than a a little skeptical of a faux cheesecake.
So we tried it and I must admit this is pretty AWESOME! The flavor and texture are very close the real thing. I was out of lemon juice, but found that about two tablespoons of lime juice worked just as well. Thanks for this recipe!
Thanks Eve! xoxo
Krysten says
This is beautiful. I never thought about doing a vegan cheesecake.
Thank you for posting this!
Puja Darshan says
Simply Awesome. I am planning to make it on our anniversary.
Thanks for sharing Dana!!!
Masha | Cardio with Carrots says
Yum!!! That looks so amazing! I too have not had a baked cheesecake in ages. I need to try this out. Thanks!
Carol says
Have you ever froze the EASY BAKED CHEESECAKE (VEGAN + GF)?
If so was it ok out of the freezer after a few weeks?
Carly Syms says
Hi Carol! Dana answers your question about freezing recipes in her Recipe FAQ found here!
jeejung says
I Made this last night. omg omg its the best cake I made!
Yay! Give it a rating if you wouldn’t mind!
Kim@UnrefinedRD says
CANNOT wait to try this!
Amy | The Whole Food Rainbow says
YUM and YUM and mega massive YUM! I want some of this magic in my life! xx
Syrup Lover says
I made this today, and it’s currently cooling in the fridge! One question : Do you recommend any alternatives to maple syrup? It was pretty hard to use 2/3 Cup of liquid gold in one go!
I know! You can definitely try subbing agave nectar, or honey if not vegan.
Megan says
This looks delicious! I love the substitutes you’ve made to make this dessert a touch healthier! :)
Katie @ Let The Food Times Roll says
Dana you are so good, every time I see a new post in my inbox I squeal! This looks absolutely wonderful. I need to try to hunt down the vegan cream cheese, so far I can only find a mock cheddar – definitely won’t work haha! Hope you have had a lovely weekend eating cheese cake :)
Katie x
Thanks Katie! So kind. Hope you love this one!
Leslie @ Bessie Bakes says
There is something about the arrival of spring that makes me want to bake make cold desserts. This recipe makes me so happy because it actually has lots of good-for-you ingredients PLUS looks amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Karel says
I made this earlier today and have just enjoyed a slice for dessert and WOW, so tasty, even the sweet toothed hubby loved it!!!!! Thanks so much….. Can’t wait to whip up more of your recipes……
So great! Thanks for sharing, Karel!
Lexy says
Hi there!
I have an allergy to cashews. Most of your ‘cheesy’ recipes are cashew based, do you have a nut you would substitute?
See our Recipe FAQ for ideas (linked above).
Michelle says
Looks delicious! I don’t have access to store bought vegan cream cheese. Any way I can make my own?
I haven’t tried that! But you can try a modification subbing the vegan cream cheese with a mix of more cashews and coconut cream, kind of like this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-vegan-lemon-bars/
Morice says
I did my own vegan cream cheese for this recipe and it was delicious! All you need is raw cashew, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Just Google it!
Vanessa Cassani says
I absolutely love this! I haven’t had a baked cheese cake in so long, i usually just made a raw cheese cake. i’m very much looking forward to giving this a try. Thanks you!
Hunter says
Oh.my.goodness! I am so excited about this! I have dairy, egg, and gluten allergies and refined sugar makes me crazy (like in an overly hyper heart racing type way), so this is the most exciting thing I’ve seen since sliced bread. Thank you so, so much! I cannot wait to try it!
Thanks Hunter! Let me know how it goes!
Chante says
Dana, I love all your recipes! One question… How is it you don’t weigh a 1000 lbs.? Coconut cream, cashews, etc. etc. I know, I know, everything in moderation! Thanks for the inspiration! I am making your blueberry lemon waffles tomorrow for breakfast. Yay!
Ha! Indulging in moderation and lots of exercise :D
Celeste | The Whole Serving says
It’s funny, the last half-marathon I ran I went to The Cheesecake Factory the day before. After seeing your beautiful photos I think I’ll make this and enjoy after my next run, that will be tomorrow. Great way to end my weekend.
Cassie says
Yay for cheesecake! Is there a way you can omit the coconut oil and substitute it for something a little less dense? Will it make a big difference?
Hi Cassie! I haven’t tried any modifications, but omitting it may be possible. Let me know if you give it a try!
Aqeelah says
Avacado oil is a great substitute for coconut oil I use it all the time ???
Morice Trudel says
I skipped the coconut cream and replaced it with frozen strawberries left To thaw. Doubled the starch and poured some handmade strawberry pie filling on top and it turned out amazing
Andrea says
Could you do this in a springform pan? Thanks!
Of course! Just bake in a small springform pan lined with parchment paper. Baking time will vary depending on size. Good luck!
Jazmine Arreola says
I put it in the 9inch one. Highly recommend the parchment paper like she said. Just cut it up to fit. I didn’t put parchment paper and it was slightly sticky but it was still delicious. I also kept an eye on it and took it out at 45ish minutes since it was browning a bit.
Aqeelah says
Avacado oil is a great substitute for coconut oil I use it all the time ????
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
This sounds and looks ridiculously amazing! And sweetened with maple syrup, woohoo! Probably the only thing that would get me to run half marathon is if this was waiting for me at the end of it :)
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie says
Cheesecake is my favorite dessert so I was SO excited to see this recipe! It looks so easy to make I will definitely have to give it a try :)
Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says
Cheesecake is a huge splurge desert and your spin looks just like Grandma’s, exactly how my Russian Grandma used to make it! Fond memories.
Aleksandra says
I must admit, it made me riddiculously happy :) I haven’t had a baked cheesecake for waaaay too long!