Vegan Baked Cheesecake (No Vegan Cream Cheese)
A rich, creamy, and smooth vegan baked cheesecake made without vegan cream cheese. Cashews and silken tofu blend into a luscious filling with a buttery crust and fruity topping, perfect for special occasions or everyday indulgence.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (including chilling)
- Yield: 10–12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
1/2 cup (50 g) almond flour (or substitute with more all-purpose flour)
1/4 cup (40 g) granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
3/4 cup (180 g) vegan butter (or refined coconut oil), room temperature
Filling:
2 cups (260 g) raw cashews, soaked
1 cup (250 g) firm silken tofu
1/2 cup (170 g) maple syrup (or 3/4 cup / 150 g granulated sugar)
1/3 cup (80 g) dairy-free yogurt
1/4 cup (60 g) dairy-free milk
1 tbsp (20 g) lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp (7 g) cornstarch (optional, for smoothness)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Topping:
1 1/2 cups (225 g) blueberries and raspberries (fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp (64 g) maple syrup or rice malt syrup (optional)
1 tbsp (7 g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a springform pan.
- Mix flour, almond flour, sugar, and vegan butter until a dough forms. Press into the pan base and bake 10–12 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain.
- In a blender, combine cashews, silken tofu, maple syrup, yogurt, dairy-free milk, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour filling over crust, smooth the top, and bake 45–55 minutes until edges are set and center slightly jiggles.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
- For topping, simmer berries, sweetener, and cornstarch in a saucepan until thickened. Let cool and spoon over cheesecake before serving.
Notes
For a tropical twist, use mango or passionfruit glaze instead of berries.
Add melted vegan chocolate to the filling for a chocolate cheesecake.
Make mini cheesecakes by baking in muffin tins.
For a cookie crust, use crushed vegan cookies mixed with melted vegan butter.
Best served chilled after setting for several hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
