This baked dairy-free cheesecake is just as good or better than any baked cheesecake you’ve ever had. It’s creamy and cheesy and simply sensational!
So you may have heard me whining on this blog about not being able to get dairy free cream cheese. Well…the other day when I was wondering around my local supermarket, imagine how excited I was to see some tofutti dairy free cream cheese!
I was so excited that I basically bought their entire stock of it. And then got busy making baked cheesecakes!
I made a few before I got to the perfect consistency but oh wow, this cheesecake is exactly the consistency of the baked cheesecakes you know and love! In dairy free form. Yay! Of course it’s also egg free because hey this is a vegan blog! But it really doesn’t miss the eggs either.
If you love cheesecake then you’ll probably also love our no-bake vegan cheesecake and vegan pumpkin cheesecake.
How to Make Dairy Free Cheesecake
The Crust:
- I went with an old favorite here which is an oreo cookie crust. Golden oreos and vegan butter make the perfect crust for this cheesecake.
- Just add oreo cookies to the food processor and process into crumbs.
- Then add in melted vegan butter and process again until all the crumbs are coated with the butter.
- Press down into a pie dish.
The Filling Part One:
The first part of the filling is to add coconut cream, the separated cream part only from a can of chilled coconut cream to a blender jug. Then add some cashews and blend.
TIP: This is very thick, so if you have a Vitamix, you’re all set. But if you have a weaker model blender, then the best thing to do will be to blend the coconut cream first, until it’s well blended, and then add the cashews and blend them into the coconut cream.
The Filling Part Two:
Then you move on to the second part of the filling which is to add two tubs of vegan cream cheese (we used Tofutti) to the bowl of your stand mixer, along with some caster sugar (also called superfine sugar), cornstarch, salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Starting at slow speed gradually increase speed until everything is well mixed.
TIP: Be careful not to overmix. Don’t just leave the mixer running.
Then (not pictured) add in the coconut cream and cashew blended mix along with some lemon zest and mix in by hand (no need to use the electric mixer for this part) with your cream cheese mix.
Then you just want to pour your filling over the crust and smooth it down.
No Water Bath
Bake the cheesecake in the oven for 60 minutes at 320°F (160°C).
When baked at a low temperature like this, you don’t need a water bath! After an hour, you turn off the oven and crack open the door and leave the cheesecake in there to cool down slowly for about another hour. If you let it bake slowly and then cool slowly like this, you don’t get cracks in the top.
As you’ll see from the pics below, mine cracked a little on the top, but that was because I got a little impatient with the cooling process and cut it short. If you let it cool nice and slow then it tends to not crack.
I wasn’t too worried though as I planned to do the cookie crumb topping!
When it’s just finished baking it will be a little jiggly in the middle, don’t worry it firms up.
After it finishes cooling in the oven, you can let it cool all the way down on the counter and then move it to the fridge until chilled through. It’s ideal if you can leave it overnight before adding the topping and slicing.
The Topping
The topping is just crushed golden oreo cookies. The topping is completely optional and you don’t actually have to have a topping at all.
I’m just a fan of how it looks with all those cookie crumbs!
Can You Make Dairy Free Cheesecake in Advance?
It’s ideal to make this cheesecake in advance because you ideally want it to chill overnight in the fridge so it can firm up to the perfect consistency.
How Long Does Dairy Free Cheesecake Last?
Keep it stored in the fridge and it will last around 5-7 days.
Can You Freeze Dairy Free Cheesecake?
Yes you can freeze it! I froze a few slices and then thawed them in the fridge and they were perfectly delicious.
You will love this delicious classic baked dairy free cheesecake! It is:
- Creamy
- Smooth
- Rich
- Perfectly Textured
- Perfectly Sweet
- Amazingly delicious!
Keep leftovers stored in the fridge and enjoy within around 5 to 7 days.
More Vegan Desserts!
- Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Lemon Bars
- Vegan Chocolate Tart
- Vegan Mug Cake
- Vegan Nutella
- Vegan White Chocolate
So let us know what you think of this dairy free cheesecake in the comments and please rate the recipe too, thanks so much.
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Dairy Free Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This baked dairy free cheesecake is just as good or better than any baked cheesecake you’ve ever had. It’s creamy and cheesy and simply sensational!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 28 Golden Oreos*
- 1/3 cup (75g) Vegan Butter (Melted)
For the Filling:
- 1 14oz (400ml) Can Coconut Cream (Chilled in the fridge overnight)*
- 1 cup (150g) Raw Cashews
- 2 Tubs (8oz each) Dairy-Free Cream Cheese (We used Tofutti)
- 1 and 2/3 cups (330g) Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)*
- 1/2 cup (64g) Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 5 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Zest of 1 Lemon (~2 Tbsp)
For the Topping (Optional):
- 6 Golden Oreos (Crushed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Add the oreo cookies to the food processor and process into crumbs. Melt the vegan butter and then add to the processor and process again until all the crumbs are coated with the butter. Spray a 9-inch round pie dish* with non-stick spray and then press the cookie crumbs down into an even layer. Set aside while you prepare your filling.
- Take the can of chilled coconut cream from the fridge and open the can. Scoop the hardened cream that has risen to the top into your blender jug, leaving the watery part behind. Add the raw cashews and blend until smooth. If your blender is not powerful (like a Vitamix) then blend the coconut cream first, and then add the cashew nuts and blend them in. Set aside.
- Add the two tubs of dairy-free cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer, along with the caster sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Starting at slow speed gradually increase speed until everything is well mixed. Be careful not to overmix, it just needs to be mixed in, don’t leave the mixer running.
- Add the coconut cream and cashew mix along with some lemon zest to the cream cheese mix and mix in by hand (don’t use the electric mixer for this part).
- Pour the filling over the crust and smooth down.
- Bake for 60 minutes.
- After 60 minutes turn off the oven and crack open the oven door leaving the cheesecake in the oven to cool down slowly for an hour.
- When it’s finished baking it will be a little jiggly in the middle, this is perfect.
- After cooling in the oven, move it to the counter and let it cool down to room temperature and then move it to the fridge until chilled through. It’s ideal if you can leave it overnight.
- When it’s completely chilled through and firmed up then add the crumb topping and serve!
Notes
*You can switch the golden Oreos for a different vegan cookie if you prefer.
*The hardened cream from a can of coconut cream will usually equal about 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml). If you have to replace the coconut cream in this recipe with a different cream then this is the amount you would use.
*If you can’t get hold of caster sugar (superfine sugar) then you can use regular granulated white sugar instead.
*Our pie dish is 9-inches round and 2 and 1/2 inches deep. It needs to be a deep pie dish to fit the volume of this cheesecake. You could also use a 9-inch springform pan.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice (of 12)
- Calories: 542
- Sugar: 40.6g
- Sodium: 421mg
- Fat: 30.3g
- Saturated Fat: 12.5g
- Carbohydrates: 62.7g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 5.5g
Keywords: dairy free cheesecake, vegan baked cheesecake
can canned coconut milk be used instead of coconut cream?
Sure, that will work fine.
Hi Alison! Tried this recipe again and it turned out way better. I found out my oven will rise and drop plus or minus 30 degrees from what it is set on :(. It was still too jiggly at the 60 minute mark so I ended up baking it 10 minutes longer. It also didn’t take on any color as was pictured. It has set pretty well and while their edges are pretty cheesecakey the middle is still a little more gooey than I would like. Next time I think I’ll bring the lemon juice down to 4 Tbls, and I am using Tofutti. Everyone I’ve given it to thought it was a lemon cheesecake. My family is a big fan of cheesecake – but I am the only one who like lemon! Love your recipes by the way!
Thanks for sharing Jillian! Ovens can be SO variable which can be so tricky!
I have made this recipe a few times…. honestly I was never much of a cheesecake fan before I went vegan, but I had a craving one day so I tried this out. Seriously DELICIOUS recipe. Even my non-veg friends and family loved it!
★★★★★
Thanks Ana!
Hi!
I wanted to make these as cupcakes and possibly incorporate egg as well. Any tips or ideas? All your recipes looks delicious!! 🙂
★★★★★
Hmmm, sorry no idea about how to incorporate egg in this recipe as it was designed to not need eggs. Possibly you could reduce the cornstarch and add egg in its place, but I’m not sure. All the best! 🙂
I will be using a different cookie for the bottom/crust, can you translate what the 28 oreros would be i.e. 2 cups? Thank you so much!
It’s about 2 and 1/2 cups. 🙂
I’m preparing to try this recipe. Is it necessary to soak the cashews? Will soaking the cashews make the filling more creamy?
We didn’t soak the cashews first in this recipe, if you do want to soak them, then make sure it’s briefly because if they absorb too much water it can affect the consistency and make it too runny. Soaking won’t make it more creamy. 🙂
I’m sorry, another question.
How many cookies and butter, just for the bottom crust?
I won’t be putting crumbs on top.
Thank you.
The topping cookies are listed separately. The crust ingredients are exactly as stated in the recipe card.
Looks delicious!
I, like so many others are on the Instant Pot band wagon.
Have you or anybody tried this recipe in the Instant Pot?
If so, what is the procedure, time, etc…
Thank you so much!
Hi Cindy, I don’t have an instant pot so I don’t have any idea sorry! 🙂
Can I use the salted caramel fudge sauce from another one of your recipes as a topping for this recipe instead of the cookies?
Yes! That would be delicious! 🙂
Yummy! I used silky tofu instead of cream cheese and this is sooo good. It is hard to keep hands off it, I tried a bit after 2 hours, it is already delicious though it is still tad warm, so I will wait until it is cool and set. Cannot wait to have a proper slice tomorrow. Thank you Alison <3
★★★★★
Oh awesome! So glad silken tofu works great too, I must try that! Thanks for sharing and the great review. 🙂
Hello 🙂 i have a few questions!
1. Can i use Homemade coconut Yogurt or silken tofu instead of cream cheese? And which is much better you think? Because I cant find any vegan cream cheese here.
2. Caster sugar is same with powdered sugar which is the one making your vegan carrot cake icing ?
3. And i am wondering why you mentioned not to overmix. What will happen if i overmix?
Always thanks for yummy recipe
Love xx
★★★★★
You can try silken tofu but I haven’t tested it so I don’t know how well it would work. No, caster sugar is also called superfine sugar. It’s not as fine as powdered (icing) sugar. If you put granulated sugar in the food processor and give it a few pulses then you get the same texture as caster/superfine sugar. If you overmix a vegan cream cheese it can ruin the texture.
Is there a replacement for cornstarch? Can I use maple syrup instead?
Hi Tati, the cornstarch is needed for it to set, and maple syrup won’t work as a sub for sugar here. You might prefer our no-bake vegan cheesecake instead. 🙂
Hi! I really want to make this recipe, but unfortunately I can’t find Tofutti in my country, Any idea what I could replace that with?
Hi Ada, do you have another dairy free cream cheese option? I did try it with a different brand and it also worked fine (though I did prefer the Tofutti). Otherwise you can make a different cheesecake that doesn’t require it like our vegan cheesecake with salted caramel fudge topping. 🙂
Thanks for your fast reply! I found some cream cheese from Violife, I can’t wait to try this recipe! I made the vegan cheesecake with salted caramel fudge topping a while ago and I absolutely L O V E D it! <3
Oh awesome, that will work perfectly! So glad you liked the other cheesecake too! 🙂
Do u have a recipe for a dairy free cannoli?
★★★★★
Hi Kim! I haven’t done cannoli yet, but I can add it to my list. 🙂 In the meantime, this recipe from Gretchens Bakery looks really good. 🙂
How deep is your pie dish? Do you think a springform pan would work alternatively?
Hi Jillian, this is an important question! Thanks for asking, I have added more info to the recipe card. Our dish is 2 and 1/2 inches deep so it is fairly deep. You can definitely use a 9-inch springform pan for this as well. All the best! 🙂
Thanks! I tried the recipe using a springform pan and used all of the same ingredients. Somehow the cheesecake came out super lemony with zero hint of cream cheese. The texture was also off, it had the gelatinous consistency of a lemon bar. I have no idea what I did wrong! I did bake it for an extra 30 minutes, but my oven usually takes a bit longer and the cheesecake looked nowhere near done at the 60 minute mark. Any ideas?
Hi Jillian, what stands out to me is that your oven usually takes longer. I think it isn’t reaching the right temperature, which can have quite a large impact. I recently moved to a new house and all my baking was failing until I figured out the oven wasn’t reaching the right temp. Now I do everything with my oven thermometer in the oven and I look at that to see what the temperature is, the oven itself is way off with what it says the temp is and what it actually is inside. The cheesecake bakes at a low temperature so it’s very important that it is baking at the right temp, and then after the hour it is supposed to stay in the oven and you just crack the oven open. So after the first hour of baking it does seem VERY jiggly in the middle but after an hour of remaining in the oven with the door cracked (and the oven off) it has firmed up substantially. I think the incorrect oven temperature would be reason enough by far for the issues with texture. The taste though, I’m not sure why it doesn’t taste cheesy, mine sure does and I had a serious amount of taste testers for this one! Did you use the same brand of cream cheese as I did (Tofutti)?
Hi,
Is there a substitute for coconut cream? My daughter is allergic to coconut ingredients.
Thank you.
Hi Cindy, I think if you use a different non-dairy cream it will work fine. I would use 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) which is roughly the amount you get when you separate the cream from the water in a can of coconut cream. 🙂
I can’t believe how good this is! You would really not know the difference between this and a regular non vegan cheesecake, if anything this is better!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Megan! So glad you enjoyed it. xo
I don’t have a stand mixer, is a hand held mixer ok?
Hi Sydney, it should be fine! It might take a bit of arm power, but it’s not terribly hard to mix this and it only needs to be ‘just mixed’ it shouldn’t go too long in the mixer anyway. All the best! 🙂
Thanks so much! I have to buy a stand-up mixer. I do have the Vitamix. 😊
I don’t have a Vitamix can the cashews be soaked?
Hi Jay, I would still rather do it the way I recommended which is to blend the coconut cream and then add the cashews and blend them into the already blended coconut cream. If you’re worried about it then add the cashews slowly. Even if the texture is a bit gritty it will be fine once baked. If you soak the cashews it will add water content to this recipe that isn’t accounted for and might result in a texture that is too soft.
Can you add a fruit topping like in “traditional” cheesecakes to this? I’m thinking strawberry sauce? Also, have you tried making a flavoured cheesecake?
Hi Nadia, I just wanted to get a basic delicious baked cheesecake recipe down before branching out into different flavors. But I’m sure that’ll happen in future! You could really add any topping you like to this as well! 🙂
Trader Joe’s has really good cream cheese, but I think your cream cheese recipe is the best. Can’t wait to try this cheesecake!
Would your homemade cream cheese work with this recipe? I’ve tried Tofutti’s and I’m not a fan.
Hi Dena, Tofutti’s works really well in this particular recipe. I haven’t tested my homemade version so I’m not sure!
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegan butter?
Yes that would work! 😁
This sounds wonderful! How much would this cost to make?
No idea sorry! I don’t usually do a costing of my recipes, and it would depend on where you are as to what it would cost. I don’t think it’s costly at all though, since it doesn’t use expensive ingredients. All the best! 🙂