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    Home » Raw Vegan

    Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

    Published: Jan 14, 2016 Updated: Aug 7, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

    This raw strawberry cheesecake is a gorgeous 3-layer healthy dessert that tastes like heaven! Vegan, raw and gluten free.

    Raw strawberry cheesecake on a white cake stand.

    The first time I made a raw cheesecake, I think I swooned. I was recently reading about how ridiculous it is to ever write the word ‘swoon’ in reference to food. And I guess I sort of agree, but in this case, I think I did swoon. At least a little bit. Let’s call it a mini swoon.

    Because that first raw cheesecake (much the same recipe as this cheesecake by the way), was so darn good it deserved a swoon.

    It’s just swoon-worthy really that you can take some nuts, dates and maple syrup and end up with a dessert that tastes like this!

    This raw strawberry cheesecake is 3 layers of pure heaven. It’s ridiculously rich, but in a seriously good way, in the ‘I can’t believe how good this is’ sort of way.

    Every layer is pure decadent delight. Smooth, creamy, sweet with just enough tartness and kick from fresh lemons blended with cashews to give it that fabulous cheesecake flavor.

    Check out our other fabulous cheesecake recipes like our vegan cheesecake with salted caramel fudge topping (also raw) our mini vegan chocolate oreo cheesecakes, and our caramel swirl cheesecake ice cream is also not to be missed.

    Slice of raw strawberry cheesecake on a white plate.

    How To Make Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Add macadamias, cashews and pitted dates to the food processor and process until it forms into a sticky dough.
    • Press down into a greased 8-inch springform pan and press down until smooth.
    • Place into the freezer while you work on the next layer.
    Macadamia nuts and dates processed in a food processor and then pressed down into a springform pan as the crust.
    • Add soaked and drained cashews, lemon juice, vanilla extract and maple syrup to the blender and blend until smooth.
    Cashews and other ingredients added to blender jug and blended.
    • Pour this out over the crust and smooth it down.
    • Return to the freezer and allow to set before you do the next layer.
    Raw cheesecake layer spread over crust in 8-inch springform pan.
    • When you’re ready to make the topping, add soaked and drained cashews, fresh strawberries, lemon juice and maple syrup to the blender and blend until smooth. Taste test and add more maple syrup if needed.
    Cashews and strawberries added to blender jug and blended.
    • Pour this out over the cheesecake layer and smooth it down.
    • Return to the freezer to set solidly.
    Strawberry cheesecake layer spread on top of cheesecake in 8-inch springform pan.
    • When the cheesecake has completely set in the freezer, let it thaw on the counter for 30 minutes, slice up fresh strawberries and serve.
    Raw strawberry cheesecake on a white cake stand.

    Recipes Notes & Tips

    Coconut oil. Coconut oil is great for raw desserts because it helps them to set more firmly. But in this particular raw cheesecake, I left it out. I decided there was enough good fat in this cheesecake to last a week, and since it has to be kept cold anyway, it sets pretty well even without the coconut oil.

    But should you feel inspired to, then just add in ¼ cup of coconut oil to the ‘cheese’ part of the recipe, and 2 tablespoons to the topping. It will result in a slightly firmer set to the cheesecake.

    Let it set in the freezer. The best way to get it to set is to put it in the freezer until it has set completely, but thereafter you can keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator where it keeps perfectly well for a few days.

    Alternatively if you want it to keep even longer than that, then slice it up and return to the freezer. You’ll need to thaw out your slice every time before you can eat it, but it’ll keep for weeks this way.

    Slice of raw strawberry cheesecake on a white plate with a cake fork.

    More Delicious Raw Vegan Desserts

    1. Raw Vegan Pecan Pie
    2. Raw Vegan Brownies
    3. Raw Mint Slice
    4. Vegan Banoffee Pie

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Slice of raw strawberry cheesecake on a white plate with a cake fork.

    Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

    This raw strawberry cheesecake is a gorgeous 3-layer healthy dessert that tastes like heaven! Vegan, raw and gluten free.
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 487kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Crust:

    • 1 cup Raw Macadamias (134g)
    • 1 cup Raw Cashews (150g)
    • 1 cup Pitted Dates (145g)

    For the Filling (Cheesecake):

    • 2 cups Raw Cashews (300g) soaked for at least 1 hour
    • ¼ cup Lemon Juice Freshly squeezed
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • ½ cup Maple Syrup (120ml)

    For the Topping:

    • 1 cup Raw Cashews (150g) soaked for at least an hour
    • 1 ½ cups Fresh Strawberries (200g)
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Freshly squeezed
    • 2-4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

    For the Decoration:

    • Sliced Strawberries
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add the macadamias, cashews and pitted dates to the food processor and process on the S blade until a sticky dough has formed.
    • Scoop out into a greased 8 inch springform pan and pat down until smooth.
    • Place into the freezer to set while you make the filling.
    • Place the 2 cups of pre-soaked (at least an hour) cashews along with the lemon juice, vanilla and maple syrup and blend until smooth.
    • Pour this over the crust, smooth out with a spatula and return to the freezer.
    • Allow this to set fairly firmly before you prepare your topping.
    • When you're ready to make the topping, add the soaked cashews, fresh strawberries, lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons maple syrup to the blender and blend until smooth. Taste test to see if it's reached the desired sweetness (the sweetness will depend on the sweetness of the strawberries), if not, then add more maple syrup and blend again.
    • Pour this over the cheesecake layer and return to the freezer to set solidly.
    • When completely set, let it thaw on the countertop for 30 minutes then slice up fresh strawberries for the top and serve.

    Notes

    1. Prep time. This is only for hands on time. It does not include the time spent chilling in the freezer between layers or the time for the whole cheesecake to set. 
    2. Storing. If you’re going to consume it within a few days, you can keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator, but if you would like to keep it longer, then slice it and keep it in the freezer in a freezer safe container, and thaw out only as much as you wish to eat, when you’re ready to eat it.
    3. Freezing. It will keep for weeks in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 579mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Danni says

      May 23, 2020 at 4:00 am

      How’s the texture? Is it firm like cheesecake? This is our 7th month vegan and I really wanna WOW everyone with this!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 23, 2020 at 8:38 am

        It’s firm when very cold, but it does get soft at room temp. 🙂

        Reply
        • Danni says

          May 26, 2020 at 1:18 am

          Great, thanks!

          Reply
    2. Hazel says

      March 04, 2020 at 12:37 am

      Yum!!,turned out beautifully, the cheesecake was smooth and delicious the base was slightly chewy/nutty, delicious, cheesecake craving satisfied!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 04, 2020 at 12:53 pm

        Fantastic! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kate says

      January 12, 2020 at 7:51 am

      I have a question if I want to make this multi-tiered, would I do the exact same recipe in an 8 inch and then apply to a smaller pan? Put them in the freezer on top of each other or separate then place on top. Thoughts? Thank you in advance!!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 14, 2020 at 9:45 am

        Hi Kate, it’s not something I’ve tried, but I would probably make freeze them and then remove from the pans and only then place one on top of the other and then freeze again.

        Reply
    4. Chantal says

      May 28, 2019 at 7:30 pm

      Excellent, delicious, decadent cake. Quick and easy to make. Tastes so creamy and so much like cheesecake. WOW. Just Wow. It is awesome and I will Definitely make it again!! Thanks so much Alison!
      Recipe notes:
      – Time saving quick soak method for cashews which worked great: bring cashews to a boil, stir in a splash of lemon juice, remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Done.) Rinse them in cold water to fully cool before blending into the recipe to save time later solidifying in the freezer – I blended them in hot, which worked fine except that I had to wait longer to eat it!
      – Walnuts in place of macadamias as I couldn’t find any at my store.
      – Used frozen strawberries – I didn’t bother thawing them before blending for the top layer to save time and it worked out. While the cake was setting in freezer I thawed extra to garnish the top just before serving.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 29, 2019 at 10:59 am

        Thanks for sharing and the awesome review! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Amy says

      March 26, 2019 at 7:33 pm

      Oh sry. 8 inch 😀

      Reply
    6. Amy says

      March 26, 2019 at 7:30 pm

      How’s the size of ur cake tin?!

      Reply
    7. Matthew says

      March 13, 2019 at 8:55 am

      Super easy to make and tasted absolutely delishes!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 13, 2019 at 9:37 am

        Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it Matthew! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Lori Wilson says

      March 04, 2019 at 11:37 pm

      This looks and sounds delicious! But I shouldn’t eat cashews, what would you suggest for a substitute?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 05, 2019 at 10:50 am

        Hi Lori, I don’t know if there is a good substitute for cashews in this kind of cheesecake, if you’re not specifically looking for a raw cheesecake, then this cheesecake recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie doesn’t use any cashews. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Wegan says

      January 07, 2019 at 3:34 pm

      I too am trying to avoid coconut oil for health reasons is how I found this. I have not tried this recipe yet but I wanted to share my technique for making raw cheesecakes. I use a silicone cake pan, round or square. I put the top layer in and let each layer freeze before adding the next layer and the crust. A few hours before the party I pop the cake out of the form, no need for grease and you have to do it while frozen. Then add any toppings. I normally let them thaw on the counter but I assume this one needs to stay in the fridge and thaw slowly overnight.

      Reply
    10. Gia says

      October 06, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      This looks so delicious – I have my birthday the next weekend, so this will be the dessert for me and my boyfriend 🙂
      Is this cake really without coconut oil? (the filling/topping) I guess so? It’s great because I ended up on your website when I was looking for raw cake recipes without coconut oil/cream. For some strange reason I seem not to be able to tolerate coconut oil/cream so well (I have used organic always, but still..), nothing serious but it can make me little bit nauseous for a few hours, not always but sometimes. But I love raw cakes – and until now I didnt even know you can make one without coconut oil (it seems to be in all recipes).
      Do you have more coconut-free raw cake recipes ? That salty caramel cheesecake looked awesome, but it has coconut…

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 06, 2018 at 12:32 pm

        Hi Gia, I was just having a look around my blog and I don’t think I actually do have any other recipes that don’t have either coconut cream or milk or coconut oil in them, unfortunately, I thought I did but seems all of them actually have it! Hope this cheesecake works out great for you! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Yijun Lin says

      August 19, 2018 at 2:49 am

      It was my boyfriend’s birthday. I looked up all the different vegan strawberry cheesecake recipes online and decided on yours because it had the least (different) ingredients. I’m vegan, a virgin at making cakes and not a big fan of nuts but I must say this is really good! I probably added too much strawberries to make the top layer so it became a little mushy than creamy. My boyfriend thought the top layer wasn’t sweet enough but I thought it was good that way. My favourite is the middle layer, it’s surprisingly like cheesecake! If I were to make it again though, I would used crushed biscuits and vegan butter (yeah, not raw or gluten-free anymore) for the crust – because I’m not really a nuts person. Thanks for sharing the recipe – it was simple and easy to follow.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 19, 2018 at 10:12 am

        Awesome, so glad you liked the recipe! Yes, this would be delish with a biscuit/vegan butter base if that’s more up your street, check out our vegan banana cream pie for a nice crushed cookie base. 🙂 Thanks for posting and the great review! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Alee says

      August 11, 2018 at 12:50 am

      Hello, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I only have roasted cashews… Can I still use them for the filling?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 11, 2018 at 12:13 pm

        I haven’t ever tried roasted, but other than a slightly roasted flavor I can’t really imagine that there would be an issue. So I can’t be 100% sure, but I think you can, yes! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Meali Blenkarn says

      June 20, 2018 at 10:20 am

      I have made this delicious cheesecake a number of times with frozen strawberries and coconut oil, it turned out perfect. Number 1 on my family’s favourite desserts.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 20, 2018 at 8:20 pm

        That is too awesome! So glad to hear that. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Cynthia says

      April 29, 2018 at 6:38 pm

      It looks like you used a total of 4-cups of cashews in this recipe. One cup of cashews (unsoaked) is used for the crust. Would this be correct? I’m new at this Plant-based diet and this recipe looks so simple and good! I’m about to try it and I want to follow your recipe just as you have it.

      Unfortunately, I have to run and get more cashews while the other two cups are soaking.

      Thanks, Cynthia

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 30, 2018 at 8:59 am

        Yes, 4 cups of cashews is correct! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
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