This baked vegan cheesecake is creamy and rich with NO dairy-free cream cheese! It's easy to make and you don't need a water bath. You can also make the cheesecake gluten-free, refined sugar-free and coconut free.
Why you'll love this cheesecake
ACCESSIBLE INGREDIENTS: This baked cheesecake uses no vegan cream cheese which can be difficult to find. Instead, I used more common ingredients that are found in most countries.
TASTE/TEXTURE: Creamy, sweet, tart and indulgent, thanks to a few simple ingredients.
DIFFICULTY: Easy to make with a blender! You DON'T need to bake it in a water bath or deal with a tray of hot water!
If you prefer a cheesecake WITH cream cheese, see my no-bake vegan strawberry cheesecake, baked vegan pumpkin cheesecake or baked vegan gingerbread cheesecake.
Ingredients you'll need
Ingredient notes
Flour, vegan butter and sugar for a crunchy cookie crust. Almond flour makes the crust more 'buttery' of the crust. To make this gluten-free, you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular flour.
Cashew nuts add richness whereas silken tofu adds creaminess to the baked vegan cheesecake. You don't need coconut cream for this dessert!
Thick dairy-free yogurt adds tartness to the filling. I recommend using a thick dairy-free yogurt, whether its oat yogurt, soy yogurt or coconut yogurt!
Cornstarch (or corn flour in UK/Australia) makes the filling a little smoother.
Maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and salt provide depth of flavor. Don't skimp on these ingredients otherwise, your cheesecake will taste only of nuts and soy!
A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Making the crust
To make the crust, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, food processor or stand mixer. The final mixture should be a cookie dough consistency.
Transfer the mixture to your springform pan and press it against the bottom and sides to form a crust. Par-bake the crust so it is crunchy rather than soggy in the final cheesecake.
How to make the cheesecake filling
The filling is super easy to make! Just add all filling ingredients to a blender and blend. Your mixture should be a little runny. I don't recommend using a food processor as it will not blend the cashews finely enough.
Make sure you taste test the mixture and add more sweetener, vanilla, lemon juice or salt to taste.
Serving suggestions
This baked vegan cheesecake is best served with slightly acidic fruit such as raspberries or passionfruit (fresh or a compote). It helps cut through the rich filling!
You can also top the cake with:
- dairy-free whipped cream or coconut whipped cream
- chocolate ganache
- vegan caramel sauce
Customizing this baked vegan cheesecake
I don't recommend adding strawberry puree to the filling as it makes the cheesecake an unpleasant brown color.
However, you may add whole or chopped fruit to the filling, such as blueberries!
Yes! The cheesecake consistency will be the same.
More vegan cheesecake recipes
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Baked Vegan Cheesecake (no vegan cream cheese)
Ingredients
Crust (note 1 for alternatives)
- 1 ½ cups (240g) all-purpose plain flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50g) almond flour / blanched almond meal, or substitute with more flour
- ¼ cup (40g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
- ¾ cup (180g) vegan butter, or solid refined coconut oil, room temperature
Cheesecake filling
- 2 cups (260g) raw cashews, (note 2)
- 1 cup (250g) firm silken tofu, also known as 'traditional tofu' (note 3)
- ½ cup (170g) maple syrup, granulated sugar or any light-colored sweetener, to taste
- ⅓ cup (80g) dairy-free yogurt
- ¼ cup (60g) dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon (20g) lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar, or to taste (note 4)
- 1 tablespoon (7g) corn starch / corn flour, optional but creates a smoother cheesecake
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
To decorate
- 1 ½ cups (225g) frozen or fresh blueberries and raspberries
- 3 tablespoons (64g) any light-coloured sweetener, such as rice malt syrup or maple syrup, optional and to taste
- 1 tablespoon (7g) corn starch / corn flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line the bottom and sides of a springform or loose-bottom cake pan with parchment paper. I used a tall 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan.
To make the crust:
- In a large bowl or food processor, mix all the crust ingredients until well combined. It should stick together when pinched between two fingers. If the mixture is a little dry, add a dash of water and mix until it comes together. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and sides of your cake pan so it's about ⅓ inch (8 mm) thick.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until slightly golden and it's dry to the touch. Set aside.
To make the filling:
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until there are no lumps. Taste test the mixture and adjust the level of sweetener, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt, if desired. Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust.
- Tap the cheesecake firmly on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Baking the cheesecake:
- Bake the cheesecake for 45-50 minutes, just before the filling sets. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil. The cheesecake is ready when the filling is no longer liquid and the filling still 'jiggles' in the middle. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door ajar for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Let it come to room temperature, cover the cake pan and chill in the fridge overnight.
The next day, prepare the berry topping:
- Add the berries and the topping ingredients to a small saucepan. If you're using fresh berries, reserve a handful for later. Mix the saucepan ingredients until combined. Place the saucepan over medium heat and mix for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Remove the cheesecake from the cake pan. Top the cheesecake with the berry compote and reserved fresh berries. Cut and serve!
- Store the cheesecake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- For a graham cracker crust, blitz 300g graham crackers in a food processor until it reaches fine crumbs. Add 40g sugar and 90g melted vegan butter and pulse until combined. Press the mixture firmly against the bottom and sides of your cake pan and bake for 10 minutes. If the crust collapses during baking, press it back while it's warm.
- If you have a high-powered blender, you don't need to soak the cashews beforehand. If you don't have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews overnight and drain them before blending!
- Traditional tofu is halfway between extra silken tofu and extra firm tofu. It often comes in a tub and wobbles a little when you shake it. When you blend it, it will completely break down into a creamy mixture as opposed to firm tofu which will stay in small chunks.
- Do not omit the lemon, vanilla and salt as they help this recipe taste like a regular cheesecake.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in July 2019 and updated a few times to provide an improved recipe and helpful process images.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Can you grease your springform pan with coconut oil instead of lining with parchment paper or will the crust stick?
Yes, greasing the pan with coconut oil is fine too!
What if I can’t find silken firm tofu? I can only find Silken Soft or firm?
Silken tofu can be used! Your cheesecake may just take a few minutes longer to bake and/or may be a little softer.
Wondering if it is possible to omit the yogurt as I couldn't find any at the store for some reason.
It is possible, though the cheesecake will be less tangy! Maybe just add more lemon juice and vanilla to taste 🙂
Hi Anthea,
Thank you for sharing your passion, i am excited to try this recipe.
I am planning to sub the tofu for Burmese (chickpea) tofu- just wondering if you have any insight into doing this? (hoping its not a terrible move!)
Hi Amie! That should be fine as long as you're able to blend the tofu fine enough! Let me know how you go 🙂
Hi, could I substitute the syrup with cane sugar instead? Thanks!
Yes that's absolutely fine!
In this case, do we need to add more liquids, as the sugar has a different consistency of maple syrup?
Hi Alice, I've tested the cheesecake with both and they work almost identitically without adjusting the ingredients. The only difference is when you make the cheesecake with sugar, it may take 5 minutes less time to bake (but this can be determined by the jiggle test.
I made this today.
Not sure how to do the passion fruit layer - could you elaborate on this please ?
Hey, there's no passion fruit in this recipe. I topped a similar cheesecake tart with passionfruit (see this recipe) where I simply topped the cheesecake with fresh passionfruit puree.
It was my first time baking using alternative ingredients and my cheesecake turned out delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and the photos alongside the tips were super helpful.
Oh that's amazing! Thanks so much for your positive feedback!
How much pumpkin do you add when making it pumpkin flavored? And how much of the spices?
I haven't tried this one pumpkin flavoured but I'd recommend my other baked vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe for that.
Wow, just wow! I don't eat dairy as much anymore. I was terribly sad when I had to give up cheesecake....it is my favorite dessert besides pastries and dark chocolate. This vegan cheesecake was amazing! It isn't too sweet. The crust is to die for. I added some lemon zest and poppyseeds! Absolutely, delicious!
Aw I'm so so glad you enjoyed this and I love your addition of lemon zest and poppyseeds! Thanks so much for your feedback xx
Excellent choice.
The recipe comes together well and the flavours before cooking were amazing. The recipe was prepared and cooked by a team of 7 & 10 year old kids, and it was very easy for them to follow and have success on their first try.
Opting for fresh passion fruit topping as frozen does not do well in the tropics.... we are in Vietnam
Aw I'm so glad you found this recipe family friendly! I love it when kids are involved (or prepare a whole dish from scratch). And love that you used passionfruit instead. Thanks for your comment!
I'm so excited to find your website. I'm overweight and have C.O.P.D. I think your recipes are just what I need to help me to eat healthier therefore making me feel better.
Such a simple and straightforward recipe with absolutely delicious results! The filling is creamy, luscious, tangy, and sets up so nicely. The flavour is unbelievably close to regular cheesecake! Made this for my mom who's been a long time fan of cheesecakes but recently had to give up gluten, dairy, eggs, and sugar due to a health condition and this recipe totally fit the bill. For anyone wondering how I made a gluten-free crust, I simply replaced the original crust with a gluten-free Graham cracker crust! Still worked brilliantly. I'll definitely be attempting this recipe again and might even play around with the flavours a lil bit to get a chocolate or peanut butter cheesecake 🙂
Sooo glad it worked with a graham cracker crust and it's the best news when your family enjoys it too! I love the idea of customising the recipe with chocolate or peanut butter. I need to do that too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback - made my day 🙂
Are you able to freeze this cake, and have it thaw well before eating?
I haven't tried it but I suspect the tofu will separate in the fridge so wouldn't recommend it!
My. Rice made this for a family Easter today and wow it was amazing - thank you Laura ♥️
Aw I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for your feedback xo
If I wanted to turn this into a sheet cake size how would I go about converting it?
Thanks!
Good question! If you're using a standard sheet pan (33x23cm or 13x9in), try doubling the crust and filling ingredients. However, I haven't tried it so can't vouch for results!
I made this for Valentine’s Day and it turned out absolutely perfect!!! This will be my go to cheesecake here on out. It was so simple to make and very delicious.
Aw that's soo nice to hear!! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback 🙂
I was inspired by this recipe and I've tried it. I changed the quantities of cashews, tofu by adding more, the same with the quantity of plant-based yogurt I choose a Greek Style Vanilla Soygurt. I made some forest fruits & chia jam for the decoration and served it with Soygurt Blueberry.
Generally, it was a great taste and consistency.
Thank you for this great recipe 🙂
That's great that all your recipe substitutions/adjustments woked and you enjoyed the cheesecake overall! Thanks so much for your feedback xo
Hi there, I’m thinking to bake this cheesecake for Valentine’s Day this year. My friends say that I should definitely soak cashews at least overnight otherwise it gets grainy if I have only food processor(not brender). Do you think I should soak it?? Also can I use firm tofu instead? Just because it’s not easy to find silken tofu here.
Hi Rico! For the cashews, if you don't have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews. Also, the recipe needs firm silken tofu (or 'medium' tofu) which is halfway between extra silken and extra firm tofu. Do you have that where you are? I'm not sure if firm tofu will work as it doesn't often blend well, especially if you have a food processor!