Learn how to make the best vegan cheesecake ever! No, really! This cheesecake is light, creamy and smooth with no dairy or nuts. Plus, it’s easy to make and you don’t need a high powered blender!
With over 150 5-star ratings, this has become one of my most popular recipes. Since creating this recipe, I have also made a Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake and Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake that I think you’ll love!
Meet the vegan cheesecake of your dreams. Seriously, I was blown away by how delicious this turned out! No one would guess this cheesecake is vegan. It’s smooth, rich and creamy but also light in texture.
It took me SEVERAL attempts to get this recipe exactly like I wanted, and I finally achieved success! It reminds me of New York style cheesecake, and no one ever guesses it’s vegan.
What makes this vegan cheesecake the best?
- The texture and flavor is incredible – Truly. This is the cheesecake that tastes like the original, but better. Often when I buy a slice of cheesecake, it’s disappointing, but not this one!
- Nut free – A win if you have nut allergies! Many recipes call for nuts, but this vegan cheesecake is nut free.
- Easy to make – Putting this cheesecake together could not be easier. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill before you can dig in!
- No high powered blender needed – That’s right, unlike cashew based cheesecake recipes, you only need an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer). No fancy blender needed.
What’s in vegan cheesecake?
- Graham crackers – For the crust. To keep it vegan, use honey free graham crackers. You can also use Oreo cookies.
- Melted vegan butter or coconut oil – Also for the crust.
- Sugar – For the crust and the cheesecake filling.
- Vegan Cream Cheese – This is the key ingredient! I ONLY recommend using Tofutti cream cheese, as it provides consistent results. Other brands may work, but definitely not Violife or Trader Joe’s. Luckily Tofutti brand tends to be the least expensive and easiest to find.
- Coconut Cream– For the cheesecake filling. You need canned coconut cream, or you can use canned full fat coconut milk and only use the thick white part (you will need a few cans to get enough cream).
- Cornstarch – This helps thicken the cheesecake and makes it set up properly. Do not omit. Arrowroot or tapioca starch might work, but I haven’t tried it.
- Vanilla Extract – For flavor.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh is best, this adds to the tangy flavor.
How to make vegan cheesecake
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by wrapping the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Make the crust with vegan graham crackers, melted butter or coconut oil and sugar. Simply mix them together in a bowl.
Press the crust mixture into the pan, firmly and evenly, coming up the sides just a little. Most graham crackers have honey, but Nabisco graham crackers do not. If you can’t find those, you can use vegan gingersnap cookies, Oreos or another similar vegan cookie/biscuit.
Make the cheesecake filling. First, beat the vegan cream cheese until smooth. Then, add the rest of the filling ingredients (coconut cream, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and lemon juice), and beat until very smooth.
Pour the smooth filling over the crust and spread it evenly.
Yes, I know it’s a LOT of vegan cream cheese, but this makes a large cheesecake! You will have 12 good sized slices. It’s perfect for holiday get togethers or birthday parties. If you’d like, you can cut the cheesecake filling ingredients in half, and bake it in a regular 9 inch pie pan instead.
Bake for 50 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit in the oven without opening the door for another 10 minutes. It will look jiggly and undercooked in the middle, but don’t worry. It will firm up perfectly after cooling.
Chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. It will be soft if you try to serve it too soon. The texture is the most firm and perfect after about 24 hours, so plan ahead if you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Run a large, sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry with a clean towel, and then slice. Repeat with each slice for very clean cut pieces of cheesecake.
No, cheesecake is not usually vegan because it’s made with dairy and often eggs. My recipe is 100% vegan and dairy free, of course!
This recipe cannot be made without vegan cream cheese, and homemade versions do not usually work. I do have a version without cream cheese here: Baked Cashew Cheesecake.
You can, yes! Simply cut all the ingredients in half, use a 9 inch pie pan and bake for 40 minutes instead of 50.
Yes, it can be frozen. Let it chill for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator before wrapping well and moving to the freezer. Or simply freeze slices to easy grab and go desserts.
It will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Gluten free vegan cheesecake
Substitute gluten free graham crackers or Oreos to make the cheesecake both gluten free and vegan.
Optional cheesecake toppings
Serve plain, with fresh berries or one of these:
- Vegan Caramel Sauce
- Vegan Lemon Curd
- Vegan Salted Caramel
- Vegan Chocolate Ganache
- Strawberry Sauce (recipe included below)
- Vegan Whipped Cream
More vegan cheesecake recipes
- Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake
- Vegan Oreo Cheesecake
- No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
- No Bake Layered Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake
- Oreo Mug Cheesecake
The Best Vegan Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs*
- 5 tablespoons melted vegan butter or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the filling
- 32 ounces (4 8-ounce packages) Tofutti vegan cream cheese See notes, do NOT use Trader Joe's!
- (1) 13.5 ounce can coconut cream
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from about 2 small lemons
Optional fresh strawberry sauce
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 small lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a 9 inch springform pan with 1-2 layers of aluminum foil, covering the bottom and the sides. Cut a circle of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan, and spray lightly with oil.
For the crust
- In a medium bowl, add the cookie crumbs, melted vegan butter and sugar. Stir well to combine, then press down into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press down firmly and evenly, going up the sides a little. Set aside.
For the filling
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Now add the rest of the filling ingredients and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Once it’s completely smooth, pour into prepared pan over the crust and spread evenly.
To bake
- Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. Turn off the heat, and let it sit in the oven for 10 more minutes. The cheesecake will be slightly jiggly, and not look very done in the middle. That is correct, it will firm up when it cools.
- Remove from the oven, and let it cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature before moving to the refrigerator to cool for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing and serving. When ready to serve, slice and serve with any optional toppings.
Optional fresh strawberry sauce
- In a food processor, add 1 1/4 cups of the sliced strawberries (reserving 1/4 cup), sugar and lemon zest. Process until smooth. Toss with the sliced strawberries in a small bowl and chill for at least an hour before serving.
- Storing: Leftover cheesecake will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen.
Video
Notes
- Graham Crackers – Most graham crackers have honey, but Nabisco brand is vegan if you can find it or order it online. If not, you can also use vegan gingersnap cookies, Oreos or another similar cookie. Just simply add them to a blender/food processor and then measure 1 1/2 cups crumbs.
- Cream Cheese – I prefer Tofutti brand vegan cream cheese here, it’s the only brand I’ve had consistent results with. Trader Joe’s brand no longer works either, as they changed the formula. I would not recommend Daiya brand as it doesn’t turn out well for some reason. Violife also does NOT work here, so don’t try it! Some people have reported success with Kite Hill brand.
- If you can not find canned coconut cream, you can use 1 can of full fat coconut milk, just don’t use the light coconut milk. Plant based yogurt also works pretty well for a coconut free option.
- If you don’t have a springform pan, or want a smaller cheesecake, you can cut the cheesecake filling ingredients in half and use a regular 9-inch pie pan instead. It will still need about 40 minutes to bake.
- Additional toppings/flavors: Vegan Caramel Sauce, Vegan Chocolate Ganache or Vegan Whipped Cream.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted October 2018 and has been republished with new photos and simplified recipe process. I’m always working on improving my recipes and website. Thank you!
Hi Nora! Will arrowroot powder work instead of cornstarch? And will coconut sugar work instead of granulated sugar?
Hi there! I’m not sure if arrowroot will work the same here or not. It might, but I haven’t tested it. Maybe someone else can comment if they have done that. Coconut sugar would probably work but keep in mind the cheesecake will be more brown than white. Thanks!
Have you ever used margin instead of vegan butter?
I have not, I always use some sort of vegan butter like Earth Balance, Melt or Country Crock.
Would it be possible to make this into a lemon cheesecake? Could I just add some lemon extract, or lemon juice, or lemon peel to add a lemony flavor to it? I know you said it’s kind of picky so was just wondering if that would somehow alter the consistency?
I bet you could, but I haven’t tried it, not sure why because it sounds amazing! I would probably try adding some lemon extract, maybe some lemon peel and perhaps a little lemon juice but not too much. I just wouldn’t want to add too much liquid, so extract and peel would be the best I think. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you, I will absolutely give it a go with the extract and peel. So excited for a vegan cheesecake that is actually baked as opposed to frozen!!!
Let me know how it goes! Happy cooking, Mickey!
This is by far the best vegan cheesecake I have had since going vegan years ago! The consistency is the closest to a “real” cheesecake that I’ve had, which I found to be the trickiest part – frozen cashew cheesecakes came close and were good, but I hated cutting through them and having to eat them suuuuuper cold to maintain the consistency and the other baked ones I’ve tried were more like pudding. This recipe is great! I added 2 tsp lemon extract and 2 tbsp fresh lemon peel to make it lemony and it worked perfectly!
Thanks a lot for taking time to leave your terrific review, Mickey! I’m really glad you loved the cheesecake and that it turned out great for you!
The best vegan cheesecake! This is the most wonderful recipe and I have tried a great share of vegan cheesecake recipes! The taste and texture are perfect! Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful review! I’m glad you love the cheesecake!
This cheesecake is AMAZING! I have made it several times.
I am now looking for a chocolate cheesecake recipe.
Could this recipe be modified? If so, how?
I recently posted Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake, so you are in luck!
This sounds amazing!! Any suggestion what I can sub the graham crackers with to make it gluten-free??
Thanks so much!
Thanks! Any kind of gluten free cookie should work for the crust, maybe gluten free oreo type cookies or gluten free graham crackers.
Hello! I’m in the process of making these. I need them to be ready in like 3ish hours. Would it be ok to put it in the freezer to chill it faster?
You can try, sure. It should be pretty firm but it might still be a little runny in the middle.
Hi Nora! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m planning on making it for my partner’s birthday in a week, and hoping I don’t mess it up.
I have a weird question, why is it baked? – all the ingredients listed are not raw (no eggs or flour for example). Would it be possible to just mix it and chill it overnight, no baking? – what exactly happens when you bake it?
If you don’t bake it, it will just be runny, not a cheesecake at all. It’s made just like a regular cheesecake, that needs to be baked then chilled to get the perfect texture. None of the ingredients are dangerous to consume raw, but the recipe will not work. Hope that helps and you enjoy it!
This really is the best vegan cheesecake!! I made it for Super Bowl Sunday and my mom requested I make it again for her birthday Wednesday. It’s definitely a keeper!
Happy birthday to your mom! I’m glad the cheesecake is a hit! Thank you for sharing!
I made this cheesecake using Kite Hill cream cheese and using a glass pie pan. It was exquisite!!! Good tasting, good texture–I made a small one for a friend and she said it tasted so much like cheesecake. She hadn’t had cheesecake since becoming vegan and this took care of her craving.
I’m so happy to hear that Dannie, thank you!
What’s the purpose of the aluminum foil? Is there any way around it? I made this, and while it tastes great, the middle seems not fully cooked? It holds shape but is more wet
The aluminum foil is quite necessary with a springform pan because without it, little bits of oil leak out and you will have a smoky oven, not good! I wonder what brand of cream cheese you used, as per my notes, some brands don’t work well. It also needs to be chilled for several hours to become firm, it is jiggly at first. Hope that helps!
I used the tofutti as you recommended. I made is yesterday so it’s been in the fridge for a full day now. It is amazing, the middle is just a tiny bit wet? It still holds shape, it just seem less firm in that area. I don’t know if that’s normal?
Yes, tofutti works well every time for me. It sounds like it just didn’t quite cook enough in your oven. Oven temperatures can vary so perhaps yours runs a little on the low side, I’m not sure. Try leaving it in the oven an extra 10 minutes next time, and also make sure you use thick coconut cream, not watery coconut milk, because that would also cause it to be less thick.
Made this yesterday and had it today. This is the most light and delicious vegan cheesecake I have ever had!! Super easy to make (I halved the recipe) and it is a game changer. Non vegans would never know. The texture is so smooth!
Thank you for another incredible recipe ❤️
Thank you Angie! I’m glad to hear you love the cheesecake! Thank you for taking your time to share your wonderful review!
I made this and it was delicious ! I didn’t have tofutti cream cheese but it works just as well with go veggie.
I’m glad the cheesecake turned out delicious for you, Cyann! Thank you for sharing!
Finally made this yesterday to eat today (Valentine’s 2021). My husband has been vegetarian for over 10 years and 6 years for me but he’s lactose-intolerant. So he hasn’t had cheesecake in forever! So happy to be able to make this for him and will definitely be making this again and again. It’s absolutely so delicious. I made a raspberry and strawberry coulis with it and it’s a perfect pairing! My only problem is it cracked but I blame that mostly on my crappy oven. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Love from Chicago ♥️
Quick question though, does this freeze well? We only ate a couple slices and we still have a whole lot left. I would give some to our neighbors but with the pandemic…?
It freezes very well actually! I know it makes quite a lot. It’s really good straight from the freezer, and should be fine for 2 months or so.
Hello in Chicago! I hope you are staying warm! Thanks for your awesome review! I’m so glad the cheesecake turned out delicious and that you both enjoyed it! Thank you, and happy cooking!
Oops forgot to mention I halved the recipe for a 9” pie pan!
This was wildly easy to make… used Annie’s gluten free snickerdoodle bunnies for the crust, and I ran out of sugar so used Swerve to sweeten the filling. Also used TJ’s vegan cream cheese. Baked 45 min + 10 to rest in the oven, came out beautifully. Looking forward to trying it with some strawberry jam or chocolate chips 🙂
Hi Angie. I love using bunnies for the crust! Sounds delicious! I’m glad the cheesecake turned out great for you. Thank you for sharing, and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do you do a Marie bath?
No, I don’t do a water bath here and it’s not necessary.
hi have you tried using sheese brand vegan cream cheese or do you think it would work based on the ingredients?
I haven’t tried it so it’s hard for me to say. I’ve actually never seen this brand, but it sounds good! It might work, but I really can’t be sure.
Nora, I am so excited to make this next week! Was thinking of adding sliced apples with cinnamon and sugar to the top. Do you think that will affect how it will bake?
I don’t think I would add that to the top as it bakes, but maybe as a topping after it bakes? I do think it will affect how it bakes.
Hello! Would it be possible to make this with your cream cheese recipe? Thank you!
So I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think it would work very well. The homemade cream cheese is a little grainy instead of super smooth, so I’m afraid it might not work the same. However, I could be wrong! If you do try it, let me know. I’ll have to test it sometime.
This was sooo amazing! A hit with vegans and non vegans alike. The strawberry sauce with fresh strawberry slices was key.
Thank you for sharing, Paige! I’m glad everyone loved the cheesecake!
Sounds delicious but I’m wondering, with a full can of coconut cream, does it have a coconut flavor?
It really doesn’t, at all. My mom really dislikes coconut flavored desserts and she loves this cheesecake.
This is the holy grail of cheesecake recipes. Have been trying to find one since food allergies forced me to veganism.
Glad you love it, DJ. Thank you!
Baking this was a disaster for me (the ingredients separated so I got an inedible layering type effect) but the filling is tasty. In the future I will not bake it at all and serve it as a “frozen” cheesecake dessert.
It sounds like you may have used a vegan cream cheese that doesn’t work, or it didn’t get mixed well before baking. Use tofutti for the best results! I don’t know that it will work unbaked, but I suppose you could try it.
Hey Nora! Do you think I can sub the cornstarch with the same amount of egg replacer? Currently out of cornstarch so I’m wondering if I can go ahead and make the recipe now or if I have to wait and get me some cornstarch lol.
Appreciate you!
Sorry, I have no idea if another egg replacer would work or not. Possibly, but this recipe is a little picky with substitutions. Some sort of dry, starchy egg replacer might work, but I wouldn’t add any water if your egg replacer calls for it.