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!
Made 2 times now. Yes use Tofutti. No fail. I made vegan ginger bread cookies from scratch to be crushed to be used in crust , amazing. Made frozen raspberries in sauce for topping. Thx !
Can you use violate block cream cheese. Also, how do you think it would come out using just egg.
No, Violife cream cheese does not work. I would not use JUST Egg either.
From this time last year I forgot how jiggly/ liquidy this was supposed to be when pulling out of the oven…I followed the recipe as written and I did 50 min, let sit inside oven for 10 after cooking, set at room temp for 15, but it’s more jiggly than I remember. I’ll be setting in the fridge for 1 1/2 days so hopefully it’ll be ok?
Did you use Tofutti brand cream cheese? Yes, it is jiggly after removing from the oven and even sitting at room temperature. It really needs a lot of time to chill and firm up, so it should be perfect after a day or so. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Very giggly when taken out but trusted Nora and once set overnight in fridge it was perfect. We just ate last piece 9 days later and was still excellent.
Hi Nora!
My daughter made this into a cranberry orange cheesecake for my birthday and it was divine! I found it to be beautifully rich and creamy. I’ve been eating little pieces at a time to savor it lol. Is it possible to freeze some pieces? Would love to so I can enjoy it even longer.
That sounds absolutely wonderful! Yes, you can freeze it and enjoy it straight from the freezer or let it thaw for awhile. Thanks!
This recipe is hands down the best vegan cheesecake and now I make it whether it needs to be vegan or not. It’s easy, delicious and people go nuts for it. I always prebake my crust for 10 minutes at the same temp. House smells good and crust firms a bit. Make this recipe as is and you can’t go wrong. I don’t wrap with foil or use parchment paper, just butter the pan and off it goes. I’ve made it for at least 6 events and each time I wonder if I should be selling these. Thanks, Nora!!
I can not for the life of me find the tofutti cream cheese. I went to 5 different stores, even when their website said they had it, they didn’t! I tried it with Philadelphia plant based and it started to leak out into the foil. I am also trying it with violife because that’s the only other one I can find in my area. I’m hoping it doesn’t leak out like the last one did. Plus the texture was a little rubbery and not creamy like a normal cheese cake. Should it have a creamy texture?
I’m sorry you can’t find Tofutti! Don’t use Violife – it just melts into oil when it gets warm and it won’t work at all unfortunately. It sounds like Philadelphia brand does the same thing. It should be creamy, not rubbery or oily. I have heard that Kite Hill and Miyoko’s brand of vegan cream cheese work quite well.
32 oz appears to be way too much for one. I wish i had known before i bought 4. Only about 16 oz fits.
Are you using a springform pan, 9 inches? This is a deeper pan and makes a tall cheesecake, just like the photos. I give instructions on how to cut the recipe in half and bake in a normal pie dish. Those instructions are in the Notes and the post.
Recipe tastes great, but I can’t for the life of me get it to set properly. I followed the recipe to the letter and I’ve tried baking it longer, I’ve tried cooling it for two days, nothing works. Open to suggestions!
What vegan cream cheese are you using? I recommend Tofutti. Many brands do not work and your cheesecake will never set.
I used Tofuutti cream cheese.
Will this work with store bought graham cracker 9 inch pie crust?
If you do that, you’ll need to cut the filling ingredients in half or there will be too much. But you can! It will also need less time in the oven.
Nora’s recipes never fail me. I was VERY apprehensive when I pulled this out of the oven😆 because ya girl was not set at ALL, very liquid-y. I used Philadelphia plant based cream cheese because my stores don’t carry Tofutti anymore and the notes vetoed every other brand. Despite Google saying it wasn’t a good option…I tried anyway. It WORKED. I baked it a full hour and let it sit in the oven 10-15 more minutes. Then I cooled on the stove until completely room temp before refrigerating for 24 hours. It firmed up, sliced beautifully and holds shape no issue. Success. And I think the flavor is pretty good, though I think I could’ve reduced the lemon.
Also don’t skip the parchment paper…I’m out so I did and the crust kinda comes apart a bit when slicing and I know that could’ve been avoided had I lined it with parchment.
Hi Amber. I’m so happy that you had great success with the cheesecake! Thanks for sharing your glowing review, recipe experience and tips! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!
I also used the vegan Philadelphia cream cheese and I can’t believe how good it is!! I also baked it a little longer. I topped mine with wild blueberries. Yum!!
Can I use a Mini Cheesecake Pans Removable Bottom 12 Hole – Heavy Gauge Carbon Steel Non Stick Pan Loose Bottom Springform – 3 Inch Small Individual Cheesecakes Tin – PFOA Free? If so do I need to put individual parchment liners in each hole? And do I still need to wrap the whole pan in foil?
I’ve never tried it, but it might work. I don’t think you’d need to put liners in each hole or wrap the pan in foil.
Any thoughts on how long I should cook it?
I don’t know for sure as I haven’t tried this exact thing, but probably 15-25 minutes. You might want to cut the recipe in half unless you want a lot of mini cheesecakes.
Hello. Although it was pretty easy to put together and the crust was delicious, this recipe did not work for me. The flavor was so artificial tasting I had to throw the cheesecake out. My guess is that the vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti, as instructed) was the culprit. After spending over $20 for the ingredients, I was doubly disappointed to have to ditch it. We are not vegan, but my husband is sensitive to dairy. I do like your site and will try other recipes.
Hi Nora! I plan to replace the coconut cream with yogurt. Four questions:
– Would I still use 13.5 oz of yogurt?
– Which yogurt brand/ type do you recommend? (I usually have Silk Vanilla Soy yogurt in my fridge but want to be sure I can use that due to the added sugar). Also, I have a tree nut allergy so I can’t use almond milk yogurts.
-Does the cream cheese and the yogurt need to be room temp or can they be cold, straight from the fridge before baking?
-Finally, just a thought… could I replace the coconut cream with equal amounts of regular silken tofu?
I know these are a lot of questions, so I appreciate your feedback! Thank you!
Hi there! To make it easier, you can measure 1.5 cups of vegan yogurt, that’s about the same as 13.5 ounces coconut cream. I would use a very thick, creamy yogurt if you can, and unsweetened preferably, or else you will taste it in the cheesecake. You could use the Silk vanilla, but it’s not my first choice. If you can find an unsweetened soy or coconut based yogurt, that would be better. I use the cream cheese (and yogurt if using) straight from the fridge, not room temperature. I have a feeling silken tofu would work really well, but I haven’t tried it myself yet! Hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake!
After making your pot pie (so yummy!!) I’m planning to try every single one of your recipes!
While planning for the cheesecake, I ran into the problem of the cream cheese. Tofutti isn’t available here, so I did some quick research and thought I’d share in case anyone else runs into this. It seems the tofu or soy protein content is what’s missing in many vegan cream cheeses. Violife, for example, doesn’t hold up well in baking because it’s starch and oil based, without the soy protein structure that makes Tofutti stable under heat. In Germany (and probably Europe in general), Soyananda cream cheese seems to be a good alternative. I’ll give it a try!
hi, im planning on using this as a base for an apple crumble cheesecake, following the same filling and crust but adding ~3 cups of stewed apple filling on top with about 2.5-3 cups of streusel on top of that. since vegan cheesecake needs to be chilled for around 24 hours to ensure full solidity and i wont be able to check the brownness on top due to the apples and streusel, i was going to just follow the baking time as stated in this recipe but wanted to double check if the baking time should be adjusted with the additional toppings. thank you so much!
Sounds wonderful! I might add an extra 10 minutes to the bake time, but I can’t say for sure since I’ve never tried this. I hope you enjoy it, let me know how it turns out!
The texture of this was good but I just did not like the Tofutti/Coconut Cream flavor combo. It had a funny aftertaste. Make sure to not to overbake this!!
Can I bake this in a 8″ square glass pan (which has nearly the same surface area as a 9″ springform pan)? I know that removing it will not be as straightforward, but I actually want to serve the cheesecake cut into square cheesecake ‘bites’, so mostly I want to make sure that it will bake fine in a square pan as long as I follow the cream cheese brand warnings!
It should work okay! You could probably bake it in a 9×13 inch dish as well for less tall squares, and perhaps bake for a little less time. Enjoy!
Hi Nora, I love this recipe. However, for some reason my cheese cake is runny in the middle (the center of the cake). Not sure why as I followed closely all the steps.
Have you let it chill for at least 4 hours or overnight? I ask because it always looks jiggly when you first remove it from the oven; it needs to chill for a long time. If you have already chilled it and it’s still runny, then that makes me wonder what brand of vegan cream cheese you used. As I state in the post and recipe, there are several brands that just turn to liquid and will not work. I always use Tofutti, but people have reported success with Kite Hill and Miyoko’s, but all others don’t work that I have found.
You are one of my favorite people for recipes. This cheese cake recipe was my first and it was perfect, except I should’ve watched the video first. I put the foil in the inside😅.
Hello Hutha. Your story made me smile! Thank you for your support and encouragement! I’m so glad you love the cheesecake recipe! I appreciate your glowing review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Another success from the Queen! I used Myokos cream cheese and had great results. I also used your Oreo cheesecake crust along with this recipe and holy crap it tasted like a pie from my childhood – the Marie calendars kahlua pie. For those interested, the Myokos did result in a darker color due to it being darker, and the flavor profile does take on that of the myokos cream cheese, but it worked great. The texture and firmness was perfect. I realize this may be a slightly different cheesecake than the recipe, but since myokos is also a popular brand I wanted to share the success. Thanks again, Nora!
You are welcome, Jen! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and ideas! I am so glad that you loved the cheesecake! I appreciate your glowing review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Hi Nora,
First off, I’d like to thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve been vegan for over a decade and have only ever made “raw” cheesecakes. I have alway been intimidated by cheesecakes that need to be baked, but when I came across your recipe I knew I could trust that #1 I could follow the recipe and #2 it would come out tasting good. This cheesecake came out amazing! My husband was blown away by how good it tasted. Definitely a recipe I will save and be making again.
You are welcome, Natalie! I am thrilled that the cheesecake was a hit with you and your husband! I’m glad that you tried the cheesecake out, even though it felt a little bit intimidating to you! Glad to hear that it came out wonderful for you! Wishing you happy cooking!
Can you clarify whether you use the entire can of coconut cream or just the solid part? Thanks!
I use the entire can of coconut cream. Enjoy!
This cheesecake is delicious! Definitely plan to chill overnight…I checked mine after 4 hours and it was still very jiggly, but the next day it was perfect. I’ll for sure be making this again, just maybe with some extra crust because that’s my favorite part of anything 🙂
Hello, can’t wait to tastes this when it is done. I have never made a cheesecake and was looking into vegan cheesecakes after putting this cheesecake recipe in the oven. Other recipes say to put a cooking sheet under cheesecake in oven with water, is this needed for this recipe?
It’s not necessary here. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Greeting from down the I-5 in Eugene! I have tried and loved several of your recipes since going plant-based over a year ago. Because of this, I trust you. But I have to say, when this wobbly, jiggly mess came out of the oven I was terrified that I had a disaster on my hands. I put it in the fridge and hoped for the best. It’s been about 24 hours and I finally got up the nerve to pull it out and release the springform…and it held firm!! Woohoo!! Next was the taste test, which it passed with flying colors. Silky smooth instead of the gelatinous texture that I’ve experienced with other vegan cheesecake recipes. I like my cheesecake a little on the firm side, so next time I may try baking for a full hour and see if that helps. My only (very minor) issue was with the crust, but that’s not on you. I went with the ginger snap crust and used the recipe on the bag (Franz brand) which was too wet and ended up dripping vegan butter in the fridge as it cooled. Next time I’ll either reduce the amount of vegan butter or go with your graham cracker recipe. My non-vegan husband asked for a 2nd slice as soon as he finished the first 🙂 Another winner from the master!
I’m so glad you trusted the process and stuck it in the fridge! For the firmest vegan cheesecake, refrigerate for 24 hours and use all coconut cream (only the thick cream no water). That makes it as firm as possible, I have found. And of course, using Tofutti cream cheese. Thanks!
I was wondering if this would work as muffin tin sized mini cheesecakes and if so how long to bake them for. Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Hi Holly. I have not tested these as mini individual servings. Muffin tin size will need about 20-25 minutes. The cheesecakes will look cooked, except for maybe the middle, but they won’t be totally firm until they chill. I hope this helps! Enjoy!