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. Chocolatey Chip Teddy Grahams also work. 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! I was wondering if this recipe can work for mini-cheesecakes? If so, how long would I need to bake it for?
I think it would work yes, it kind of depends on how mini you are talking? Like in a muffin pan? If so, I’d say about 25 minutes in the oven.
This was sooo delicious!! I had to fight the urge for a second helping. A fun and simple recipe. This was really easy to make. I am not one for a complicated recipe that calls for 500+ ingredients. Thank you for simplifying it. I would highly recommend this recipe.
Hi Rochelle. I’m glad you love the cheesecake! Thank you!
Incredible cheesecake! I made it for my wife’s birthday and it’s all she would talk about. Now the kids are requesting it for their birthday! I followed the recipe to a tee except I substituted Biscoff cookies for the gram crackers for the crust, absolutely perfect! Certainly not cheap to make, but well worth it.
Hi Greg. I’m glad your wife loved the cheesecake! Sounds like you may have a new birthday tradition starting! Thank you for sharing!
This sounds wonderful, I am just wondering, since you mentioned Daiya brand doesn’t work well, have you tried Miyokos Creamery Cream Cheese and how would it compare?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried Miyoko’s cream cheese here yet, it’s not available where I usually shop. So I can’t really say. Maybe someone else has tried it and can comment?
I made this cheesecake for Christmas and it was incredible even my dad and brother who are skeptical of vegan food said it was really good. For me next time I will refrigerate the cheesecake for up to two days because I found the leftovers had a more firm, cheesecake like texture after refrigerating them one more day. Thank you so much for this recipe it was delicious. 🙂 <3
Hi Esmeralda. I’m glad everyone loved the cheesecake! Thank you for sharing your comments!
How long would you bake it for if I did it in two 6” springforms instead?
And would you be able to freeze this kind of cheesecake?
Thanks!!
It’s a little hard to say as I haven’t tested it that way, but I would guess probably around 40-45 minutes. You can freeze it, yes. Hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Thanks Nora! I will try that!
If you are using less cream cheese would you also use less coconut cream and cornstarch? I used 3 tubs of Toffuti instead of 4 and the can of coconut cream was 15 oz instead of 13.5 so I tried using less but I only used 3 tbsp of cornstarch but it’s still really jiggly in the middle. It seemed a good consistency before I put the coconut cream in but it was clear like everyone is saying so maybe something separates in the can. Dont really see why you need so much cream. If I do it again I’m going to try half the cream and all of the cornstarch and see if it firms up more
Hi Melanie. Using the correct amounts of everything is very important to the success of the recipe. You can certainly cut the whole recipe in half, and use a regular pie dish instead of a deep dish springform pan. But I wouldn’t mess with only decreasing the cream cheese, it just won’t bake and firm up correctly. Hope that helps!
Hi! I love all your recipes! Wondering if I could make this in muffin tins for mini cheesecakes. If so, how long should I bake for? TY!
Hi Jamie! I imagine it would work, but I haven’t tried it myself. I would guess around 20-25 minutes, if that long. Thanks!
I made this recipe for Christmas and it was so good, you can barely tell its vegan because it has that same richness just slightly different flavor than a non vegan cheesecake. I found that only a day of refrigeration left the consistancy more loose than I would like and after refrigerating the leftovers for 1 more day the consistancy was perfect for me it was more firm. Even my dad who is skeptical of vegan food approved it. Thank you so much for making this recipe. ❤
Hi there! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the cheesecake for Christmas. Making this ahead of time is key for the best firm texture, though I usually find that overnight is enough. So glad it worked out!
Nora I wish you had never made this recipe!!, said no one ever!!! I have my second one in the oven as we speak. I have non-vegan friends that shared the last one at Thanksgiving with me and they are begging for it again and said that unless told, no one would ever know it was vegan. So I also have some more non vegan friends who didn’t try it last time that are going to this time around. It is beyond amazing! I thought when I went vegan over 3 years ago I would never get to have my favorite treat again, but no! I must say it is expensive to make at the current cost of Tofutti cream cheese and coconut cream (which the first time I used whole fat coconut milk and it worked fine). So it will be an occasional treat for me and some close friends! THANK YOU
LOL! Thanks Karla, I know I wanted to enjoy cheesecake like I used to love, which is why I created the recipe. I don’t make this nearly often enough! I’m so glad everyone is enjoying it!
Serious issues when attempting to make it with Violife cream cheese. It was a hot mess which boiled over in the oven – like vaseline soup – and it all had to be thrown out. What a disappointment. Unfortunately I didn’t read through all of the comments before trying this because a few other people had the same problem with this brand. Please edit the recipe to make clear that coconut-oil based cream cheese substitutes will NOT work.
Oh man! I haven’t tried Violife myself yet, and I guess I won’t! It’s odd because even though Trader Joe’s and Tofutti has coconut oil in it, they both work fine for me. But some brands definitely do not.
I always use violife and it’s the only brand I can get to turn out well!! (I haven’t tried Trader Joe’s because we don’t have one nearby) I definitely have found out that I do bake it a little longer to get it to set. I usually bake one full hour and then turn the oven off but leave in for another hour. And then chill over night. And it’s turns out with a great texture!! I hope if you try again it turns out for you!!
That is so strange – I just assumed it was the coconut oil in Violife that was the problem. If I come across another brand I will give it another try (I’m in the UK, not sure what else is available) but I don’t think I can bring myself to test it out with Violife again!
I do the basic thing Cari does I bake mine for an hour then turn oven off and leave in in there for about an hour then chill over night. I use the Tofutti brand and it has coconut oil in it? Hope you will try again as this is the best cheesecake ever!
I am making the cheesecake now and keeping it chilled overnight to serve tomorrow. Do you think I could make the strawberry topping today and keep chilled overnight is that best served fresh?
Yes, you can make the strawberry topping today and keep it chilled, no problem. Enjoy!
i made this for myself for Thanksgiving this year and want to tell you I think I died and went to heaven!!! I haven’t had cheesecake since going WFPB/vegan 3 years ago. I had been looking for a recipe that would pass for real and this is it!!!! I had several non vegan friends try it and they also loved it and said if you didn’t tell someone it was vegan they wouldn’t know! I have a friend begging me to make it again, so I am. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cheesecake. Only thing I needed to cook it a little longer, but no problem! Thank you this is my go to cheesecake!!!
That’s so great to hear!
Making this today for my bf’s mother who is vegan and REALLY want to get it right. My local grocer only had Miyoko’s vegan cream cheese in an 8 oz tub-any experience with that? Also, when you put the parchment paper in the pan, then spray on top of it-how do you serve the cheesecake layer? Do you leave the parchment paper under the cheesecake and use it to lift off the springform pan onto a serving dish? Thank you for your help if you have time!
I haven’t tried it with Miyoko’s but I hope it works! With a springform pan, I just take off the outer ring once it is completely cooled and firm. Then I serve it on the bottom part of the pan, I would not try to take it off of there. The parchment paper helps the cheesecake not stick to the bottom, and I never have a problem cutting and serving it with it still on the bottom. Hope that helps!
This is really delicious! We did the strawberry topping, used Miyoko’s butter and Kite Hill cream cheese
Just FYI The beginning of the directions say to use a 9” pan but then at the end it says to half the recipe if you are using a 9” pan.
Glad it worked out for you! The difference is the recipe calls for a 9 inch springform pan, which makes for a deeper cheesecake. If you want to make it in a normal 9 inch pie dish, you can, but cut the recipe in half. Thanks!
I want to use smaller springform pans. How long should I bake a 4 inch springform pan. I need to make two of these and I don’t want to burn them. Suggestions?
It’s hard for me to say because I haven’t tried it, but I would guess about 40 minutes.
My cheesecake isn’t done yet but it looks good! My mom loved the filling when she tasted it during the baking thought so I think it’s going to be really good. It’s our Christmas dessert! Also we are going to do the strawberry topping glaze?
Is it cooked in tray with water.
No, no need for a water bath.
Sorry I was just pissed off cos I’d followed the recipe and then saw that after. I’m happy with it and I’m hoping it cools well. It’s a very easy recipe to follow and you did very well thank you!
I’m glad it turned out for you!
I did my own twist on this and swapped a few ingredients e.g granulated sugar for coconut sugar. It tastes beautiful so far and just put in the oven however the description said to use foil which I did then I’ve just scrolled down and seen another description stating to also use parchment paper on the bottom and now it is too late. I appreciate your recipe but I really can’t stand these ones where a million things are going off off on the page. I have learning difficulties and I find this really confusing. No offence but I honestly am not bothered about people’s life stories when I googled a recipe I just want a recipe. Ingredients and steps that’s it.
Do you think Kite Hill brand cream cheese work?
I haven’t personally tried it, but I think it will work.
Hi! I am having trouble with the cake firming up even after being in the refrigerator over night. I have let it chill for 24 hours and, while it’s very good, it’s still underdone in the middle. I have followed the recipe to the letter. If I cook it longer than 50 minutes (and the 10 minutes with the oven off)on the middle rack of the oven, the top will burn.
Read through all the posts here.One of the earlier ones says to not use the clear liquid in the can of coconut cream. (mine have all separated into the cream and liquid inside the cans.) However, two later posts say to include the liquid. Which is it and will not including the liquid help with the cake firming up? Thanks!
It’s possible that your oven runs a bit low, so it’s not getting cooked all the way, but it could be something else. I’d love to know what brand of vegan cream cheese you used. I know Tofutti works the best, and Trader Joes brand has worked for me, but Daiya does not work at all. I’m not sure about other brands. So some of the comments are asking about full fat coconut milk, where I say to use the creamy, white part of the can, not the clear liquid. Usually cans of coconut cream don’t have any clear liquid at all, it should be all cream, so you use it all. If you see clear liquid, I would try not to use that, but you shouldn’t have that in a can of coconut cream. If you have very watery coconut cream, don’t use the clear part and make it up with another can, enough to equal 13.5 ounces. I hope that helps clarify!
Hi! I’ve been using Tofutti cream cheese. I tried it again, turned up the oven to 375 degrees. I added an additional tablespoon of cornstarch. I also heated the coconut cream (Thai Kitchen brand) in the microwave in a bowl to mix everything together so I didn’t have the white stuff and clear water separated.
Got the same results. It’s very good, don’t get me wrong. Addicting, actually! But it definitely does not have a cheesecake consistency. I chilled it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. The top also got brown again (it tastes good, though!) I have an electric oven.
Is the consistency supposed to be more like a cream filling than a firm cheesecake? Do you have any other suggestions as to what I might try to make it more firm? Thank you!
Hi there! I would not warm up the coconut cream, instead maybe try not using any of the clear water. It should look like the photos once chilled long enough, it’s maybe a little softer than regular cheesecake but very similar, not too soft and creamy. It’s hard to know what else to suggest without being there with you!
Heather I use tofutti cream cheese and I use whole can of coconut cream with the little bit of liquid on the bottom ( it wasn’t much) but I baked mine a full 60 min just until I started to see it get light golden brown around the edges. (just like my mom’s cheese cakes used to look) Then leave it in oven for another hour with heat off then chill overnight. It comes out nice and firm except for jus a small circle in the middle which is a med firm.
Thank you both very much for your suggestions, I will try them!
Absolutely love this recipe—thank you so much! I wanted to ask your thought process/experience on a couple things: can you freeze just the cheesecake filling (without the crust) to harden up without having to bake it at all? I had an idea to fill bread dough with cheesecake filling and then bake it afterwards, but I don’t want the cheesecake to have a runny consistency when filling the dough. If the cheesecake still requires baking, can you cover it with foil so that it doesn’t brown the top of it?
Thank you so much, glad you enjoy it! Unfortunately, you can’t freeze it without baking, it won’t firm up without cooking and then cooling. You can cover it I suppose so it doesn’t brown, I don’t think that would be a problem. But I’ve never tried baking it inside of anything so it’s hard to me to say what the best thing to do is. I’d have to test it. Thanks!
I made it twice. The first time
I missed the note about not using Daiya brand and it was not good. The second time I substituted arrowroot for cornstarch and it never set. Delicious flavor so I will probably cheat with a little cornstarch for the next time. Or maybe I will double the arrowroot powder because it works in other recipes as a cornstarch replacement .
Yes, daiya does not seem to work here, and I’ve never tried it without cornstarch, which is a pretty essential ingredient to making it firm up. I’ve never tried arrowroot here so I really don’t know if it could work or not.
I followed the instructions, so I thought, but it came out of the oven like liquid gel. Over an hour of cooling later its still liquid……..and thats when I found the little bowl of cornstarch, all measured out and ready to be added ??♀️
Oh shoot! Yes, that would be the issue. It really needs the cornstarch to thicken up.