This Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake is a total showstopper! It’s made with an oreo cookie crust, a dreamy cream cheese filling, and homemade strawberry sauce to take every bite to the next level.
Obsessed with strawberry desserts like I am? Make sure to try this Vegan Strawberry Cake, Vegan Strawberry Pie or Easy Vegan Strawberry Shortcake!
Not your average strawberry cheesecake
This Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake is incredibly decadent, creamy, light, and fruity. Make it during spring or summer, or whenever you’re craving a berrylicious dessert. It’s welcome at all kinds of celebrations and get-togethers!
This vegan strawberry cheesecake recipe is made up of three layers:
- An easy oreo cookie crust.
- The smooth and tangy cream cheese filling from my classic vegan cheesecake.
- And homemade strawberry sauce.
Regardless of the silky smooth texture and impossibly creamy and fruity flavors, this cheesecake is surprisingly easy to make. The ingredients list is simple and doesn’t include any nuts, dairy, dates, or other fancy ingredients. Plus, the only equipment you need is a springform pan and a blender!
You and your guests are going to love this vegan cheesecake with strawberry sauce. It’s the ultimate summer dessert!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Oreo cookies – Another oreo-like vegan cookie or chocolate graham crackers also work.
- Vegan butter
- Vegan cream cheese – Tofutti is the best option here. The Trader Joe’s brand used to work in my vegan cheesecake recipes but it no longer does. Violife and homemade cream cheese do not work either.
- Vegan yogurt – Or use canned coconut cream.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar will give you the best results but cane sugar or coconut sugar can also be used.
- Cornstarch – This will thicken and stabilize the cheesecake filling and strawberry sauce. I haven’t tested it, but arrowroot and tapioca starch may work instead.
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Strawberries – Fresh are preferred, but frozen berries can be used in a pinch. Strawberries come into season around June in the USA. Do your best to buy fresh, local, and bright red berries for the absolute best strawberry sauce!
- Water
How to make vegan strawberry cheesecake
Find the complete recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Wrap a 9-inch springform pan with a few layers of aluminum foil before you begin. This will prevent leaks so don’t skip this part!
After your pan is prepped and the oven is preheating, you can start on the oreo cookie crust:
- Pulse the cookies in a food processor or blender until they’re crushed into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir them together with the melted vegan butter.
- Dump the mixture into your springform pan. Press the crust into the bottom and slightly up the sides.
Set the crust aside while you work on the cheesecake filling:
- Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the filling into the pan with the crust, then bake.
- Take the baked cheesecake out of the oven and let it firm up in the fridge overnight.
It’s almost cheesecake time! All you have to do now is make the strawberry sauce:
- Add the strawberries, water, sugar, and vanilla to a saucepan. Keep stirring and simmering until the strawberries break down.
- Make a cornstarch slurry in a separate bowl. Stir it into the strawberry sauce.
- Add the halved strawberries and cook for 1 minute. Take the sauce off of the heat and leave it to cool fully.
- Spoon most of the sauce on top of the cheesecake and place it back in the fridge to chill.
- Serve the vegan cheesecake with more strawberry sauce on each slice and enjoy!
Tips for success
- Yes, you need a lot of cream cheese, but this is a large cheesecake! You should end up with at least 12 slices. Make it for summer get-togethers, celebrations, Fourth of July parties, and picnics.
- Don’t open the oven door! I know it can be tempting to check on your cheesecake but opening the door will lower the temperature and cause the cheesecake to sink or crack.
- Another way to prevent a cheesecake from cracking is to let it cool in the oven. Turn off the oven once it’s done baking but leave it in there for at least 10 minutes.
- The baked cheesecake will be jiggly when it’s done. Don’t worry! It will firm up once it chills in the fridge.
- Leave it to set overnight. The cheesecake will still be soft even after 4 to 6 hours, so overnight is best.
- For the cleanest slices, run a large knife blade under hot water first. Wipe it dry, then slice into the cake.
More cheesecake toppings
Not into strawberries? No problem! The fruity sauce can be made with blueberries, blackberries, cherries, or raspberries if strawberries aren’t your thing.
Otherwise, there are plenty of more toppings you can decorate your cheesecake with:
- Vegan ganache
- Crushed nuts
- Mint leaves
- Lemon zest
- Shaved vegan white chocolate
- Fresh berries
- Vegan caramel sauce
- Oreo cookie crumbs
- Vegan whipped cream
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to use a springform pan? No. If you don’t have a springform pan, cut the cheesecake filling ingredients in half and use a regular 9 inch pie plate instead. It will only need 40 minutes in the oven, but leave it to cool another 10 minutes.
- Is the cheesecake gluten free? Substitute regular oreos for a gluten free alternative to make a gluten free cheesecake.
- Are oreo cookies vegan? Classic Oreos are made without any dairy, eggs, honey, or other animal-derived ingredients, meaning they’re vegan-friendly. Even if you don’t want to use the Oreo brand to make this cake, Nature’s Own, 365 Brand, or another oreo-type cookie will work.
- How long does strawberry cheesecake last? The baked cheesecake will keep for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To freeze, cover the baked cake (without the strawberry sauce) in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Want more vegan cheesecake recipes?
- The Best Vegan Cheesecake
- Vegan Oreo Cheesecake
- Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake
- Layered Raspberry Cheesecake
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake
This Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake is a total showstopper! It’s made with an oreo cookie crust, a dreamy cream cheese filling, and homemade strawberry sauce to take every bite to the next level.
Ingredients
Oreo crust
- 25 Oreo cookies
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 32 ounces (4 8-oz packages) vegan cream cheese Tofutti brand is best, see Notes
- 1 1/2 cups coconut cream or plain vegan yogurt
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Strawberry sauce
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, half diced and half halved
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Prepare the pan and preheat oven
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan with 1-2 layers of aluminum foil, covering the bottoms and the sides. Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, and spray the bottoms and sides of the pan with non-stick spray.
Prepare the crust
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the Oreo cookies until they are fine crumbs.
- Pour the crumbs into a large bowl and stir in the melted vegan butter until well combined.
- Dump the crumbly crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press down firmly and evenly, going up the sides a bit. Set aside.
Make the cheesecake filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the rest of the cheesecake ingredients (coconut cream or yogurt, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and lemon juice) and beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Pour into the prepared crust and spread it evenly.
Bake and chill
- Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. After 50 minutes, turn off the oven but let it sit in the oven for another 10 minutes. It will still be jiggly and not look super done, but it firms up as it chills.
- Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool overnight, or at least 4-6 hours. It firms up considerably the longer it chills. Even after 6 hours the middle will be pretty soft, so chill overnight if at all possible.
Make the strawberry sauce and serve
- Place the diced strawberries, 2 tablespoons water, sugar and vanilla in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring.
- Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the strawberries break down, stirring frequently.
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with the other 2 tablespoons water, then stir into the strawberry mixture on the stove. The sauce will thicken slightly.
- Now add the halved strawberries and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let the sauce cool for about 30 minutes.
- Spoon most of the sauce onto the cheesecake and use all of the halved strawberries. Flip them all facedown if desired. Place back in the refrigerator to chill for another hour if possible.
- Slice and serve with additional strawberry sauce for each piece, if desired. Enjoy! It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, and can also be frozen.
Notes
- Gluten free – Use gluten free Oreo cookies, or another gluten free cookie for the crust.
- Coconut free – If you can’t have coconut, make sure to use Tofutti cream cheese (I believe it’s coconut free, but double check the ingredients list) and vegan yogurt in place of coconut cream.
- Cream cheese – I can only guarantee the cheesecake will work with Tofutti brand cream cheese, I haven’t had luck with any other brand. DO NOT USE Violife, it will just melt and be a mess. Trader Joe’s brand does not work either.
- Different fruit – Make it a blueberry cheesecake by subbing blueberries for the strawberries, or raspberries/blackberries.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 12 slices | Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
Hi,
Is it possible to freeze leftovers?
To freeze, cover the baked cake (without the strawberry sauce) in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Would it work if I used my muffin tin to bake these to make mini versions for individual servings?
It probably would, but I haven’t tested it.
Hi Nora. Is it normal that there are crumbs in the filling? It’s the cornstarch. Please tell me it’s normal.
There shouldn’t be crumbs in the filling. It sounds like the cornstarch wasn’t incorporated enough into the filling. You can solve this next time by beating the filling together until it’s completely smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
My SIL cannot have soy. Thinking of making the Vegan cream cheese from “Loving It Vegan” blog and using that in this recipe. Has anyone tried that?
She says in the instructions homemade won’t work
I can only guarantee the cheesecake will work with Tofutti brand cream cheese.
Should the cream cheese be room temperature to whip it or is out of the fridge okay?
Hi Mandy. Yes, it’s always best to use room temperature ingredients when baking. Let the cream cheese sit on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes, then go ahead and begin. Happy baking!
Hello Nora
I want to try to make this cake soon but am wondering how to store leftovers. Can we freeze the cake and defrost it in the fridge overnight?
Thanks
The leftover frosted cake is best stored in the fridge, but I’m sure you can freeze the individual slices as well. And yes, let them thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 1 hour.
Oh my goodness…this is absolutely delicious. The texture is divine. You really do need to use the tofutti. I also don’t like it as cream cheese (like on a bagel) but it works like a charm here. You have to trust Nora- this will look like it is going to be a liquid mess when it comes out of the oven. It will set up if you used what she says to use (tofutti and the solid part of the coconut cream). Used fresh garden strawberries and this is to die for. Will make it as a blueberry cheesecake come blueberry season.
Thanks again Nora!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback and experience with the cheesecake! I’m so glad you love it! Happy cooking!
Are the nutrition facts really for just one slice of 12??! I’m still going to make it but GEEZ.
Also, if I need this for dinner tonight, can I put it in the freezer to speed things up?
Correct, though the slices are big, but yes it’s rich! You can try, yes, but it may end up harder on the outer portions and soft in the very middle still, I’m not sure.
OMG!! This came out perfect! I loved the texture it was just how cheesecake should be. It was a hit for this Memorial Day! This will be my go to recipe for Cheesecake!
I followed the recipe exactly as written.
Thank you Nora!
Hi Tina. I’m thrilled this will be your new go to recipe for cheesecake! Thanks for your wonderful feedback and review! Wishing you happy cooking!
I halved this recipe and make it in a pie plate according to Nora’s directions. I did not use oreos as I did not have any on hand. That said I was ALMOST going to try and use a different cream cheese as I do not care for the Tofutti brand. But I know that Nora’s recipes have yet to steer me wrong so I followed the recipe as written. I am so glad I trusted her because this recipe was perfect! It browned on top and was jiggly right out of the over as she said but it set up beautifully overnight. Being that I used a pie pans it honestly solidified enough on the first day in the fridge but I left it overnight just in case. The taste was on point and I could not detect the tofutti flavor that I typically do not like. Thank you Nora 🙂
I should also mention that I used a plain soy milk yogurt sub in place of the coconut cream as Nora mentioned that would work and that is what I had on hand. 🙂
What a wonderful review, Jen! I’m so happy the cake turned out so well and that you loved the flavor despite using Tofutti haha. Thank you for your amazing review!
Should I use coconut cream or yogurt for this recipe?
Which one will give the best results as I have both available.
Should I use oat, almond, or coconut yogurt for the best results.
I do not have allergies to either.
Thank you!
I prefer coconut cream as the cheesecake comes out a bit more firm (once it chills). But yogurt works as well, I like to give options for folks who can’t have coconut or prefer a different ingredient. I hope that helps!
I made this tonight, literally just took it out of the oven! It’s jiggly alright ? mine didn’t brown from the top at all. Is that normal? I followed the instructions to a t and it’s super white. I’m hopeful it’ll be completely firm by the morning. Thanks!
50 minutes is enough time for the cheesecake to brown in my own, but it sounds like you could have kept yours in the oven for a little longer. And yes, it’s normal for the cheesecake to be jiggly once it comes out of the oven! It should firm up in the fridge after 24 hours 🙂 Hope this helps!
This was a big hit with the vegans and non vegans, including the picky non vegan! I did make it lemon by using lemon sandwich cookies in the crust rather than chocolate, added the zest of one lemon, instead of 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, I used half teaspoon lemon extract and one and a half teaspoons vanilla. I made the sauce with raspberries and I did pour it through a sieve to take out the seeds. I do admit to being skeptical when I took it out of the oven and saw the wobble but it set just like you said it would. I do believe it would have been delicious as written, we are just huge lemon fans.
Thank you for this and all the wonderful recipes you create!
Hi Philecia. Your cheesecake sounds so delicious! I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing your great feedback and your delicious ideas! I appreciate you using my recipes! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
For the canned coconut cream, is it just the thicker part? Do I need to chill it first and scoop the top out? Or do I stir the can room temp and measure it out? I cannot wait to make this tonight!
Use as much of the thick creamy white part as possible, even if you need to use two cans. I like to try and get canned coconut cream if I can find it. You don’t need to chill it first. Just scoop out the creamy white part. Hope you love it!
Question about the oreo cookies: Remove the filling before making the crumbs, yes?
Also, does ’25 cookies’ mean one side of an oreo or both sides?
Hi there! No need to remove the filling, use the entire cookie, and 25 cookies means 25 whole cookies, not only one side. Hope that helps clarify!
Can’t wait to try this cheesecake! I wanted to tell you I made the strawberry cake for Easter and it was a showstopper! Loved by all, thank you!
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing about the cake. I’m glad it was a hit! Enjoy the cheesecake!
This looks so good. Unfortunately, I can’t eat soy so the tofutti brand is out for me. Is there really no other substitute? 🙁
jacquie
You could try using Kite Hill or Miyoko’s instead of Tofutti. I believe both are soy free.
Could I use graham crackers instead of Oreos for the crust?
Yes, just make sure they’re vegan-friendly and don’t contain honey. Chocolate graham crackers are best!