A Virtual Vegan

Wholesome vegan food cooked with love

182 Comments

Vegan New York Cheesecake

Share1.4K
Pin25.3K
Tweet186
26.9K Shares

This ultra-rich, decadently creamy and smooth Vegan New York Cheesecake is surprisingly quick and easy to make. Enjoy as it is or get a little fancy with your choice of topping.  It is dessert perfection and you absolutely need it in your life…..

Vegan New York Cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries

This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Stop right there. This is a warning. This Vegan New York Cheesecake is for people who are serious about their dessert. Like really serious.

Proceed with caution. If you don’t want to eat slice after slice of classic, creamy, velvety, rich cheesecake and spend all of your time coming up with delicious ways to top your perfect baked cheesecake, then step away now. Find yourself another recipe.

May I suggest my Cinnamon Roll in a Mug? Ready in minutes and just one portion. perfect for people like me who cannot stop at one helping …

I LOVE CHEESECAKE ♡

Vegan Cheesecake has got to be one of my all time favourite desserts. I love anything rich, creamy and decadent and it doesn’t get much more rich and decadent than this Vegan New York Style Cheesecake.

A Baked Vegan New York Cheesecake with a slice taken out

I have made and eaten a lot of vegan cheesecake (all in the name of research of course 😉) and whilst they are mostly very lovely, they aren’t like “real” baked New York Cheesecake.

Most vegan cheesecake tends to be raw and don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with that and really enjoy eating them, but they tend to be very smooth and quite light in texture. They don’t have that ultra-rich, creamy density that traditional baked New York style cheesecakes have. Many of them also need to be kept in the freezer, or they use coconut oil to help solidify them and melt into a puddle if left out of the fridge for any length of time.

My Vegan New York Cheesecake is different. It is just like a “real” baked cheesecake in texture. Dense, rich, super creamy and very satisfying.

Whilst there is oil in the crust, there is none in the cheesecake filling. This means that if you follow an oil free diet you can make the cheesecake top without the crust and still stay on track (see my recipe notes for tips on cooking it like this).

a slice of Vegan New York Cheesecake on a plate with strawberries

MY VEGAN NEW YORK CHEESECAKE FILLING HIDES A SECRET INGREDIENT!

To get the perfect vegan baked cheesecake texture I experimented with many different ingredients and methods. I settled for a combination of cashew nuts and chickpeas. Yes, the humble but quite awesome chickpea is the secret ingredient here.

Please do not let that scare you off. You would NEVER know.

You might remember that they made a surprise appearance in my Healthy Raspberry Chocolate Fudge Tart, and that’s what gave me the idea of adding them here.

The cashews give the filling it’s creaminess and the chickpeas give the denseness, in a similar way that heavy cream cheese and eggs would in a non-vegan baked cheesecake.

It’s so similar in texture it’s scary.

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHEESECAKE

SEE MY VIDEO FOR A VISUAL GUIDE. FOR INGREDIENTS & FULL INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST

This Vegan New York Cheesecake is surprisingly easy to make.

STEP 1

First you need to make the crust and let is set in the fridge. For this I use my Vegan Digestive Biscuits recipe but to make life easier you can use store bought digestive biscuits or graham crackers (a lot are accidentally vegan).

Have you tried my Vegan Digestive Biscuits recipe yet? They are so good and perfect for dunking in your tea or coffee!

C'mon...I'm English...It was only a matter of time before I came up with a recipe for vegan digestive biscuits! With their distinctive crunchy, crumbly texture & not too sweet almost nutty flavour, they make the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea......I'm totally conforming to the typical English stereotype here aren't I?

Plus they make an awesome cheesecake base!

All you have to do is blend them with some vegan butter or coconut oil in a food processor. I have this one and love it:

STEP 2

Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan (or similar). My go to bakeware is always USA Pan. Their spring form pan is great. This is the one I have (not sponsored, I just love their products):

STEP 3

While the crust is setting up in the fridge, blend the filling ingredients together until smooth. I recommend soaking the cashew nuts in boiling water before blending in the instructions, but if you have a high powered blender like the one below, or a Vitamix then you can get away without doing this.

STEP 4

Once the filling is blended and smooth, pour it on to the base and bake.

For such a decadent dessert it’s all pretty easy really!

STEP 5

Allow to cool then refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

CHEESECAKE TOPPING IDEAS

Whilst this Vegan New York Cheesecake is absolutely delicious on it’s own, I love to top it with a little something extra.

The healthiest option is fresh fruit. Juicy berries in particular are very nice. Then there’s my Five Minute Vegan Caramel Sauce, my Blueberry Lavender Sauce or my Vanilla Roasted Strawberries ♡

Baked Vegan New York Cheesecake and roasted strawberries

Or my Pumpkin Caramel Sauce…♡♡

I think the Pumpkin Caramel Sauce is my favourite cheesecake topping so far. It is a very indulgent combo and is extremely rich but that’s how I like my desserts!

For a festive spin on this cheesecake you could top it with a layer of my sweet, boozy Mincemeat.

This Vegan New York Cheesecake is:

Rich

Creamy

Tangy

Easy to make

Perfectly sweet

And just like the real thing!

I can’t wait for you to try it!

a slice of baked Vegan New York Cheesecake

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
If you did, be a ☆ and let me know what you think by rating it and commenting below. Tag me on Instagram too. I am @avirtualvegan and my hashtag is #avirtualvegan 

4.77 from 47 votes
Print

Vegan New York Cheesecake

It’s only a baked Vegan New York Cheesecake..♡...It is ultra-rich, decadently creamy, dessert perfection & you absolutely need it in your life…..
Course Dessert
Recipe Type vegan
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 524 kcal
Author Melanie McDonald

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE

  • 350g | about 23 biscuits/cookies digestive biscuits (can sub graham crackers) - if you use my digestive biscuit recipe you will need almost the whole batch (minus about 3). For a gluten-free version use gluten-free cookies
  • 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter , or coconut oil

FOR THE FILLING

  • 300g | 2 cups raw cashews ,soaked in boiling water for 15 mins then drained
  • 175g | 1 cup chickpeas , drained (cooked not dried chickpeas)
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder , or 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder , or cornstarch
  • 120mls | ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 400 ml full fat coconut milk (from a can & must be full fat)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 320F
  2. Prepare the tin. Use the bottom of a deep 9 inch spring form pan . It must be at least 3 inches deep (see recipe notes if you have another size pan). to draw a circle on some parchment paper. Cut out the circle and use it to line the bottom of your pan. Line the sides of the pan with a long rectangular strip of baking parchment. Use a little mildly flavoured oil on the pan first to make the paper stick
  3. Put digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) into a food processor with the butter/coconut oil and blend until well combined and in fine crumbs.
  4. Press into the bottom of the tin. Make sure it is even and pressed down firmly then refrigerate while you make the filling.
  5. Add all the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
  6. Remove base from the fridge and pour the filling in carefully.

  7. Bake for about 50 minutes. It should be set well around the edges and have a little bit of a wobble in the middle when done. A few small cracks are ok and will be covered by whatever you toppings you use.  

  8. Remove and allow to cool then refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.

Recipe Notes

Store in the fridge for freshness, but unlike a lot of vegan cheesecakes it wont melt into a puddle if left at room temperature for a while before serving.

If you do not have a deep 9 inch spring form tin then an 8 or a 10 inch will be ok. The cooking time just might need to be adjusted very slightly. Using an 8 inch tin will make it take a little longer as it will be a bit deeper. Probably only 5 or 10 minutes longer though. If you use a 10 inch it will probably be ready a few minutes earlier as it wont be quite as deep. Follow my guide in the instructions for knowing when it is ready.

A deep spring form tin is ideal for this recipe. If you do not have one then a tin with a removable bottom will also work. Do not try to make it in a cake pan with no removable bottom as you will never get it out. If you do not have a deep pan then you might need to use a bigger than 9 inch pan in order to fit everything in.

If you follow an oil-free diet then you can omit the crust and just cook the cheesecake filling. You can do this in the same way as above but you will need to make absolutely sure that your springform tin is leak proof as it won't have the biscuit layer covering the seams. The last thing you want is for the cheesecake to leak out before it sets up in the oven. Practise with the tin by filling it with water to see if any drips out. If it doesn't you are good to go. If it does then don't use that tin!

If you do not have a leak proof tin then you could bake the cheesecake in ramekins. I haven't tried it myself but I would imagine that in small ramekins it would take about 20 - 25 mins in the oven. Follow my instructions above for checking when it is ready.

Nutrition Facts
Vegan New York Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 524 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 51%
Sodium 191mg 8%
Potassium 234mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 18g
Protein 10g 20%
Vitamin C 14%
Calcium 5%
Iron 15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ultra-rich, decadently dense & creamy Baked Vegan New York Cheesecake. Dessert perfection!

Ultra-rich, decadently dense & creamy Baked Vegan New York Cheesecake. Dessert perfection!

Ultra-rich, decadently dense & creamy Baked Vegan New York Cheesecake. Dessert perfection!

Vegan New York Cheesecake slice topped with roasted strawberries

This ultra-rich, decadently creamy and smooth Vegan New York Cheesecake is surprisingly quick and easy to make. Enjoy as it is or get a little fancy with your choice of topping.  It is dessert perfection and you absolutely need it in your life..... #cheesecake #vegancheesecake #newyorkcheese #vegandessert
Share1.4K
Pin25.3K
Tweet186
26.9K Shares

A Virtual Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post may contain affiliate links.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

All commentsI made thisQuestions

  1. How “coconut-y” is the finished product? I’m dying to make it and I love coconut but it’s such a divisive ingredient that people tend to either love or hate. I could use refined coconut oil in the base to tone it down but not sure how strong the flavor is with coconut cream in the actual cake? Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

    • You can’t taste the coconut at all. You might if you used virgin coconut oil in the crust, but vegan butter gives the best flavor there anyway or like you say you can use refined.

      Reply

  2. This is the best vegan “cheesecake” I have ever head. Well, it’s the only one I’ve ever had since a tofu one I made in my twenties and I can’t remember how it tasted.

    I won’t be making it again for a while because I live alone and it’s taken me nearly 3 weeks to eat it but I enjoyed it!

    The flavor was surprisingly closer than what I was expecting. Not exact buy very close and very good. Will have to try with one of your toppings in the future.

    Reply

    • I’m so pleased you enjoyed it Brenda. And wow, good going to finish it all on your own! You could easily half the recipe and make it in a smaller pan if you wanted to. Now you’ve made it once full size you’ll know how to spot when it’s cooked properly. Thank you for coming back to leave feedback. I really appreciate it.

      Reply

    • The full fat coconut milk is what sets it up and is what makes it creamy and rich. Tofu might technically work but I haven’t tried it. I think the taste and texture would be affected though. The recipe has only been tested the recipe with full fat coconut milk.

      Reply

  5. This is honestly SO realistic and delicious. Its my second time making it and even my omnivore family likes it. This recipe is a life saver. The only thing I would change is using a vanilla pod instead of just the extract but thats just astetic wise really.

    Reply

  6. Hello! This cheesecake looks amazing. I really want to try making it but I don’t have arrowroot flour. I suppose it could be sustituted with cornstarch. But I don’t have that either. What would be a good substitute? Flax eggs?
    Thank you in advance! 🙂

    Reply

    • You need either cornstarch or arrowroot. Don’t make it without them. Flax eggs wouldn’t work and would ruin the appearance too. It’s worth waiting for!

      Reply

  7. Made this for my dairy loving husband for Father’s Day and he was shocked it was not dairy!! So very good!!

    Reply

  8. We made it yesterday and it is soooooo good, we all loved it. We also made the 5 minute vegan caramel sauce and it was perfect. Thank you!!!!

    Reply

  9. Just pulled my beauty outta the oven. Can’t wait to see how it cools! Such an exciting adventure. I added the whipped aquafaba so has to cook it a bit longer. Also used peanut butter instead of tahini, and honey vs maple. The color is golden. Any suggestions to mimick that smooth, white sour cream top cheese cake sometimes has? Sweetened plain soy yogurt?

    Reply

      • Thank you!! Will give that a try for round two. Will come back after teeth have been sunk in tomorrow ❤️

        Reply

        • Oh yeah!! Amazing! The texture is perfect. And the coconut in the crust is delish! This will definitely do the job for my cheesecake-craving vegans. Thank you, thank you!! (Wish I could show you a picture. Turned out beautiful as well!)

          Reply

          • So glad you enjoyed it Angela! If you have Instagram you can share your photo and use the hashtag #avirtualvegan . I check my hashtag regularly and feature reader photos in my Instagram stories. Thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It’s much appreciated!

  10. Oh my days… This cheesecake is the business… Ive made it twice in a week and it’s worthy of awards 😊 but in my oven it is definitely done by 50 minutes! …. I am thrilled to have a pudding that can be changed up with a fruit topping or sauce and that is so cheap to make, I mean, most of this is vegan storecupboard staples.. 10/10

    Reply

  11. This turned out perfect! Everyone at my event loved it — vegans and non vegans alike. The texture was much better than other vegan cheesecakes. I topped it with freshly made strawberry rhubarb compote and some “coco whip.”

    Reply

    • That’s awesome Karen! Thanks you so much for letting me know. Strawberry rhubarb compote as a topping sounds so good!

      Reply

  12. I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing 🙂
    I’m wondering what other things I could use for the base. A lot of vegan cheesecakes seem to use a date/walnut or date/oat mixture for the crust, but they are usually the frozen style…Do you think a date-based crust would be ok to bake for this recipe? I’m afraid of burning it! Not sure what happens to dates when you bake them 🙂

    Reply

    • Traditional cheesecakes have a cookie base which is why this one does and I have never tried it with anything else. I’m not sure what would happen with a date base. The oven temp is pretty low so they might be ok, but you’re right, they do burn easily because of all the sugar in them. It would be a case of trial and error I’m afraid.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the advice – it’s probably not worth the risk! I just got some dates so am excited to use them, but I’ll make the base with digestives as you suggest and find another tasty alternative for the dates 🙂

        Reply

          • Thanks for the suggestions! One more question about this cheesecake…I’ve realised that my blender/food processor probably isn’t powerful enough to blend raw cashews 🙁 Do you think that using cashew butter could work (made from pure cashews)? I read an article online that said if replacing with cashew butter, use 1/2 the amount of raw cashews – so in the case of this recipe that would be 1 cup cashew butter.

  13. This looks good but the taste and texture is like congealed nuts because that’s what it is. It reminds me a bit of a middle eastern style almond and orange cake. It’s doesn’t taste terrible but it doesn’t taste at all like cheesecake. In the past year of being dairy free I’ve learned the hard way that just because something looks like a dairy product, that doesn’t mean it will taste at all like one 😔

    Reply

  14. Hi
    I made the cake, acctually I made two- one mini in a cupcake and one 10inch pan. We tried the cupcake, and I personally though it was very close to the real deal. I used natural date syrup. I did find the crust was too crumbly but I am just stating that for future reference. And a 9inch would have been too small for the amount- so Lucky me.
    I wanted to ask if I can freeze it. I realize I made my experiment way to far from my event, and I don’t think it will survive a week in the fridge- so can I freeze it?
    Thank you for a great recipe!!

    Reply

    • The tahini adds a bit of richness ad smoothness and it also gives a bit of tang to the flavour. It will still be good without though. Almond or cashew butter could be used instead.

      Reply

  16. I’m going to make this today and I’m scared hahaha don’t want to mess it up! This dessert is a splurge as here in Colombia coconut milk and cashews are very rare and expensive. But I hope it turns out great. Great recipe, I can tell that you did research a lot to make it. Congrats 💖⚘

    Reply

  17. Not only did I make this, I taught it to my cooking class!!
    I did however use a different gluten free pie crust made of oatmeal, but it is Fantastic! I will say however that I only cooked mine 35 minutes. I used the pumpkin caramel sauce recipe with it and it was a HUGE hit!
    Best vegan cheesecake EVER!!
    Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes!!

    Reply

    • How awesome! I’m so glad it went down well. My favourite way to eat it is with that pumpkin caramel. So good! It makes me happy to know that people are out there teaching and learning how to cook vegan recipes. Thank you too!

      Reply

  18. Made this last week and it is amazing. Tastes just like a traditional baked cheesecake. Baked in slightly bigger pan ( 10 inch ) for 55minutes and it was perfect consistency. Gave a piece to my very non vegan father, without telling him its vegan, and he loved it. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. Will certainly be making this again.

    Reply

  19. Hi there….I made this a couple of weeks ago and was wondering if I doubled the recipe io make a larger one if it would work. How much would I have to adjust the cooking time or would I just have to eyeball it to see when it’s ready? Thanks.. super excited to be making a boysenberry one tomorrow. 🙂

    Reply

    • It would definitely work! The time it would take though would depend on the depth and size of the pan so it would be a bit trial and error, but as long as you keep an eye on it you will be able to tell when it’s done. The beauty of this recipe is that opening the oven door doesn’t do it any harm like it can do with a cake so as long as you have an hour or two to kill and hang around checking it every so often it will be fine. It starts coming away from the sides a bit and firms up to touch on top with a bit of a wobble in the middle when it’s done. You will be able to compare it to how yours looked last time too. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Awesome! Thanks for the speedy reply. Last one I made was an astounding success. My very non vegan bother and sister in law and best friends absolutely RAVED about how amazing it was. This time I’m going to cut the Tahiti down to a quarter of what’s needed though cause my taste buds are super sensitive and I could taste it. My partner couldn’t though. Can’t wait to show this recipe off again to another bunch of non vegans. Thanks so much for sharing it and not keeping it a secret!

        Reply

  20. I’m not even vegan but I’ve been wanting to make a vegan cheesecake for a while after having it in a restaurant. I’ll just say… it was a hit! I made it for an Easter get together and pretty much everyone there was weary of a “vegan cheesecake”, but nobody was disappointed! Some people even asked me for the recipe (not a single person at the party is vegan by any means). The consistency is exactly like a traditional cheesecake! I think next time I may swap out the tahini for almond or peanut butter and see how I like that… the I think I noticed the tahini flavor more than anything. It was delicious – tahini or not – I will definitely be making this again.

    Reply

    • So glad you all enjoyed it Jenna! I love winning over people who aren’t vegan with vegan food, and good for you for giving it a chance when you could have made a traditional cheesecake. Peanut butter would be great in it, particularly with some chocolate sauce whens serving or if you used chocolate-y cookies for the crust! Thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. I appreciate it!

      Reply

  22. I made the cake with the roasted strawberries for our Easter family lunch and it was a success! When I asked what was it made of, everyone answered ricotta 🙂 it’s really delicious and although mine turned out really dense and a bit dry (I think it was slightly over cooked) the strawberry sauce made it perfect.

    Reply

    • Hi Anna. I’m glad everyone enjoyed it. The texture is somewhat like ricotta so I can understand why they thought that. It does sound like it was a little overcooked if it was dry. It should be creamy. Next time keep checking it and take it out when it has a bit more of a wobble. It continues to cook a little as it cools, then firms up a bit more in the fridge too so don’t worry if it looks a little underdone. It’s great you made the roasted strawberries with it. I love it served with those! And thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. I really appreciate it!

      Reply

  23. Wow! This was sooo good. The only thing I did differently was only use 1/2 T vinegar, because I had juiced a very large lemon. Our non-vegan friend said she couldn’t tell the difference from regular cheesecake. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply

    • That’s awesome Jess! I’m so glad it went down well. Thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It’s much appreciated!

      Reply

  24. I made this for my dad as he can’t eat eggs or dairy, but he loved cheesecake. I was unconvinced once I had blended everything, cause I tried it and it tasted very chickpea-y. But I gave it a shot anyway. It’s not bad. Definitely not the same exactly as a cheesecake, as cheesecakes are quite rich and this tastes kind of fruity (I don’t know how to explain it). But I gotta say it’s pretty good. I used a chocolate biscuit crumb and served it with raspberry rosemary sauce. Just waiting on reaction from dad…

    Reply

  25. Wow, if you’re curious to try this definitely give it a go! My 12 year old brother (who is the most fussiest boy I have ever met.. especially when it comes to me trying to make healthy recipes) said it is so yum and tastes like a regular cheesecake and I love it too!

    Reply

  26. Oh my lord!! I just tried the filling before cooking it and it is unbelievable! So so similar to cream cheese. Cannot wait to eat it. WOW!

    Reply

  27. This is an amzing recipe!

    I did leave it out overnight after baking it (by accident! I fell asleep) will it still be good if i put it in the fridge for several hours still?

    Reply

    • I have seen cheesecake recipes that are cooked in the instant pot so I would imagine that you could. It’s something I have never tried though. Perhaps you could find another recipe which makes a cheesecake of a similar size and emulate the cooking method?

      Reply

  29. I followed the instructions exactly and this turned out great! I think next time I would use half the lemon because it really tastes very lemony. Or maybe just omit the zest and do the juice only.

    Reply

  30. Hi,

    This looks amazing and I am so excited to try it. I have a question though: would it be possible to use some other bean instead of chickpeas? I find I have an allergy to chickpeas (usually just chickpea flour, but I avoid both chickpeas and chickpea flour to be safe) .

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Thank you! I haven’t tried it with any other bean so I’m not sure whether the beany taste might come through with others? I would imagine it would be ok though as it would more than likely get drowned out by the other ingredients. You could always taste the mixture and add more vanilla to cover up any bean taste if you can detect it. It will definitely technically work though so no worries there. Good luck!

      Reply

  32. The taste is very good and the directions were easy to follow. Mine was a bit overcooked at 70 minutes though. I should have been keeping a closer eye on it.

    Reply

    • I’m glad you liked it Lindsay. With anything baked in the oven the time can vary a little. All ovens are slightly different, some pans conduct heat better than others etc. That’s why I say “around” 70 minutes and give instructions on what to look out for so you know it’s ready. I’m sure you’ll get it spot on next time! Thank you so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It’s much appreciated!

      Reply

  33. Oh my God i just put it in the oven and realized i forgot to add the vinegar!!! Whats going to happen? Is it ruined? I could cry!

    Reply

    • It won’t be ruined so don’t panic! The vinegar helps give it a little tang, like a cheesecake made with cream cheese. It will still be perfectly edible without!

      Reply

        • Maybe a little but hardly as it’s such a small amount. With all the other ingredients the coconut is pretty drowned out. I have never detected it.

          Reply

  34. hi (: i really want to make this cheesecake but i have never been able to find arrow root powder at my grocery store. is there anything i could sub for this and would it be okay to use agave instead of maple syrup? thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • You can use cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder. And I think agave would be fine but you will get a slightly better flavour with maple syrup.

      Reply

  35. this looks awesome, can’t wait to try! I used to make normal cheesecake as a rainbow-cake, by dividing the filling, colouring the different batches and pouring them on top of each other into the form. do you think this could work with that filling or is the texture not creamy enough?

    Reply

    • Thank you. The mixture is pretty thick and creamy so I think coloured layers probably would work if you poured them on really gently. I bet it would be really pretty!

      Reply

  36. Hi,
    I’d like to make this cheesecake next weekend. I’ve tried countless recipes, but nothing came close to a real cheesecake. This recipe sounds interesting, so I’ll give it a try. I’m not sure about the Tahini, tho. Mine tastes very bitter and intense. I like the flavour in hummus, but I don’t know about cheesecake. Will it blend in or does your Tahini taste different than mine?

    Reply

    • My tahini is bitter and intense too. There are only 2 tablespoons in the whole thing and it’s a big old cheesecake. It really doesn’t taste of tahini when everything is blended up. The reason I added it is for the bitterness. You know real cream-cheese cheesecakes have a tang to them? I wanted to recreate that. It does a pretty good job. You could omit it though if you really don’t like the thought of it, or use some cashew butter instead to make up for the smoothness it gives. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply

  38. I made this and the ingredients didn’t fit in my blender and really gave it a workout. It smelled strongly of vinegar and there was far more filling than to fit a 9″ pan. It wasn’t creamy or sweet at all.

    I followed the recipe to a T, so I’m unsure what went wrong.

    Reply

    • Sorry you didn’t have a good experience. It’s a shame because this is such a popular recipe and usually gets fantastic feedback.
      If you have a smaller blender, when making larger capacity recipes you need to blend up the mixture in two parts. I work with a standard sized blender and can only account for that in my recipes. Everything you are blending in this recipe is really soft so it shouldn’t be hard work for your blender. It sounds perhaps like yours isn’t powerful enough for recipes like this or that you were trying to blend too much at once and it couldn’t cope.
      If you only used the stated amount of vinegar and used apple cider vinegar then it shouldn’t smell strongly of vinegar. It smells tangy because that’s how cheesecakes should be but not vinegary. Did you use a different type of vinegar or use a different amount?
      As for it not fitting in the pan, it needs to be a deep springform pan suitable for cheesecakes. Shallow pans wont have the capacity needed. I have a deep 9 inch springform pan and everything fits in it perfectly every time.

      Reply

    • I have never tried freezing it. I would imagine it would be ok but can’t say for sure. If you try it let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  40. I wanted to thank you for sharing this great recipe! I modified it a little and made it into a grain free carob cheesecake and it was fantastic! Even or omni friends liked it! Thank you thank you! Next attempt will be pumpkin cheesecake! Happy holidays and have a great new year!

    Reply

    • It sounds great. So glad you all enjoyed it! The adaptation possibilities are endless with this recipe. Pumpkin would be so good!

      Reply

  41. Looking forward to making this gorgeous cheesecake. Can you please elaborate on the nutritional sheet. 524 cal for one serving! I am assuming this cake could easily have 8-12 serving. Thank you

    Reply

    • The nutritional info is calculated on the cheesecake serving 10 people. For future reference the number of servings on my recipes is at the beginning of the recipe with the cook time etc. My serving sizes are never super tiny (I have a big appetite!) so you could easily stretch this to 12 people if you needed to.

      Reply

  42. This recipe tuned out great! My cheesecake-loving son gave it two enthusiastic thumbs up. I did not have a spring form pan, but there was just about the perfect amount of filling for two nine-inch store bought graham cracker pie crusts. I reduced the cooking time to 35 minutes (although don’t quote me on that, my oven is kind of dodgy) and added a homemade cherry sauce. Divine!

    Reply

  43. I have a can of chickpeas. What do you mean by cooked? Also, will it be ok if I made the cheesecake 5 days in advance? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Cooked as in not dried chickpeas. Canned chickpeas are cooked before they go in the can so are fine. I would worry that the base might get a little soggy if you make it 5 days in advance. That’s quite a long time. I’d say up to 2 days before would be better.

      Reply

  45. Thank you, your recipe sounds very promising. I have a question concerning the full fat coconut milk to make sure I pick the right one. How much fat do you have in your coconut milk? I found one with 22 g fat for 100 ml (3,4 oz). Is it enough?

    Reply

    • I just checked a can in my cupboard and it is 14g of fat per 79ml, so roughly the same as yours. It will be fine!

      Reply

    • Yes. I have a couple of readers who make it like that. With oreos crushed up for the base instead of digestives and chunks of oreos through the batter and whole ones stuck in the top. They say it’s great!

      Reply

  47. I am in the midst of making it for a student gathering tomorrow. So far just in tasting it it is surprisingly tasty!

    I had Mexican Vanilla at hand (which is not always my go-to…) and did fresh lemon and also orange zest. I had a ten inch springform and added a cup of unsweetened coconut shredded to the ” gluten free graham animal cracker cookies ” I had on hand, as it seemed to need more to fill it out as to that size bag of animal cookies. I used to be a chef/caterer and made a lot of cheesecakes in my time, and this one is shaping up nicely! About to go in the oven. Have a Peach Cranberry Maple freuit sauce to serve with it as an optional topping, or a cold “coconut whipped” organic whipped topping.

    Reply

  49. Love your cheesecake! I only changed the maple syrup to a cup of sugar. Lotus biscoff cookies make for a delicious crust.

    Reply

  50. So for the chickpeas is it supposed to be 1cup of cooked chickpeas for the recipe or cook a cup that will expand to about 3cups?

    Reply

    • I have never tried it with anything other than cashews. Macadamias would almost certainly work, possibly sunflower seeds although I’m not sure how they would affect the flavour, almonds if they were soaked and blended really well. Young coconut meat too might work. Let me know how it goes if you do decide to try anything else. I’d love to know how it turns out!

      Reply

    • The coconut also helps with the setting because of the fat in it. I wouldn’t like to suggest a sub as without testing it I wouldn’t be sure it would work. Silken tofu might work instead or using another plant milk and increasing the arrowroot, or adding some agar agar. But I don’t know quantities etc as i haven’t tried it. Sorry!

      Reply

    • Not at all vinegar-y and it’s not really all that much. Only 3 tablespoons and it’s a big cheesecake. Regular cheesecakes have the tang from the cream-cheese. This one needs the vinegar to give it that slight cream-cheesy tang. It’s had nothing but positive feedback. Everyone that makes it loves it!

      Reply

  54. I am so excited I found this, my boyfriends favorite dessert is cheesecake and he isn’t vegan but I’m trying to persuade haha. I was wondering if I can replace arrowroot with corn starch since I already have that, and if it’s possible to replace the coconut milk with another thick fatty milk? I’m just always weary of the coconut flavor coming through, unless you can’t taste it? This looks so amazing I’m so excited to make it!!

    Reply

    • Well if anything will persuade him cheesecake will! ;O) Yes you can replace the arrowroot with cornstach but you MUST use canned full fat coconut milk. That’s what helps it to set properly. Other milks won’t work. It really doesn’t taste coconutty at all though. Good luck and I hope you win him over!

      Reply

    • You could omit it if you really wanted to. It will still technically work without it. It’s there to help with the cheesecake tangy flavour.

      Reply

  56. The BEST OF ALL. Congratulations and gratitude for sharing this wonderful recipe with us. All the best from Brazil.

    Reply

  57. I never comment but I felt one was due in order to let everyone know that this is by far the best vegan cheesecake I’ve ever encountered. And. Thank you so so very much for not keeping it to yourself, and sharing such a masterpiece. Thank you ♡

    Reply

    • Oh wow! I am thrilled you enjoyed it so much. And thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. It’s much appreciated!

      Reply

  58. Do you think I could take this recipe and turn it into a bunch of individual cheesecakes (using a cupcake tin)?

    I’m going to try this out this weekend and let you know how it turns out. I was googling “tahini cheesecake” as I will be making it for a friend who loves both.

    Reply

    • I wish I had a friend who made me cheesecake!
      It will definitely work that way. I would cut rectangular strips of baking parchment and lay one across the bottom of each section of the tin so that you can easily lift them out otherwise it might be difficult. I’m not sure on baking times though as I have never made them that small. I would think 15-20 mins, possibly a little more. Just keep an eye on them and wait until they have firmed up around the edges and have a very slight wobble in the middle. Good luck!

      Reply

  59. hi! thank you for sharing this amazing recipes! I can’t wait to make it. I’m wondering if I want to make it with a 5 inch pin, how long should I bake for it? Thank you!!

    Reply

    • You’re welcome! It probably won’t all fit in a 5 inch pan but you could half the recipe. If you do that it would probably take a little less than the time stated. I would start checking it after about 40 minutes. It doesn’t hurt to open the oven quickly to look at it. It should be set well around the edges and have a little bit of a wobble in the middle when done.

      Reply

  61. I made this awesome cheesecake today. I made it with an oatmeal and almond crust because I couldn’t find organic graham crackers without either honey or palm oil. I added extra lemon juice and zest to the batter because I love a lemony cheesecake. I topped it with a blueberry lemon and orange juice sauce. This recipe smelled like heaven while it was cooking and I can’t tell you how hard it was to wait for it to cool on the counter then chill in the fridge but oh my gosh it was well worth the wait! This is hands down the best vegan cheesecake I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to try making it in muffin tins to take to my next pot luck, I know it’s going to blow everyone’s mind!

    Reply

    • I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it Jen! I bet it was awesome with that sauce. Thank you so much for stopping by to leave feedback! 😊

      Reply

  63. Looks amazing, I’m going to be making this tomorrow, I’m just wondering if it would be possible to make mini ones in a muffin tray, and do you think I’d have to change the cooking times? Thank you so much for this though, I’m super excited!

    Reply

    • You certainly could make it in mini form. I would suggest cutting thin rectangular strips of parchment paper and lay them across the bottom of each muffin hole with enough extra on each side to act as handles. Then you will be able to pull them out easily. As for timing, I have never tried it in anything but a big tin. I think probably 20 mins. Possibly a little less. It should be set well and firm around the edges and have a little bit of softness and wobble in the middle when done. I would check them at 15 minutes and then go by eye from there. Slightly under is better than over done as they will firm up in the fridge anyway.Good luck!

      Reply

  64. OH MY GOD !!! i just can’t thank u enough ! I mean it’s the best vegan cheesecake EVER .. i onle made the felling and use it in a healthy pancake “Ihop new york cheesecake pancake” and it came out SUPER delicious like the real thing !! Thank u thank u

    Reply

    • Yay! I am so thrilled you enjoyed it! How inventive to use it in a pancake! I have never ever had a cheesecake filled pancake but it sounds amazing. My mouth is watering at the thought….😉

      Reply

  67. I just served the New York cheese at family Christmas get together. Of course I didn’t tell them exactly what the ingredients in it before they ate a slice, served with mixed berries syrup.It was a success, everybody loved it afterward I explained more how it made. Thanks you, I have been looking for baked vegan cheese cake for a while and this one ticked all the boxes especially in taste.
    ,

    Reply

    • That’s awesome! My family still don’t know it has chickpeas in it! ;O) I am so glad it was a hit and thanks so much for letting me know. Happy new year!

      Reply

  68. Hi Mel
    Thanks for the great recipe!
    I’m just wondering if the arrowroot is essential? I went looking for it yesterday to no avail :/
    Happy Christmas!

    Reply

    • It might work without it although it might not set up as firmly. I haven’t tried it so can’t say for sure. You would probably be better off subbing it for cornstarch. I haven’t personally tried that but I’m 99% sure it would be fine. Merry Christmas to you too!

      Reply

  69. I don’t have arrowroot, and have never used it – can I use cornstarch? Really looking forward to making this, thank you!

    Reply

  70. It’s not a cheesecake since there isn’t any cream or Ricotta cheese in it, or any kind of cheese. But it is some kinda cake.

    Reply

    • If you were to taste it you would see why it’s called a cheesecake. It is just like a cheesecake in taste and texture. If someone wants to make a dairy-free cheesecake they google ‘cheesecake’. The name needs to include the term that people will search for. If I were to call it a random name without ‘cheesecake’ in it no-one would ever find it or realize what it is. Lots of foods are called names that are not indicative of their ingredients. A Bloody Mary springs to mind (no blood in it unless the bartender has had an accident), Monkey Bread (no monkeys in it), Red Velvet Cake (no Red Velvet) , Peanut butter (no butter)…..I could go on…

      Reply

  71. This cheese cake is a serious show-stopper! I’m from NY and this is just as creamy & decadent as a NY-style cheesecake. Those chickpeas worked their magic again along with your talent. Nice work, Melanie 🙂

    Reply

  75. This looks and sounds AMAZING! I’m so intrigued with the chickpeas in the cheesecake. And I totally agree that while raw vegan cheesecakes are lovely, there’s something extra special about a baked vegan New York cheesecake.

    Reply

    • Thank you Cadry! You would never ever guess the chickpeas were there if you didn’t know. They are such a magical ingredient!

      Reply

  76. Ahhhh, it looks so perfect! That texture! That crust! I use chickpeas in desserts all the time because they are like nature’s little miracle (them and the aquafaba!). I couldn’t live without them!

    Reply

  78. Yay! I’ve been waiting for this post! I think it would be perfect at Christmas with your strawberry topping – very festive looking. 🙂

    I hate it when I get so excited about pictures and then come to find out that they’re not good enough as I thought they were. Your recipe pics are always wonderful!

    Reply

    • I’ve never had so much demand for a recipe! I even had to send my draft notes out to a couple of readers who were desperate and couldn’t wait. And yes, it’s so frustrating when your pictures don’t turn out how you expect. It happens to me all too often. I keep meaning to start shooting with my camera tethered to the computer so I can see them properly at the time but always end up with so much other clutter around that there is no room for my laptop as well! Lighting is always my challenge. They always come out either too dark or too light. You seem to have that weighed off in your photos. They are always lit perfectly!

      Reply

  80. Hello, your cheese cake recipe calls for vinegar. could we substitute lemon or lime ? we don’t use vinegar as it is hard on the liver. Thank you.

    Reply

    • You can omit the vinegar. There is lemon in it already so I don’t think you need to replace it with anything. It is there to give the cheesecake a bit of a ‘cream cheese’ type tang but will still be great without it :O)

      Reply

    • I do love chickpeas so much! They are one of the most versatile ingredients ever. I start to panic if I get down to only one can in the pantry! Thank you Sophia :O)

      Reply

ABOUT ME | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT ME | WORK WITH ME | RECIPE INDEX

MENU