Ultra-rich and creamy baked Vegan New York Cheesecake made with no cream cheese or tofu! It's sweet but not too sweet, tastes amazing, and can be served with your choice of topping. I love it with some berry compote!
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FEATURED COMMENT
"Not even joking, this cake is amazing! I am a huge cheesecake fan and this consistency is right on the money...Amazing. Great flavor, and fantastic texture...you can’t even tell it’s vegan, it just tastes like a homemade cheesecake. I’m in love."
- Al ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
It doesn't get better than this Vegan New York Style Cheesecake! It is just like a "real" baked cheesecake in texture. Dense, rich, super creamy, very satisfying, but completely dairy-free, and unlike most vegan cheesecake recipes you don't need any vegan cream cheese or tofu.
To get the perfect baked cheesecake texture I tested and retested with many different ingredients and methods and found that the unlikely combination of chickpeas and cashew nuts gave amazing results.
Please don't let that scare you off though. You would NEVER know! The cashews give the filling its creaminess and the chickpeas give the denseness, which means you don't need to use vegan cream cheese or tofu.
Prefer a no-bake cheesecake? Give my very popular Vegan Biscoff Cheesecake or Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake a try, or if you're really pushed for time I have a single-serve Emergency Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl recipe!
Mel x
Let's Make Vegan New York Cheesecake!
Can't wait to make it? Here's a quick summary of how it's done:
- Make the crust- For this, you need some cookies. Either digestive biscuits or graham crackers. Store-bought or homemade. I have recipes for both. To make the crust blend the cookies with some vegan butter or coconut oil in a food processor then press into a loose bottom pan and refrigerate.
- Make the filling - Blend all of the filling ingredients together. I recommend soaking the cashew nuts in boiling water before blending even if you have a high-powered blender.
- Bake the cheesecake - Pour the filling mixture over the crust then bake. No water bath is required.
- Refrigerate - After baking the cheesecake needs to be refrigerated for at least a few hours before serving.
Do not try to make this cheesecake in a cake pan without a removable bottom. You need to use either a spring-form cake pan or a loose-bottomed cake pan or you will never get it out in on piece.
Serving Suggestions
Here's the cheesecake in all its naked glory:
It is delicious on its own. That BISCUIT BASE is so good! A topping or sauce of some kind is highly recommended though. Not only does it make the cheesecake look beautiful, but it also adds flavor and contrast.
The topping can be as simple as a pile of fresh berries or some vegan caramelized bananas, or you can get creative with any of these:
I love a lemon curd and fresh raspberry combo, or a berry compote and fresh mixed berry combo like in the pictures.
Readers have had so much fun with this recipe over the years. One very popular riff, which I haven't yet tried myself but sounds amazing, is to use Oreo cookies for the base, with chunks of broken Oreo stirred through the batter and lots of chocolate syrup or sauce to drizzle.
Recipe FAQs
I have never tried freezing it so can't be sure how it will hold up. I think it should be ok though as long as it is wrapped very well.
To make this recipe gluten-free you'll need to find some gluten-free digestive biscuits or graham crackers. The filling is naturally gluten-free.
Recipe
Vegan New York Cheesecake
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
FOR THE BASE
- 23 (350 grams / 12 oz) digestive biscuits , or graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter , or coconut oil
FOR THE FILLING
- 2 cups (300 grams) raw cashews ,soaked in boiling water for 15 mins then drained (measured before soaking)
- 1 cup (175 grams) canned chickpeas , drained & rinsed well
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
- ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup , (real maple, not pancake syrup!)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 x 14oz (400ml) can full fat coconut milk , it must be full fat not light (if your can is only 398 ml that's fine).
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 320F (160°C) and line a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan that is at least 3 inches deep. First grease it with vegan butter or a little oil so the paper sticks. Then draw around the bottom of the cake pan on parchment paper, cut it out and put that in the bottom of the pan. Line the sides of the pan with a long rectangular strip of baking parchment.
- Put the digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) into a food processor with the butter/coconut oil and blend until well combined and in clumpy, fine crumbs. Then press into the bottom of the cake pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Add all of the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour over the crust then sit the pan on a baking tray.
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until set well around the edges with a tiny bit of a wobble in the middle. Time will vary depending on your oven and the pan you use.
- Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Don't put it in the fridge while hot/warm.
NOTES
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Jennifer P says
I was shocked at how good this was, how easy the recipe was to follow, and how chickpeas could make this the most authentic vegan cheesecake I've ever eaten. My husband had no idea of the chickpeas, and my daughter's loved it, i also did not detect the taste of them. I made a strawberry topping (strawberries, sugar, pinch of salt, lemon juice, on low heat) and it was dreamy. I'm not vegan, but i am highly lactose Intolerant, so this was a treat and I will keep the recipe forever! Thank you :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Jennifer. I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it!
Rhys ans says
This was my first time making a cheesecake or following a vegan recipe! It was easy to follow, and the result quite delicious! Not overbearingly sweet, and a perfect texture!!
Lupe Vargas says
Hi Melanie! Was wondering if they're is something I can substitute for the coconut milk? I am allergic but this looks amazing!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm sorry but coconut milk is essential in this recipe because it's what helps it set. I hope you find another recipe you like the look of!
Jacqui says
Hi Can I make it strawberry flavour by adding fresh puréed strawberries. Would I need to reduce the other liquids.
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tested it like that. It would likely need altering a bit elsewhere to make up for it but I can't say how without trying it. To be honest though, to get any significant flavour, you would need to add a lot of pureed strawberries. That would affect the texture significantly and it would likely end up not setting properly. It would be better, tastier and safer, to make it as it is and just make an awesome strawberry sauce to serve with it. These saucy roasted strawberries are perfect with the cheesecake. It would give you all of that lovely, rich, strong strawberry flavour you are after, be much less risky and it looks awesome too! https://avirtualvegan.com/vanilla-roasted-strawberries/
Emily says
Hello! Would I be able to sub for tahini one this recipe? I don’t have any on hand
A Virtual Vegan says
It adds a bit of sharpness to the cheesecake. You could omit it if you want to. It will still work technically without it.
Lora says
Hi Mel! I have used a few of your tofu recipes in the past and they have been absolutely wonderful, thank you! I have been hesitant to try desserts though, especially ones with coconut ingredients, as I've never been a fan of the flavor. So this may seem a silly question but I'd rather ask it then try it, will this cheesecake end up tasting like coconut cheesecake because of the coconut milk or just regular ( I hope, I hope!)?
Thank you!
Lora
A Virtual Vegan says
I honestly can't detect coconut flavour in this recipe and in all the years it's been published have never had anyone say they could. I hope that alleviates your fears and that you enjoy it Lora!
Rei says
Is there something I could substitute the apple cider vinegar for, can't find it in any shops near me?
A Virtual Vegan says
Not really. Just omit it. It makes it a bit tangier that's all.
Rida says
Hey Mel! I am planning to make this cake today. But I have a 6 inch springform pan which is 3 inch deep. Is it okay if cut down the recipe to half? If yes, how long should I bake it?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes I think that should be fine. I haven't tried it so the cooking time will be a bit of trial and error. I'd start checking it from 30 minutes. It should be set around the edges and coming away from the sides of the pan slightly, and be slightly wobbly in the middle. It will set up properly as it cools. Good luck!
Rida says
I baked it for about 30 mins. Substituted Sugar for Maple syrup.
It was soooo good!! Can't taste Chickpeas at all. It is smooth and so yum. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you enjoyed it Rida!
Rida says
Hey, Lovely recipe. Can't wait to try! Can I use sugar instead of maple syrup ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Maple syrup is the best choice because it gives a much better flavour. Sugar would technically work I'm sure but I haven't tried it myself. You might need to add a little less as sugar is sweeter than maple syrup.
Erin says
For the coconut milk do you use the whole can or just scrape the solid fat out of the can? Can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
The whole can.
Kate says
This was amazing! I made it last night and ended up eating it for breakfast today..oops. I was wondering if I'd be able to freeze it? Thanks so much for a great recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it! I haven't tried freezing it myself but I have been told by a reader that it froze well.
Rosalinda says
Hello,
Can I omit the chickpeas? Is there an alternative? My partner can’t have the chickpeas for allergy reasons.
Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
The texture would really suffer without the chickpeas. I haven't tested it with anything else so can't offer an alternative I'm afraid.
Fiona says
I made this today for my mother-in-law’s birthday and served it with strawberries sliced thinly. My family loved it and couldn’t believe that it was made with chickpeas. They loved the hint of tangy lemon and the full creamy taste. Thank you for this awesome recipe, Mel ❤️
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you all enjoyed it Fiona!
Shamima Mohammed says
Loved this! Turned out absolutely perfect. I found the chickpea scent and flavour a little much and was wondering what I can do to correct this.
Thank you for an amazing dairy free recipe ❤
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it! I've never been able to detect the chickpeas at all. Just a few ideas that might explain it: Did you use canned chickpeas? They aren't as strongly flavoured as cooked at home dried chickpeas. Did you drain and rinse them them thoroughly? Also did you change any of the other ingredients or omit them? That would make a big difference to the overall flavour. Each individual ingredient (especially the tahini, lemon, vanilla and maple syrup)is really important in this recipe. Hope that helps!
Shamima Mohammed says
I used organic canned chickpeas, will try a different brand next time.
I still cannot get over how beautifully it is set
Al says
Not even joking this cake is amazing. I am a huge cheesecake fan (baked) and this consistency is right on the money. I immediately took half the cake over to various friends and family so they could all marvel in it with me then made another. It’s relatively cheap with all ingredients a vegan would already have anyway. The digestives make the crust taste really legitimate like cheesecake would and I’m already thinking of all the possible variations. My lemon wasn’t very big and I’m not the biggest fan of tahini so the second one I made I doubled the lemon and halved the tahini. If you were going to make a chocolate version do you think you would use cocoa powder or could you melt a block of dark chocolate in there without it changing the consistency? I really did not think it was going to set when I poured it into the tin and set the timer for only 50 minutes but that timing was 100% spot on both times. Amazing. Great flavour, fantastic texture. I was saying to mum you can’t even tell it’s vegan, it just tastes like a home made cheesecake. I’m in love. Especially when all the other recipes I’d seen used expensive blocks of silken tofu or tubs of cream cheese. I’m making this next time there’s an event. Can’t wait to blow their socks off. Thank-you thank-you you absolute legend.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it so much. Thank you!
There are all sorts of flavour combos you could play with. I wouldn't add melted chocolate to the batter though because it will affect the texture and make it harder which wouldn't be so good. I'd go for cocoa powder. Probably 1/4 cup ish? If you have some instant coffee or espresso powder add a 1/2 teaspoon of that to the blender too. A little coffee brings out the flavour of the chocolate more.
Or you could make it plain and just serve it with a chocolate sauce, or do both. I've made it with a hot chocolate fudge sauce before.
Some readers have made an oreo version. They've used them instead of the digestives and broken them up in the batter too.
You could take out a few scoops of the batter and add cocoa just to part of it, then swirl it. Pour the plain batter in first, then the chocolate one and use a long knife to swirl it all up.
Have fun experimenting!
Natalie says
I made this recipe, mostly as written (no vanilla), and it turned out great. Great looking texture. Tastes really good. Has just the tiniest bit of the chalky mouthfeel that comes with cashews (yes, I used my vitamix), but only noticeable because we were really critically evaluating whether we liked the recipe. Will probably add a little more sweetener next time, but if there are sweetened toppings, it would probably be fine. Used Nairn's Oat Grahams for the crust. Made a tofu and cashew cheesecake previously and this recipe was definitely better. Will make again! Thanks so much for a recipe that works and works well! :)
Natalie says
I also used homemade garbanzo beans and didn't have cracking, but I was very careful to take out the cheesecake with a wobble in the middle -- lol, sounds like a dance! ;)
Marline B says
I wonder if it cracked because I used homecooked garbanzo beans and they probably are more starchy. They have a more buttery texture than the canned ones for sure. I thank that is what it is?
Marline B says
My cheesecake cracked as it cooled. Any tips? Otherwise looks great and smells great, I think it will taste awesome. Refrigerating it now.
A Virtual Vegan says
I've found if you overcook it it tends to crack. It needs to come out while there's still a nice wobble in the middle. If you let it go a bit too far that can lead to big cracks forming. It will still be great though and have a good texture when you cut into it.
Load it up with toppings and no-one will ever know!
Edina K says
Hey! I'm just wondering, how important is tahini in this recipe? Thanks ❤️
A Virtual Vegan says
It gives the cheesecake a bit of tang. You could omit it if you wanted to but it will be at its best as written. Hope that helps!
Edina Karaffa says
Oh, that's great than. Maybe I'll just use some runny peanut butter instead.
Thanks for the quick reply
Rachel says
Do you have an alternative to nuts please? I am allergic to them?
A Virtual Vegan says
This recipe hasn't been tested with anything other cashews. Hulled hemp seeds would be the closest substitution though and should be work out just fine. They are soft so won't need to be soaked. Just be sure to go by weight so you get exactly the right amount.