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Jul 23, 2023

These Are the Best Vegan Cheesecake Recipes, No Question

Jackie Sobon byCharlotte Pointing August 3, 2023 The diets of ancient Greek Olympians were simple, fresh, and predominantly vegetarian, designed to give them strength and energy for the games ahead.

Jackie Sobon

byCharlotte Pointing

August 3, 2023

The diets of ancient Greek Olympians were simple, fresh, and predominantly vegetarian, designed to give them strength and energy for the games ahead. They had figs, porridge, vegetables, fruits, and evidence suggests, cheesecake, too. Yep, it’s true: cheesecakes can be traced all the way back to the ancient Greeks, but back then, they consisted of fresh cheese, which was pounded with flour and honey.

Over the centuries, cheesecake has grown steadily in popularity. In fact, in 2020, the global cheesecake market was valued at $18 billion. So, it’s safe to say, it’s likely the best dessert for a heck of a lot of people. The cheesecake recipe has evolved significantly since the days of ancient Greece, and there are many variations all over the world, but cheese is still a key ingredient for most—so how do you make it vegan? Here’s what you need to know, plus the tastiest recipes to try.

For the most part, cheesecakes feature three basic ingredients: graham crackers, cream cheese, and cream. But it’s not mandatory that all of these ingredients are made with dairy. Nowadays, vegan cream cheese is relatively easy to come across in grocery stores (and you can find our guide to some of the best options here), and you can also find vegan cream options, too, including sour cream.

Cheesecakes come in a variety of flavors, but fruity recipes lend themselves well to being veganized. You can also use nuts, vegan chocolate, peanut butter, cookies, and more if you want to go for a more creative filling or topping.

Many vegan recipes call for cream cheese, but this isn’t the only way to make a creamy, decadent cheesecake. You could also use soaked cashews, which, when blended, form the perfect thick and velvety consistency for a cheesecake filling. Whether you choose cashew nuts or cream cheese is down to personal preference (and time—as cashews often need to be soaked overnight first), but cashews will firm up in the fridge, so they’re a particularly good choice for no-bake recipes.

Another option is firm tofu, which has a low water content and will help to give you that dense, yet creamy, crumbly texture. This is also a great option for those looking for a tasty nut-free dessert.

Ready to whip up a vegan cheesecake? We’ve got you. Here’s how to make yours the very best, with nine different vegan recipe ideas.

Little Pine

This fancy-looking (and tasting) cheesecake is actually super easy to make. The filling is made with soaked cashews and the crust with graham crackers, but it’s the indulgent fudge sauce that steals the show. The latter is made with a mix of coconut cream, cocoa powder, and vegan butter.Get the recipe

Christina Leopold

Keep things sweet and tropical by topping your vegan cheesecake with passionfruit jelly. The fruity flavor compliments the white chocolate filling, which is made with cacao butter, cashews, and vanilla soy yogurt, perfectly.Get the recipe

The Experiment

What’s better than vegan cheesecake? Mini vegan cheesecakes. Keep these tiny, bite-sized desserts in the fridge for a tasty little treat every now and again. The filling consists of soaked cashews, while the crust features raw almonds and Medjool dates.Get the recipe

Maureen Eppler

Enjoy the delicious flavors of the Philippines by combining calamansi citrus with pandan, a fragrant leaf from a tropical Southeast Asian plant. For extra fruity goodness, why not make a zesty calamansi syrup for serving, too?Get the recipe

This is one to bookmark for the fall months, when pumpkin is not only back in season, but in everything. Get in on the hype by combining the tasty autumnal classic with pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum extract. If you’re looking to avoid cashews or cream cheese, the filling in this recipe is made with silken tofu.Get the recipe

Lauren Toyota

For a summer cheesecake, this recipe is arguably one of the best. It’s topped with tangy, juicy, deliciously sweet blueberry compote, the flavors of which are balanced out by the decadent cashew cream cheese base.Get the recipe

Jackie Sobon

Veganize one of the most iconic cheesecake variations with vegan cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream. And don’t forget the fresh berries on the side.Get the recipe

William and Susan Brinson

Not all cheesecakes need to be baked, in fact, some can just be left in the refrigerator overnight to set, ready to eat the next day. This recipe is ultra-indulgent, thanks, in part, to the extra addition of cookie crumbs.Get the recipe

Hannah Kaminsky

Peanut butter and chocolate is, arguably, one of the best dessert flavor combinations of all time. Not convinced? Make this vegan cheesecake recipe, which calls for vegan cream cheese, vegan chocolate chips, and creamy peanut butter, and you’re bound to change your mind.Get the recipe

Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.

Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the vegan lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission. In no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.

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