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This Baked Vegan Cheesecake just might be the best cheesecake you’ve ever had – you can’t tell it’s vegan! It has a gluten-free graham cracker-style crust and the creamiest dairy-free vanilla cheesecake filling. Coconut yogurt and cashews create the perfect texture.
I’ve got a number of dairy-free and vegan cheesecakes on my site. We’ve got the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache, the Mint Chip Cheesecake, the Strawberry Orange Cheesecake, and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecakes.
But – all of those cheesecakes? They’re no-bake cheesecakes. There’s nothing wrong with no-bake cheesecakes. In fact, they are awesome. Easy to make, no fuss, and no need to turn on the oven. And while they are certainly reminiscent of traditional baked cheesecake, they don’t have quite the same texture. They also can’t sit outside of the fridge or freezer for too long, or they’ll melt.
So while the no-bake cheesecakes certainly have their place in my life…I thought there was some room for a new type of vegan cheesecake in my life:
Baked Vegan Cheesecake!
This dairy-free cheesecake is lusciously creamy and has the perfect amount of tang, which replicates the cream cheese flavor from the more traditional dairy-filled cheesecakes. It’s not too fussy either when you’re comparing it to dairy cheesecakes. This recipe doesn’t use a water bath and I didn’t have any issues with the cheesecake cracking.
If you love this, you’ll love my Baked Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake, this luscious Baked Apple Pie Vegan Cheesecake, and my Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake!
But, let’s talk about the ingredients that go into the filling of this dairy-free baked cheesecake, because each one is essential to baked cheesecake success.
What makes this Baked Vegan Cheesecake so delicious?
- Raw Cashews: much like in my no-bake vegan cheesecake recipes, cashews provide structure and stability for the cheesecake, while lending their sweet, mild flavor.
- Coconut Cream: this adds creaminess to the recipe.
- Thick Coconut Yogurt: this one is essential! The coconut yogurt adds a distinctive, cultured tang to the cheesecake and helps to mimic the flavor of cream cheese. I used Culina Yogurt. Homemade or another brand will also work, but make sure it’s a super thick yogurt with a nice tangy flavor.
- Maple Syrup: this is where the sweetness comes from!
- Lemon Juice: a classic flavor in traditional cheesecake, fresh lemon juice adds extra tang to the recipe.
- Arrowroot Starch: this helps to thicken the cheesecake and help it set to a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: a cheesecake necessity. Adds warmth and flavor.
- Sea Salt: because every recipe needs a little salt, even the sweet ones.
- Vanilla Bean Powder: ditto on the vanilla extract, but this also adds little vanilla bean flecks and helps amplify the flavor. It’s optional, but recommended.
How to make dairy-free baked cheesecake
First, you’ll blend the ingredients together until smooth. Then, pour the mixture over the pecan-coconut sugar crust, which tastes super similar to a graham cracker crust.
We bake it until just barely set, and then it cools in the propped-open oven. After a chill in the refrigerator, it’s perfectly creamy and ready to be devoured!
I topped mine with fresh, macerated strawberries, but you could use any kind of fruit you prefer, or go for something a little more decadent, like chocolate or caramel. Any way you enjoy it, you’ll be in cheesecake heaven! Hope you love this delicious vegan cheesecake recipe – it’s a new staple.
Want more baked vegan cheesecakes?
Baked Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake
This Baked Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake will make your mouth water! It’s super creamy and delicious, with a rich chocolate flavor and a tasty gluten-free chocolate crust.
Vegan Apple Cheesecake with Gluten-Free Oatmeal Crust
This Vegan Apple Cheesecake is a creamy and irresistible baked vegan cheesecake that is perfect for the holidays or for any apple pie lovers! Made with an oatmeal almond flour crust, this gluten-free cheesecake is topped with a scrumptious apple pie filling.
Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
This Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake will wow you with its rich texture, spices, and gluten-free graham cracker-style crust. It’s the perfect vegan Thanksgiving dessert.
Baked Vegan Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1⅓ cups raw pecans
- 1⅓ cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the filling
- 1½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours to soften, drain and rinse before using
- ¾ cup coconut cream
- 1 cup vegan coconut yogurt, I like Culina Yogurt, but any that is thick and tangy will work!
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from the juice of one large lemon
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
For the strawberry topping (optional)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Equipment
Instructions
For the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan with coconut oil and place on a baking sheet.
- In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the pecans, almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pulse slightly to break up the pecans. Stream in the melted coconut oil and then pulse again until the mixture is well moistened and sticks together when pressed between your fingertips. Scrape down the sides of the container or use the tamper as necessary.1⅓ cups raw pecans, 1⅓ cups almond flour, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ⅓ cup coconut oil
- Press the crust evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool while you make the filling.
For the cheesecake filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325º.
- In a high-powered blender or a food processor (I use my Vitamix), blend the soaked cashews, coconut cream, coconut yogurt, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, arrowroot starch, vanilla extract, sea salt, and vanilla bean powder. Scrape down the sides of the container or use the tamper as necessary to get a super smooth consistency. It will take about 3 to 5 minutes of blending to get it super smooth and creamy.1½ cup raw cashews, ¾ cup coconut cream, 1 cup vegan coconut yogurt, ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- Taste the mixture and adjust to your tastes (add more maple syrup for sweetness, lemon juice for tanginess, or vanilla extract for more vanilla flavor). Pour the filling into the cooled crust and tap the pan hard on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until mostly set. The cheesecake should jiggle slightly in the center when it’s ready, but not be too wet and jiggly. Try not to disturb the cheesecake for the first 45 minutes.
- When the cheesecake is just shy of set, turn off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside. Leave the oven door open a few inches and let the cheesecake cool inside of the slightly ajar oven. Remove from the oven after about an hour.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill all the way through.
For the strawberries & to serve
- When you’re about ready to serve, combine the strawberries and coconut sugar in a bowl. Let the strawberries macerate for about 10 minutes. Just before serving, top the cheesecake with the strawberries. It’s also great served with coconut whipped cream or any other fruit that you prefer.1 cup fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- Store the cheesecake tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Would it be fine to do the same amount of maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar?
I would reduce the amount to 1/4 cup and only use 1/4 cup of coconut oil!
Hi!! Any advice for baking it in a 9 inch springform pan instead of an 8 inch? Google says to increase the temp by 25 degrees and reduce cooking time by a quarter. I’m making this for a Friends-themed menu/Halloween party!! So excited to try it out.
Hi Ofelia! I would keep the temp the same, reducing the cooking time by a quarter is likely accurate – haven’t tried so can’t say with certainty, but since it will be thinner, it will need less cook time. Enjoy!!
Update! It was so delicious!! And reducing the time worked great for the 9 inch springform. Did about 40 mins door closed and 45 mins door ajar. Creamy, the strawberries gave it that exquisite pop and no one missed the dairy or gluten. A hit all around!
So glad you loved it, Ofelia! Thanks for the feedback :)
In a no bake cheesecake no arrowroot is used, any reason why a baked one uses that ingrediant?
Hi Antonia, the arrowroot helps to set up the filling in the baked cheesecakes, as it is a thickener that activates with heat. In the no-bake cheesecakes, coconut oil, cashews, and coconut milk help firm it up instead since they firm up when chilled! Hope this makes sense.
Hi, I’m wondering if this could be flavored with chocolate or peanut butter, and if so how much you would add? Thanks!!
Hi Jess! I’d recommend using this baked chocolate cheesecake recipe for a chocolate version. For a peanut butter version, you can replace 1/2 cup of the cashews with 1/3 cup peanut butter. Enjoy!!
Hi Rachel! This recipe was fun and easy. My husband and I couldn’t wait for it to chill completely so had some after an hour in the fridge but still on the warm side. The flavor is fantastic but my crust wasn’t very crusty. More soft and just crumbled apart. Should I have pre baked for longer? Or made a thinner layer? Thank you!!
Hi Jess, a longer pre-bake may have been needed, especially if it’s on the thicker side. Usually pressing on the side to feel it’s firmness when you’re pulling the crust from the oven can help you determine how crispy it will be. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I’m wondering how to replace sweeteners to make it paleo. The coconut sugar I think could be a 1 to 1 replacement with granulated monk fruit, but unsure how to replace the maple syrup. I have monk fruit liquid but it’s tiny container measured in drops, while using the granulated monk fruit seems like it would throw off the proportions w the liquid maple syrup. Any ideas? Thanks for your help!! :-)
Hi Cas, coconut sugar and maple syrup are considered paleo, but you can replace with monk fruit sweeteners if desired. I personally find the 1:1 monk fruit sweeteners much sweeter thank coconut sugar and maple syrup so I tend to use about half the amount called for. To replace the liquid of the maple syrup, you can add the drops to an equal amount of extra coconut milk/cream. Hope this helps!
This looks so delicious, can I substitute pecans nuts with whole flour. Thanks
Hi Sascha, do you mean using like an all-purpose flour instead? I haven’t tried that, and it would definitely change the texture but you can try! It might need a little extra fat/hydration from extra coconut oil if you try that.
This is delicious. Since it is November made a cranberry compote for the top!
So glad you’re loving it, Trina!
Do you use coconut cream with or with out guar gum? When making the filling .
Either is fine!