No-Bake Layered Blueberry Cheesecake (Gluten-Free, Paleo + Vegan)
This no-bake Layered Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake is simple to make, Paleo and gluten-free, and a total stunner! Made with soaked cashews and full-fat canned coconut milk, the cheesecake layers are lusciously smooth and creamy with a tart, fruity topping. The date-based cheesecake crust is also gluten-free.
Looking at the pictures of this no-bake layered blueberry cheesecake makes me seriously giddy inside! Isn’t she a beauty?!
I’m pretty sure no-bake, raw vegan cheesecake recipes are my new favorite thing. While I’ve always loved a good no-bake dessert recipe, the love affair with cheesecakes *specifically* began when I realized how beautiful and photogenic they can be after photographing this raspberry cheesecake for my friend Monica, and then this citrus-topped lemon cheesecake stunner. I think this blueberry version is my latest favorite though. Not only is it so pretty with those layers, but it tastes ridiculously good.
I also have some fabulous no-bake vegan cheesecakes in my best-selling cookbook, Bakerita! Mocha chip cheesecake or salted caramel cheesecake, anyone?! Both recipes are in the book :D
How do you make a vegan cheesecake?
If you’ve had a vegan, cashew-based cheesecake – you know how good they are. If not, let me initiate you!
Like my other raw cheesecakes, this one is made with CASHEWS as the base! If you’re skeptical about cashews’ ability to replace luxuriously creamy cream cheese, you wouldn’t be the first. I was skeptical for a while…until I tried it. The raw cashews are soaked in water, which helps them blend into a luxuriously creamy cheesecake base that is so delicious!
For the crust
We use a simple pecan & date-based crust for this recipe. It’s lightly sweetened with the dates and flavored with cinnamon, which pairs so well with the blueberry flavors in the filling. The crust is lightly sweet, chewy, and crunchy!
If you don’t have or don’t like pecans, any other nut or seed will work here too.
How to make vegan blueberry cheesecake filling:
To start, you’ll soak the cashew for 8 hours. They’ll get incredibly soft and creamy. The soaking helps them blend super easily into the most luxurious, creamy filling you can imagine.
- Raw Cashews: these are the star, and they’re what give us an ultra-luxurious creamy cheesecake filling.
- Full-fat Canned Coconut Milk: for extra creaminess and to help our cashews blend smoothly.
- Coconut Oil: I like using refined for no coconut flavor. Don’t sub this with another oil – the solidifying properties of coconut oil help the cheesecake hold it’s shape.
- Maple Syrup: our sweetener of choice! Any liquid sweetener you love will work.
- Lemon Juice: adds a cheesecake-y tang.
- Vanilla Extract
- Freeze-Dried Blueberries: for that vibrant blue color and flavor!
All together, these makes a pretty damn close replica of the cheesecake you know and love.
This one takes away all those refined sugars and the dairy though and makes a “cheesecake” that will actually fill you up and give you some nutrients. Such a win! This vegan and paleo cheesecake will certainly satisfy that cheesecake craving.
What gives the blueberry flavor?
Half of the filling has freeze-dried blueberries blended right into it! That’s what gives the top layer that gorgeous blue color and a mellow blueberry flavor.
Freeze-dried blueberries are DIFFERENT from dried or frozen blueberries. They’ve had the moisture removed from them, so they add flavor and color, but they don’t add any extra moisture. It’s important you use freeze-dried blueberries, otherwise, the flavor won’t be as strong and the texture will be off.
How to assemble blueberry vegan cheesecake
The freeze-dried blueberry cheesecake layer is spread on top of the first creamy vanilla layer. Then, it all goes into the freezer to harden up while you make the final layer.
We add a final burst of blueberry layer with a quick blueberry jam-like topping. It helps brighten up the richness of the cashew-based layers. There’s no sweetener! To make it, just blend blueberries with a touch of lemon juice and chia seeds to help thicken it up.
This no-bake layered blueberry cheesecake is definitely going to be a new favorite around here. It’s hard to resist the rich and creamy cheesecake layers – especially once you add the tangy, jammy blueberry topping!
How to store no-bake vegan blueberry cheesecake:
You’ll want to store this vegan cheesecake in the refrigerator or freezer. It will keep in the refrigerator for one week, or for at least 6 months in the freezer!
To make sure it lasts and doesn’t absorb any other odors from the refrigerator or freezer, be sure to store it in an airtight container.
To serve from frozen, let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator. This will help it soften to a delicious, creamy consistency that you’ll love.
Want more vegan paleo cheesecake recipes?!
- No-Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
- Vegan No-Bake Mint Chip Cheesecake
- No-Bake Chai Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Layered Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake (Paleo)
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This No-Bake Layered Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake is simple to make, Paleo and gluten-free, and a total stunner! Made with soaked cashews and full-fat canned coconut milk, the cheesecake layers are lusciously smooth and creamy with a tart, fruity topping. The date-based cheesecake crust is also gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the crust
- ½ cup (65g) raw pecans
- ½ cup (48g) almond flour
- 2 pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons (25g) coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cheesecake
- 2 cups (240g) raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least four hours or preferably overnight (see Notes)
- ½ cup (114g) canned coconut milk, shaken
- ¼ cup (50g) coconut oil, melted and cooled (use refined coconut oil if you want no coconut flavor)
- ⅓ cup (111g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- ¼ cup (10g) freeze-dried blueberries
For the blueberry layer
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed, if frozen
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil, or line an 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal, and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.
- Add the pecans, almond flour, pitted dates, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulverize until it comes together into a sort of sticky dough, with small pecan bits remaining. Don’t over process, or it’ll turn into nut butter! Press the pecan date dough evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In the same food processor or high-powered blender (no need to wash between – I used my Vitamix, but most powerful blenders should do the job), combine all of the filling ingredients except for the freeze dried blueberries and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly if your blender isn’t super high-powered.
- Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels by adding more maple syrup, vanilla, or lemon juice, if desired.
- Pour 2/3 of the filling into the prepared pan over the pecan crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan hard against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer. If you want super clean layers, let it freeze for about an hour or until firm before adding the blue layer on top.
- Add the freeze-dried blueberries to the remaining batter and blend to incorporate. Spread over the plain layer. Return to the freezer.
- Rinse out the blender, and add the fresh blueberries, lemon juice and chia seeds to it. Blend until smooth, and then pour over the other layers.
- Place in the freezer to set for at least 3 hours or until completely firm before slicing and serving. I recommend running your knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting the cheesecake with the still-hot (dried) knife.
- You can let thaw for about 20 minutes from frozen at room temperature, or for the best texture, transfer to the refrigerator at least an hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Tips & FAQs
- You can also cover the cashews in very hot/boiling water and let them sit for about an hour if you want to speed up the process – it won’t be quite as creamy and may need to blend for longer, but it will do the trick!
- If you want to use an 8″ springform pan, you’ll want to double the recipe.
Keywords: blueberry cheesecake, vegan cheesecake, no-bake, gluten-free crust, gluten-free cheesecake
This cheesecake is absolutely gorgeous, Rachel! I don’t blame you for loving raw cheesecakes. I’m in love with that pretty blueberry layer. Such deliciousness, and much needed for Friday. I bet this tastes SO good!
Wish I could share a slice with you, Gayle! Thanks so much for the love.
What are the calorie and carb counts for this? I would LOVE to try it.
Hi Denise, I just added nutritional info to the recipe so you can see it now!
I remember seeing this on Insta and was all heart eyes with the color, layers and that it’s made of cashews! A win-win for sure! Now, I have cashew milk on the daily, make cashew ice cream and use them to whip up chia pudding but I’ve never made a cashew cheese cake. I’ve been gawking for a few years, but just need to give it a go! This cake may have just pushed me over the edge. Thank you for sharing this creative recipe. Gorgeous work, Rachel!
I’m sure you could come up with one seriously gorgeous and delicious cashew cheesecake, Traci! I want you to make one just so I can see what you come up with :) thanks so much for all your kind words and love!
Rachel, this cake is way to gorgeous to even eat. I would just want to stare at it all day. Then devour it after dinner. Beautiful!
You’re too kind! Thanks so much Megan.
Absolutely beautiful. Almost too beautiful to eat… but I would. :)
Tastes too good to just look at! ;) Thanks so much Kevin.
What a stunner, Rachel. I make cashew-based berry cheesecakes regularly but I always have to use so much extra coconut oil or cacao butter to accommodate for the liquid in the berries. Using freeze-dried fruit is the perfect solution!
Where can I get freeze dried blueberries?
I get mine at Trader Joe’s, but most grocery stores carry them these days! I’ve affiliate linked to where you can order them on Amazon above in the recipe. Hope you enjoy, TJ!
Can I use just regular dried blueberries ?
Hi Amanda, the regular dried blueberries won’t break down into a powder the way the freeze dried berries do so it won’t have the same effect, unfortunately.
Hey Amanda,
I had the same issue. Couldn’t find freeze dried blueberries anywhere. I used a small handful of fresh blueberries to replace them and it worked wonderfully!
Thanks for the helpful response, Kayla! So glad that worked for you, hope you enjoyed it!
I absolutely love the Trade Joe’s Wild Organic Blueberries. The skin is not bitter and the berries are just the right size! If I could buy them by the case I would!
They are so yum!!
This is funny, because I just developed a blueberry-rosemary cashew cheesecake a couple of days ago! I meant to layer it, but ended up accidentally throwing the blueberries in the blender right off. :P I also prefer baking my cashew cheesecakes – I add some liquid and arrowroot starch and bake at 350* for about twenty minutes.
This sounds amazing. I am a cheesecake fiend. But I know that the sugar is evil. Did you know that cashews can help fight depression? Now with your version of cashew cheesecake, we’re really talking comfort food. I can’t wait to try it!
I’m not a baker, so one question. Are you using raw cashews?
Thank you.
Thanks so much Krista! I did not know that cashews fight depression – that’s super interesting. Yes, I am using raw cashews – thanks for asking that, I updated the recipe to reflect it.
Thank you. I’m putting this on next weekend’s calendar.
I’m looking forward to following you . . . .
Those layers are insanely gorgeous! This Cheesecake looks like spring and I have been craving all things berries with the weather change! Can’t wait to get into the kitchen and make this one!
Thanks so much Laurel! Hope that you love it.
This cheesecake is so pretty, I just love those layers!
I have to say you make a stunning cheesecake! I’ve never made one before, and never eaten a vegan/paleo cheesecake, but I can’t help but want to after seeing this post. I do have a couple questions re substitutions I’d like to ask. First, the almond flour in the crust, can I substitute almond meal instead? Second, could I substitute the maple syrup–either with honey or agave syrup? I’d love any advice you have to offer!
Hi Julie – thank you so very much! You can definitely use almond meal in the crust, and you could sub either honey or agave for the maple syrup, whichever has a flavor you prefer :) I hope you enjoy your first foray into vegan/paleo cheesecake!
Thanks for the speedy response. One more thing I forgot to ask. soaking the cashews… is that done using water? Hot/cold? Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to make sure I do it right.
I totally understand, Julie! Thanks for asking – I just updated the recipe to be more helpful. I soak in cold water overnight, but you can also use hot and soak for less time. That won’t be quite as creamy as the longer soak, but it will still work. Hope this helps!!
I made this today (albeit with a couple of changes) and I’m blown away with how tasty it was. Bravo! Ms. Bakerita, you deserve one hell of a pat on the back for this recipe. The texture was so reminiscent of a cheesecake, and I will admit that I was skeptical of the cashews up until i took my first bite. I decided to add a couple tsp of gelatin to the cheesecake batter (I’m sorry for perverting your vegan recipe) to make it more stable. It worked like a charm and it was delicious! thank you so much. I can’t wait to make it again, but next time I’ll top it with lime curd (the flavor would go wonderfully with the coconut).
Hi Julie, I’m SO glad you enjoyed it!! Adding gelatin is definitely a good way to help it keep it’s shape at lower textures if you’re not vegan :) adding lime curd on top sounds like it would be fantastic – wonderful idea. Thanks so much for your feedback Julie!
The colors in this cheesecake are just so amazing I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks!
Thank you so much Pamela!!
For some reason, I feel like cashew cheesecakes are way more creamy and tastier than regular cheesecake! Love this triple-layered beauty! I can’t wait until blueberry season hits so I can make this gem! My mom would love this for mother’s day :)
That is such a perfect-looking slice, Rachel! I’m SWOONING over all those gorgeous layers! The most perfect spring cheesecake EVER!
How did I miss this?!?! It’s so pretty. I need to make myself some raw cheesecakes….only I’m afraid I won’t have the self control to stop at just one slice.
These are so pretty!!! Love the colors!!
Thanks so much, Zainab!
Wow…what a creative and beautiful dessert, Rachel! It sounds amazing, and it would be such a showstopper for a holiday!
Thank you so very much, Blair!
Hi, is there another dairy free milk that would work without cake tasting like coconut? Also, what kind of pan did u use?
Hi Shayla – you could probably use any kind of non-dairy milk, but I’ve only tried it with canned coconut milk which is thicker than most others so I’m not 100% sure on how it would turn out. It doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor at all though. I used a 6″ pan, I’ve linked to it below the recipe.
Thank you, I’m going to try this once I purchase some cashews.
If you want to boil t he cashews, do you let them boil for the full hour or just put them in boiling water and let sit on counter
You don’t boil the cashews (that would make them mushy), just place the cashews in a bowl and pour the water over them, then let them sit in the hot water for an hour. Hope this helps!
Thank you for this amazing recipe!! I made this today, very first time ever making something vegan but wow was it a success! Yes I will admit that I was a bit skeptical when it came to the cashews, I wasn’t sure what I was walking into, and I was caught off guard a bit as I had to double the ingredients last minute as I realized my springform pan was twice the size of your 6″ cake, therefore I soaked 2 cups overnight and it turned out very creamy (wow) , now since I had to double all of the ingredients as I have a 12″ springform pan I did end up using a the hot/boiling water over one hour method for a second batch of cashews, you are right it does the job but it’s definitely not as good as soaking them over night, I found it was much more nuttier than the overnight version and I added a little more sweetener (maple syrup) to mask the nutty flavour. I will also admit it is very hard to find freeze dried blueberries in Ontario, Canada so I used 2 cups of frozen blueberries (slightly thawed), and it still gave the cake a beautiful purple Color, not to mention that nice kick of blueberry, I also didn’t have chia seeds so I simply puree’d 2 cups of blueberries with 2 tablespoons of honey, this gave the cake a perfect sweet and tart flavour. My family is not much for change, and definitely were skeptical about having a vegan dessert but with there being 9 people at my Easter dinner and every single person having seconds I think it was a success (haha) everyone very much enjoyed the cashews creaminess and it turns out that the second layer of cashew that was nutty was a blessing as they enjoyed the kick of nuttiness that they tasted (though I would still prefer to soak overnight and I recommend to anyone else who makes the recipe-it just makes for a much creamier dessert which is heavenly) . I was pleasantly surprised by how perfect this dessert was and how well it turned out because of my lack of proper ingredients, you have designed a perfect cake and thank you! This was the life of my Easter dinner!
Hi Jessica, I’m SO thrilled to hear that you loved it! Sounds like you did a great job adapting it, and I’m so happy that it was a hit during Easter! I appreciate all of your feedback and kind words. Good to know it works with frozen blueberries, too. Thanks so much!
Could you use strawberries instead of blueberries?
Hi Liz, you definitely could! That would be delicious. Enjoy!
Made it yesterday and it tasted good!
So glad you enjoyed it, Inge!
Hi! I’m hoping to make this for my daughters 2nd bday as we have lots of food allergies so its hard to find something very special with ingredients we can have- one question is whether you think I could substitute something else for the almond flour as we can’t do almonds? Ground pecans, perhaps?
Hi Emily, you can definitely just use ground pecans in place of the almond flour in the crust. So glad you found a recipe you can all have, I hope it’s a hit!
Hello! This looks amazing. Can I use frozen blueberries/fresh blueberries instead?
I’d appreciate your help!
Hi Yani, do you mean instead of the freeze dried? You can, but it won’t be the same vibrant color and the flavor won’t be quite as strong.
This looks Devine! Going to make this tomorrow for a special birthday…Will light coconut milk make a difference? Also, if I wanted to use a 9inch spring form do you know what the measurements would be?
Thanks so much!
Hi Meredith, full fat coconut milk sets up better but light will likely be fine. For a 9-inch pan, I’d 1.5x the recipe, or even double it to make sure it’s thick enough. Enjoy!
Hi…this looks amazing and I can’t wait to try and make it! I just have one question….what did you soak the cashews in? On the directions it just says “soaked in cold”
Thanks,
Amy
Whoops, that should say soaked in cold water! Fixing it now. Hope you love the recipe, Amy!
Do you happen to know how many calories it has?
Hi Jennifer, you can insert the recipe link here: myfitnesspal.com/recipe_parser to calculate the nutritional information.
I made this beautiful cheesecake tonight for a celebration on september 9th!
UGHHH and then i read the last note that said
Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.!!!!
What happens if it is 2 weeks plus 6 days stored in the freezer? Will it still be good???
please advise having a large party and must know what to do
Hi Julia! It will definitely be fine for those extra six days – the two weeks are just a guideline, but I’ve had similar cheesecakes stay good in the freezer for longer. I hope it’s a hit!
Do you have any suggestions of what I can use in place of the dates? (Can’t do bananas or maple syrup either)
Hi Marina, are you vegan? If not, you could use honey in place of the dates. You could also try using another dried fruit, like apricots or another sticky dried fruit (rehydrate in hot water if necessary).
This recipe looks devine, just bought everything but can’t find almond flour in any stores nearby – i have regular flour, rice flour, corn flour, or chestnut flour, do you think one of these could do? looking forward to doing this tomorrow!
Hi Camille, if you have almonds or another kind of nut you like, that would work better than regular flours since it’s not baked and you don’t want a gritty texture. Just pulse the nuts in your food processor or blender to break them up before adding the rest of the ingredients. Enjoy!
worked brilliantly, thank you! made this with frozen rasberries, everyone loved it!
So thrilled to hear they were a hit! Thanks for your feedback Camille.
Is the vanilla essential? I’m out of town and don’t have any on hand. Maybe just add more lemon?
Also, can I sub almonds for pecans for the crust?
You can definitely use almonds instead of pecans for the crust. You can skip the vanilla, it shouldn’t be too huge of a deal. Taste it after blending and add more lemon if you think it needs a little more flavor.
Hey Rachel,
I’m planning on doing this recipe but I brought aa 10 inch pan instead of the 6 inch oops would I still be able to do, I’m sure i can but was wondering should I just double the measurements?
Hi Cassie, yup I’d recommend doubling the ingredients for a 10 inch pan. Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe both presentation and taste turned out very good!!! I am in love with the colour!! I did use walnuts intead of pecans. I didn’t have walnuts everything else in there is exactly the same. Thank you!!
★★★★★
So thrilled to hear you’re enjoying it, thanks for your feedback Monique!
Just did a double batch and split it into 2 muffin tins for 24 individual cakes. Subbed citric acid powder for the lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon per 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. If these turn out like I think they will my boss will be incredibly happy, as will I. Thanks for helping do some next level food science!
★★★★★
I hope they’re a hit, Jared! Thanks for your feedback – I’d love to hear how the citric acid powder works.
What other oil can you use that would be heart healthy? Can I use peanut or olive?
Coconut oil helps the cheesecake to set and keep it’s shape, you’d be better off just leaving it out then subbing with a liquid oil!
Hi! Super excited about this recipe- I have a vegan friend and my last attempt at making raw vegan was not a great success.
This is probably a silly question- but do I just discard the water I used to soak the cashews in?
Thank you!
J
Hi Jenine, yes you just discard the water. I hope this attempt is better than the last one! :)
can you use fresh blueberries? Im making it for christmas and there in season right now?
this will be awesome for my sister as she has P.C.O.S and has a difficult diet to stick to.
★★★★★
Hi Rachael, it won’t be as vibrant or flavorful with fresh blueberries since the freeze dried blueberries are more concentrated…it also might make the texture different. You certainly could do it, though!
Hi. Going to make the cheesecake this weekend. I am not vegan and not very keen on using coconut oil. Can I use butter instead?
Hi Aditi, you could, but I’m not sure how it will taste since this recipe was developed using coconut oil. Try at your own risk!
So delicious! Made a plain one topped with mango…so delicious Had to wrestle kids plus hubby to stop them eating it all in one sitting! Thanks for the recipe
★★★★★
So thrilled to hear it was a hit! The mango on top sounds delicious. Thanks so much for your feedback, Anita.
Would you mind listing the brands of your coconut milk and coconut oil that you use? Please. Thanks
Hi Bridgette, I’ve had success with a number of different brands. Thai Kitchen is always a good one for coconut milk, and I like Nutiva for coconut oil, though.
Would love to try this! Anyway you can share the ingredients in grams?
Thanks!
I made your cheesecake last night- It turned out pretty good!! Definitely room for improvement but everyone at the party was in love. I skipped the dried blueberries and just made two layers. I used a 12inch cake pan and doubled the recipe and it turned out great!
★★★★
Hi Daniela – thanks for your feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m curious what you think could’ve used some improvement? The freeze-dried blueberries add a ton of flavor to this cake, so that could’ve been what you were missing out on.
Hi Rachel
I’m so excited to try this recipe next week for our family dinner! My husband is sensitive to chia seeds (makes him bloat), is there a chance I can substitute it for something else?
We’re not vegans, I just use a lot of vegan dessert recipes for my mother in law who hates whole eggs. Also, can I substitute maple syrup for splenda or stevia? Since my in laws are both diabetic I want to try as much as I can to reduce all forms of sugar. Any help would be appreciated!
Mardy
Hi Mardy, I hope you guys love it!! You can just skip the chia seeds – just know the top layer will melt into the others when it’s not frozen a little bit quicker, which just affects looks. I don’t use stevia or splenda or any sweeteners like that, so you’d have to just add them to taste while you’re making the filling. Hope this helps!
Thank you for this beautiful and delicious recipe! Note to makers: I doubled the recipe and used a 9″ spring form, which resulted in a height of about 3.5″. This does not sustain well outside the refrigerator for much longer than 20 minutes. I made it for an event and it slumped dramatically while on display. Anyone with experience with coconut milk/oil could have seen that coming but hope springs eternal… It still tasted great, just more like a cream pudding. It would be lovely as such in glasses, maybe with the nut mix on top or with a cookie. I will definitely make it again with that note in mind!
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing your helpful tips, Chloe! Love the idea of doing it in glasses if you’re planning on leaving it out for a long period of time. Appreciate your feedback, and so glad you enjoyed it.
Hi, I made this recipe today and I must have done something wrong as the vanilla layer wasn’t very pleasant. It has a nutty / bland taste. I did soak the cashews overnight and used every recipe as mentioned. Could it be that I’m not blending my cashews enough? Or do I maybe need to add more of the maple syrup to sweeten It up? How creamy is it supposed to be?
Hi Rana, it should be very creamy with no chunks at all – it should be totally smooth and silky. If you’re used to sweeter desserts, you might want to add more maple syrup to taste, as mentioned in the 4th step. Without being in the kitchen with you, it’s hard for me to know exactly what went wrong, but hopefully, that helps you figure it out! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Made this cake today for my son’s 2nd birthday. My first try and it turned out to be perfect! It’s very creamy and delicious. Much better (and healthier) than a regular cheesecake.
You have any idea why the purple layer turned out to be brown instead? I used dried freeze blueberries and everything as instructed..
I wish I could attach the picture of my cake, it’s a work of art ;)
Thank you for an amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Katja, so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! How odd that it turned brown, were the freeze-dried blueberries normal colored? I usually use the ones from Trader Joe’s or Natierra Superfoods and it’s always been a nice color. Not sure why that would be different for you. Wish I could see it too! If you post on Instagram, tag me so I can see :) thanks for sharing your feedback!
Oh my frikkin god :D so tasty I had to keep myself from eating it when i made it, thank youuuu <3333
★★★★★
So thrilled you’re loving it Soso! Thanks so much for your feedback :)
Love your cheesecake layer! I hope i could find your recipe sooner.
★★★★★
Thanks Stacey!
So I made this yesterday for my son’s 1st birthday and I must say we absolutely love it! My 1 year old was stuffing his face with this cake. I’m so glad I found this recipe, I feel better for giving him this cake.
So thrilled to hear it was a hit for your son’s birthday – so glad he enjoyed it :) thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Monica!
Hello –
I love this recipe and I would like to try it this week. I have a quick question about it. We live in Serbia so unfortunately there are no freeze-dried fruits around here to purchase. I do have in my freezer a lot of blueberries, that are in the NO FROST section of my freezer so they have no extra-frost except for the water that the fruits naturally have inside them. Would that be ok ? Is there a procedure for me to follow prior to adding them to the recipe ?
Also there are no fresh blueberries here available at this moment, for the topping. We do have fresh blackberries and/or raspberries though. You think I could use those as a topping ? Or would this change the flavor too much ?
Thanks so much in advance for your help !
Kind regards,
Mihai
★★★★★
Hi Mihai! I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen blueberries, but you may want to cook them down a bit before using (create almost a jam by cooking them over the stove to make that extra water evaporate) or I fear it might make things a little watery. Feel free to follow up if you want more guidance on this! You can definitely use the fresh berries you have on hand for this cheesecake, or alternatively, you can just use fresh blackberries or raspberries in the filling (no need to cook down first) and for the topping, if you like those flavors! :) Hope this helps!
Hi Rachel,
Your receipe looks delicious! I would like to make it, but feel nervous because I had made a similar recipe and I had problems with the cheese cake batter curdling.
The batter was the same as your recipe, cashews, coconut oil and milk, lemon juice….
What could have been the problem? Could it be that I didn’t shake my coconut milk before adding to the food processor? Or did I beat the batter for too long??
Please help,
Ivy
Hi Ivy, I’m not sure since it doesn’t sound like you used my recipe and I can only speak for my recipes, of which I’ve never had that problem. Nothing should curdle in there and no one has ever told me that it has. If you blend long enough, it should be super creamy, smooth and thick – definitely not curdled. Hope you’ll try the recipe and won’t be dissuaded by the results you had with someone else’s. Good luck!
Thanks Rachel for your reply!
Ok I will definitely try your recipe and let you know how it turned out :)
Hello, I’m wondering if after freezing it and having it set if its okay to move it to fridge or if we should keep it in the freezer. Also how long can it be left out at room temp before melting? Thank you :)
Hi Neffy, it should be just fine in the fridge! You can probably leave it at room temp for about an hour (as long as it’s not super hot out) before it gets super soft. Enjoy :)
Hey, do we need to soak the chia seeds at all before use?
Nope!!
Absolutely loved this recipe ! It was easy to make and it turned out delicious .
★★★★★
So thrilled you enjoyed it, Diana! Thanks so much for your feedback :)
hi there,
I’m very late to the party, but I’m curious as to whether this recipe freezes well? I’d like to make it in advance for Xmas. If it is freeze-able, do you have any tips on thawing?
TIA xx
Hi Santie, it freezes perfectly! Just wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and/or a plastic zip bag so it’s not exposed to the freezer air to freezer burn. Hope this helps – enjoy!
Hey I’m going to make this today and was wondering if I use powdered blueberries how much should I use? (I assume 1/4 cup is too much) and how long do the layers need in the freezer before adding the next one on top so they don’t mix? Thanks
Hi Felicity, I’d start with about 1-2 tablespoons, taste, and add more from there. It just needs to be firm enough so the top feels hard to the touch. Takes a a half hour or so in my freezer.
Hello
This looks absolutely divine! Quick question- do you add both layers at the same time or let the first layer set first over the base and then add the blueberry layer
Many thanks
Neerja
Hi Neerja, either will work, but if you want a super clean division between the layers you can freeze for a little while between them!
Hi Rachel
What can I use instead of almond flour? My daughter is allergic to almonds. I need to use a GF flour.
Any suggestion?
Thank you
Hi Anna, you can just use more pecans in place of the almond flour. Enjoy! :)
Any chance you could include this piece of info regarding first layer freeze time in your recipe directions? It would have really helped. It was a lot of expensive ingredients and didn’t turn out in clean layers as I hoped. I am disappointed to only see this now way down in the comments. This matters a lot when using a Vitamix for the full 2 minutes as directed in the recipe as it heats up the ingredients.
Hi Jane, yeah I’ll add it! I’ve gotten clean layers just by placing them on top without a lot of freeze time in between, but if you want super clean layers, about an hour between layering them will work.
Hi Rachel
I just made this cheesecake for tomorrow’s New Year party and can’t wait to try it. It was very easy to follow!
One question. What would you recommend to use instead of cashews?
No almonds because of allergies.
Thank you
★★★★★
It came out splendidly! Thanks so much! It was a surprise bday cake for my boyfriend’s mother. She’s a vegan and didn’t even dream of a bday cake (Romania is not the best place to be vegan). She was thrilled…wish I could add some photos here. Thank you so much!
So glad to hear that the cake was a hit!! Thanks for your feedback, Diana :)
I haven’t tried this yet — but I have a question. Is the pie really only 6 inches diameter? (6 inches across) That seems so tiny! And it serves 10 people? I’ve just never seen a pie so small. I was going to make it, but then when I saw it needed a 6 inch pan, I was very surprised. Sounds like it would serve 2 to 4 people. :)
Hi Linda, yes it’s only 6 inches! It’s super rich because of the cashew base. You can always double it and put it in an 8″ pan if you’re worried about it not being enough, but I’ve never heard that complaint! It definitely serves more than 2 to 4 – you’d be VERY full if you ate half of it!
Looks stunning!
I am so in love with your recipes, they are beyond fantastic! So you think this could become a mango cheesecake if we replace blueberries with mango? I have been looking for a vegan mango cheesecake and this recipe looks delicious! Thank you so much!
Hi Irina! Thanks for the kind words – so thrilled you enjoy my recipes. I think you could definitely convert this into a mango cheesecake! I’ve actually experimented with that before and using freeze-dried mangos didn’t give me the bold mango flavor I was looking for. You may want to try using about 1/2 of a super ripe & sweet mango instead of the freeze-dried mangos for the best flavor :) I’d taste after adding 1/2 the mango, and you can always add more for a bolder flavor. Enjoy!!
So many comments from people who haven’t even made the cheesecake is annoying… however
I’d like to know, please, how long this can be kept out of the fridge. I would like to make it to take to a dinner at my vegan daughter’s house. If I remove from freezer and place in portable chiller for approx 2 hours travel, will it all turn to mush?
Thanks,
It should be fine as long as you keep it cool. I would make sure it’s fully frozen when you leave, and in a cooler, it should stay cool enough for the drive. Maybe use an ice pack underneath the cheesecake in the cooler if you want to be safe. Just don’t leave it in a hot car unattended, or it will begin to melt. I would recommend putting it back into a fridge or freezer when you arrive! Enjoy, Marti! :)
I’m planning on making this for a dinner party this weekend. A 6 inch tin is quite small, right? Have you ever doubled the quantities and made in a bigger tin?
Yes, it is pretty small, but the cheesecake is rich! You can definitely double the recipe and put it in a 8″ pan instead :)
Hi I am currently making this, how long do I set the cheescake in the freezer before I pour the other blueberry third layer on to it? then how long to set overall?
thank you
★★★★★
Hi Keely, you let it chill until the layer below is firm, usually around an hour. It’s about three hours to set overall. This will depend on the conditions of your freezer.
Just tried it and it turned out SO GOOD! thank you so much for getting it right and sharing! :)
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So thrilled you’re loving it, Anita!!
I’ve just put it in the freezer. The colours are so nice, can’t wait to try it out :) Due to coconut oil, would it be possible to store the cake in the fridge after 3 hours freezing time? I’d serve it tomorrow and the day after and it’d be difficult to get only two slices out of the form. What do you think?
Hi Timea, you can definitely keep it stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Trying your recipe today it looks great. I had to make mine a swirl because the first layer didn’t set in the time it took me to make the second layer. Could I put the mixed second layer in the fridge while giving the first layer more time to firm up? Also instead of maple syrup could I use honey? Thanks again for sharing your recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Judy, do you mean storing the cheesecake filling you haven’t added yet in the fridge while the bottom layer hardens? You could – but the coconut oil will begin to harden, so it will be thicker and more difficult to spread. You can definitely use honey instead of maple syrup. Hope this helps, and that you love the recipe!
I am so in love with your recipes, they are beyond fantastic! Thanks
★★★★★
Thank you so much!!
I have a quick question! I was planning on making this last night so yesterday afternoon (around 12:30pm) I began soaking the cashews in cold water. I have a 14 month old and needless to say even my best laid plans don’t always work out lol. So now these cashews have been soaking for a day! Is that too long to have them soak? Will this have to be taken off the menu for tonigh?
Hi Tatum, I would taste one of them to test! If it’s mealy and kinda grossly textured, they might not be the greatest. But if you drain and rinse and it just tastes like a soft cashew, they’ll probably be fine :)
Hello,
I would like to make this recipe for my husband’s birthday as I fell in love with the simple ingredients. I would like to make this into a 9″ cake instead since we will have 10-12 guests. Should I double the recipe in order for it to fit in a 9″ springfoam pan? Also, will it taste the same wihtout ruining the taste? Please let me know your thoughts.
Hi Melanie, I would definitely double the recipe to fit into a 9″ pan or it will end up very thin. You may need to make the filling in two batches to help it blend easier, depending on the size of your blender (I’d do one regular vanilla batch for the first layer, and then a blueberry batch, instead of dividing the filling each time). Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
This is such a stunner, Rachel! Can I ask how I can make this on a 10-inch springform pan? Thank you!
Hi Ara, you’d need to at least double the recipe for a pan that big…maybe even 2 1/2 or 3 times since the surface area of a 10″ pan is about 3x the surface area of a 6″ pan. Otherwise, it will turn out pretty thin! I hope this helps.
If you have an 8×8″ square pan, you can also use that with the recipe as-is.
I made your Paleo /Vegan gluten free layered blueberry cheesecake . I finally found a 6″ springform at the 3rd place I tried. A party/craft store here in Reno Nv. I posted a picture on FB. with” recipe courtesy of https://bakerita.com” It got so many OMGs and WOWs from every person on my friends list plus . My daughter saw it and phoned me right away to save her a slice, and was at my house the next night. She knows I love to cook and was going on a women’s retreat/pot-luck and asked me for a portable dinner idea . I said” How about a dessert ,instead of an entree . Well I went and bought a 10 inch springform Thursday, doubled the recipe, and got a styrofoam box from Sierra Gold Fish market then a block of Dry Ice from Raleys and sent her on her 2 hour car ride with another beautiful cake to share with the 20 girls going to the same retreat. I haven’t got a response on how they liked it yet. I know they had to absolutly love it. Anyway… The 6″ one I first made had only one slice left last evening. So Today Saturday I made another 10 inch still in the freeze mode now,4:32 PM . It is for me and my girlfriend to enjoy for days to come. A Restaurant here in Reno “Great Full Gardens” makes some raw cakes similar to yours and charges 10$ a slice. Now I know why. Buying all the organic ingredients for a doubled recipe and the labor of love makes it worth every cent. Mmmmmmmm. Thank you for freely sharing your amazing dessert dish. I’ve been doing the paleo lifestyle for 3 month now and was craving something sweet for that long. Lost 45 lbs so far too.
★★★★★
My comment is about the crust right now since I don’t have dried blueberries yet but did make the crust for another recipe. This is an incredibly delicious crust that deserves its own standing ovation! Amazing flavor that almost steals the show. It’s our new go-to whenever a crumb crust is required. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you’re loving the crust, Lisa! Thanks for your feedback :D
I’ve used several different recipes for Paleo cheesecake and liked them just fine. This recipe however, takes the cake and surpasses them all by far!! The texture and flavors come together for the most delicious cheesecake ever!! My search is over, thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you love the cheesecake, Lily!!! Thanks so much for your feedback :D
Unfortunately I had to leave out the freeze dried blueberries. Still awesome. Next time with the freeze dry blueberries it will be insanely good.
★★★★★
Yay, thank you so much for letting me know how this recipe turned out for you, Marci. I’m so happy you loved it!
This is perfect in every way! I made it for my boyfriend’s birthday last week. We ate half of it that night and the 2nd half the next night, and are still talking about it so are going to make it again this week :) It’s going to be a staple for us for sure. Thanks so much for this gorgeous and equally delicious recipe!
★★★★★
This makes me so happy, Amy! I’m so glad you and your boyfriend are loving this recipe so much.
This is AMAZING!!! Our friend’s favorite dessert is cheesecake but he hasn’t had any in so long because he had to get off dairy. He was so happy and couldn’t believe it didn’t have real cream cheese. I will be making this again! I had to use freeze dried strawberries instead of blueberries and I added a few raspberries and a little of our pink probiotic drink mix for color plus it added even more fruity flavor. Love it!
★★★★★
Can we use fresh blueberries?
Hi Lise, the flavor and color won’t be as concentrated as using freeze-dried, and the blueberry layer will likely be a bit icier because it’s adding extra liquid, but it will work.
This is AMAZING!!! Our friend’s favorite dessert is cheesecake but he hasn’t had any in so long because he had to get off dairy. He was so happy and couldn’t believe it didn’t have real cream cheese. I will be making this again! I had to use freeze dried strawberries instead of blueberries and I added a few raspberries and a little of our pink probiotic drink mix for color plus it added even more fruity flavor. Love it!
★★★★★
Planning to try this recipe for my Mama’s birthday, she loves blueberry cheesecake but I don’t have access to freeze-dried blueberries, do you think frozen blueberries will work? Thanks!
Hi Alexandra, yes they will but the color will be a little less bright, and that layer may be a bit icier because of the added water. Thawing and draining can help that slightly, as can cooking them down a little bit to concentrate the flavor/color if you want to take an extra step. Hope it’s a hit!
I know the sweetener is liquid, but do you think the texture will still be the same if I used erythritol instead?
Hi Fran, I haven’t tried it so unfortunately, I can’t give an informed opinion here. If you try it, you may need to add a little extra liquid (like coconut milk) to help it blend more smoothly :)
Thank you. I’ll definitely try it and use the coconut milk. Will let you know the result.
I have tried this recipe twice and it has come out perfectly! Thank you so much :-)
★★★★★
So glad you’re loving it, Amrita! Thanks so much for the feedback :)
Hi Rachel
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe.
Just wondering, when I was looking for vegan cheesecake recipes online, I noticed Ciao Kitchen translated this recipe into Chinese with minor changes and posted on her blog and YouTube channel. Is that an authorized use? Seems like it’s posted as her own recipe.
Hi Fiona, no that is not authorized use of this recipe – thank you very much for letting me know!!
This is the best paleo cheesecake I have ever had! Made it awhile back and will make it again tomorrow for dinner plans on the weekend. I made it exactly as written, no changes at all. The flavors are perfectly balanced with a just right “cheesy” flavor. Such a beautiful presentation too, a real WOW factor!
★★★★★
Thank you for this one :) Made it for my sister’s birthday, tastes very nice, the recipe is easy to follow.. I am looking forward to making it again, maybe with different fruits next time. Greetings from Czechia :)
★★★★★
★★★★★
So glad you loved it, Iva! Thanks for sharing :)
This recipe is great! I brought this cake to a friend’s house who is VERY skeptical of “different” desserts and both her and her husband loved it and went for seconds! It’s so beautiful too. I love just looking at it in the fridge. Haha. I would definitely make this again. It was so easy!
★★★★★
Hi, is it okay to leave out the coconut oil? It’s hard to find the refined kind where I live and my normal coconut oil has a strong taste.
Hi Zarina, the coconut oil is essential to helping the cheesecake set up so I wouldn’t recommend skipping it!
Oh..I’m gonna try it just hoping the coconut oil won’t be too overpowering. Thank you!
You could try cacao butter in it’s place if you have access to that – it will add a bit of a white chocolate-y kind of flavor, but would probably be delicious!
Hi,
What is the height of this cheesecake? I wanted to see if i could use a 8” cake pan with 1.5” height for this recipe.
Hi Heidi, I’m not sure of the exact height but because the cheesecake will be a lot thinner at 8″ width, that should work ok.
This was amazing! My aunt is allergic to coconut so we used avocado oil instead of coconut oil and replaced the coconut milk with cashew milk and halved it since it’s thinner. We are also on Whole30 (because cheesecake is so Whole30) so we used seven dates instead of maple syrup. Turned out great!
★★★★★
So glad this worked out well, Shelby!! Thank you SO much for sharing your changes – super helpful :D
Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m almost completely WFPB, and thus like to avoid oil (especially high saturated fat oils like coconut oil) and added sugar (like maple syrup), so this is really helpful. From what I’ve read, leaving out the coconut oil tends to lead to a better texture then subbing for another oil (and is a bit healthier), so I’m going to try it without the coconut oil and with dates instead of maple syrup very soon! It’ll be a test run, but if all goes well, this will be my B Mitzvah cake!
Thanks so much!
Hope you love it, Skye! Enjoy, and mazel tov :)
2questions- to have this remain out on display what change or additional ingredients would make it stable?
– I love cherry cheesecake. How could I duplicate your recipe with cherry?
Hi Rita, I actually have a cherry cheesecake recipe! It will always soften with warmth after a while, but switching out coconut oil for cacao butter would help it stay a bit firmer.
This looks amazing. However I’m allergic to cashews. Could I soak almonds and use them as the creamy base instead?
Hi Gill, they definitely don’t blend in the same way as cashews so it wouldn’t be nearly as creamy. You’d be better off substituting with 1 1/2 cups of almond butter, which will give you a much creamier texture.
Is there a sub for chia seeds? I don’t tolerate them well. Also, if this was made in custard cups, would it be easier to keep frozen longer? I don’t have anyone else to eat it but it sounds wonderful!
Hi Su, you could use flax seeds or meal if you tolerate that!! You could definitely make it in smaller cups, too.
Will macadamia nuts works as well & do they need soaking?
Hi Adrienne, I haven’t tried so I can’t say for sure either way, but they would definitely need to be soaked as well.
How would the recipe and quantity of ingredients change if you were to make this in a 9″ pan?
You’d want to double the recipe – the area of a 6″ pan is 29″, the area of a 9″ pan is 63.5″, so doubling it will get you to about the same thickness!
Can I use tigernuts and tigernut flour to make this AIP?
Do you mean to replace the cashews? I’m not sure how tigernuts blend so unfortunately I have no idea whether it would taste good or be a good texture, you’d have to experiment on your own.
Hi. I followed your recipe as written. It’s delicious. The tart blueberry topping really pulls this together. The cinnamon pecan crust is perfect. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
So glad you loved it, Brittany!
Hi, great recipe! Just a clarification: honey is not vegan. :)
★★★★★
Hi Marisa, yes I am aware – there is no honey in this recipe!
I love this find! Ended up blending fresh from the garden raspberries instead of blueberries and it came out delicious!
I may try and make a rhubarb topping next go-around with what’s been growing in the garden.
★★★★★
That sounds lovely!! Taking inspiration from the garden is usually the most delicious way to go :)
Hello! Can I use Toasted Cashews instead of raw cashews?
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I don’t think they’ll get as soft so it may not work in quite the same way, unfortunately! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but process with caution I’d say :)
Hi how many calories per slice?
I don’t count macros and it depends on size of slices, etc. You can calculate on a number of nutrition calculators though, most allow you to drop the link and it will input the recipe to calculate.
Made myself this cake for my birthday tomorrow. It’s in the freezer. I’ve made it twice before and it is the perfect recipe. No changes needed and I’m always changing things in recipes. It’s perfect!
★★★★★
So thrilled you’re loving it, Kendra!
This is soooo good!
★★★★★
So glad you’re loving it!
I made this for my daughter’s 6th Birthday yesterday. It was SO delicious! I didn’t plan far enough ahead and could not find a 6″ Springform pan so I had to use my 9″ Silicone one. I increased the recipe size and used date paste in place of dates as well as date syrup for the sweetener (because I’m allergic to maple syrup). I couldn’t find freeze-dried blueberries that were made in a facility that didn’t also use dairy so I added Butterfly Pea Flower Powder to the 3rd layer for the Blue color. My daughter decorated it with Otter cake toppers and 6 candles. It was beautiful and yummy!
So glad you loved it, Sarah! Sounds like delicious additions and thrilled your daughter loved it, too!