This ultra-rich, decadently creamy and smooth Vegan New York Cheesecake is surprisingly easy to make. Enjoy as it is or get a little fancy with your choice of topping. It is vegan dessert perfection and you absolutely need it in your life.....
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.
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I have made and eaten a lot of vegan cheesecake (all in the name of research of course ;O) and whilst they are mostly very lovely, they aren't like "real" baked New York Cheesecake.
My Vegan New York Cheesecake is just like a "real" baked cheesecake in texture. Dense, rich, super creamy and very satisfying. It's as amazing as my vegan chocolate cheesecake.
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 New York Cheesecake
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 you could also use vegan graham crackers, or to make life easier you can use store bought digestive biscuits or graham crackers (some are accidentally vegan). All you have to do is blend them with some vegan butter or coconut oil in a food processor.
- 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.
- 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 a Blendtec 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.
- Step 5 - Allow to cool then refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
For such a decadent dessert it's all pretty easy really!
Serving suggestions
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 ♡
Or my Vegan Lemon Curd or 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.
Success tips
- Blend absolutely thoroughly. The filling needs to be smooth as silk.
- Be sure to use a springform pan so you can get the cheesecake out easily once it's ready.
- Follow the recipe closely for best results.
- Don't overbake. It should have a wobble in the middle and it will set up properly as it cools.
- Don't cut/serve until it has been refrigerated.
Storage
Vegan cheesecake leftovers will keep really well in the fridge for up to a week. Just be sure to cover it so it doesn't dry out.
So to summarize, 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!
Hungry for more?
📖 Recipe
Vegan New York Cheesecake
Author:
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
- OR vegan graham crackers
- 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 (measured before soaking)
- 175g / 1 cup canned chickpeas , drained & rinsed well
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder , or 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder , or cornstarch (cornflour in the UK)
- 120mls / ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 can / 400 ml can full fat coconut milk (must be full fat, not light & if your can is 398 mls that's fine.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 320F
- 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
- Put digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) into a food processor with the butter/coconut oil and blend until well combined and in fine crumbs.
- Press into the bottom of the tin. Make sure it is even and pressed down firmly then refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Add all the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Remove base from the fridge and pour the filling in carefully.
- Bake for around 50 minutes but this will vary depending on your oven and the pan you use. It should be set well around the edges and have a little tiny bit of a wobble in the middle when done.
- Remove and allow to cool then refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
NOTES
- Blend absolutely thoroughly. The filling needs to be smooth as silk.
- Be sure to use a springform pan so you can get the cheesecake out easily once it's ready.
- Follow the recipe closely for best results.
- Don't overbake. It should have a wobble in the middle and it will set up properly as it cools.
- Don't cut/serve until it has been refrigerated
Storage - Store in the fridge for freshness, but unlike a lot of vegan cheesecakes it won't melt into a puddle if left at room temperature for a while before serving. Leftovers will keep really well in the fridge for up to a week. Just be sure to cover it so it doesn't dry out.
The pan - 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.
Oil-free? 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!
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Megan says
Best vegan cheesecake I have ever made! So easy and yet so satisfying
Deborah says
I made this and it was amazing. Really impressed my guests. I would now like to make a smaller version. If I use half the ingredients would I need to bake it for half the time ??
Melanie McDonald says
It's impossible to say because it depends on the size of the pan and the depth of the cheesecake. The deeper it is the longer it will take to cook. You'll just have to wing it. Bake it at the same temperature and keep an eye on it. Take it out when it's set with a bit of a wobble in the centre.
Vee says
Can you freeze this?
Melanie McDonald says
I have never tried freezing it.
Deb says
This was really amazing!!! I made it yesterday and my daughter's were seriously impressed. I made 2 slight changes. (1) for the biscuits I used 200 grams of tea biscuits. (2) for the filling I used 300 grams of silken tofu and 150 grams of cashews because we always prefer tofu over cashews in recipes and baked it for 65 minutes. It turned out so so good. None of the chickpeas, coconut, or tofu flavors could be detected at all. Can't wait to have another slice tonight. Thank you!
PK says
Hi,
I want to make an Oreo cheesecake and was wondering if would this recipe go well with Oreos?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes for sure! I've had lots of readers do it and send me pictures and they've looked awesome!
Helen says
I’ve made this a few times and love it. I’m making it now and was wondering if you think a blood orange and rhubarb curd (based on your lemon curd recipe) would be too rich? Maybe I should just do a compote...
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm probably the wrong person to ask because I love "rich". Nothing is too rich for me! I think that idea sounds amazing. I think the tartness of the rhubarb will cut through it all nicely. You've made me want to make rhubarb orange curd now.
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!