Classic No Bake Vegan Cheesecake

This classic no bake vegan cheesecake has a buttery graham cracker crust and silky smooth vanilla bean filling. It's surprisingly easy to make and tastes SO GOOD, especially topped with fresh berries! This recipe is one of our favorite classics and works well for any occasion.

Jump to:

• 🍰 Why We Love This Recipe
• 🍓 Ingredients
• 📋 Ingredient Notes
• 🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
• 💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
• 🍽 Related Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

🍰 Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick, easy and foolproof: unlike regular cheesecakes, this no bake vegan cheesecake comes together in just a few simple steps (no water bath required). Simply blend everything together, pour into a pan and let it set. It's perfect for even the most beginner home chef.
• Vegan and easy to make gluten free: we love that this recipe is great for just about any diet. It's easy to swap out regular graham crackers with GF ones for a celiac-friendly version.
• Perfect for any occasion: I love grabbing a slice from the freezer any day of the week, but it's also perfect for special occasions like birthdays, holidays, etc.
• Easy to adapt: change up the base filling by adding in different fruits, spices, etc. Since you're not baking it, you don't have to worry about the cheesecake cracking or not cooking all the way through! You can also change up the crust with different kinds of cookies.

🍓 Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this classic no bake vegan cheesecake:

📋 Ingredient Notes

• Cashews: make sure to use raw, unsalted cashews. Don't skip the soaking – this allows the cashews to soften up so they can blend into a perfectly creamy, rich filling. If they don't soak for long enough, the texture will be grainy.
• Vegan cream cheese: you can use any store-bought cream cheese you'd like here. We've tried this recipe both with a more standard vegan cream cheese like this one, as well as a non-traditional version made with sunflower seeds. It worked wonderfully both times and added such a delicious tangy flavor!
• Lemon juice & zest: be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice in this recipe, not the stuff from the bottle. Lemon juice is a key ingredient in vegan cheesecake – it adds that acidity and tanginess that mimics traditional dairy/cream cheese products. Don't skip the zest – it adds so much flavor.
• Vanilla bean: vanilla bean really amps up the flavor of this otherwise plain vegan cheesecake. You can use the seeds from one vanilla bean pod, or vanilla bean paste (what we used). That being said, we know vanilla beans can be crazy expensive, so you can definitely also use regular vanilla extract!
• Sweetener: we prefer agave in this no bake vegan cheesecake to keep the flavor neutral, but it also tastes great with maple syrup.

🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

PREP: Soak cashews in room temperature water for 2 hours. If short on time, soak in very hot water for 20-30 minutes.

(1) Add graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until they form a fine crumb mixture. Add melted butter and agave and pulse until the mixture comes together. 

(2) Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Chill in the freezer while you make the filling. 

(3 & 4) Drain cashews and add to a blender along with remaining filling ingredients (cream cheese, agave, yogurt, lemon juice and zest, vanilla and salt). Blend until completely smooth and creamy. This may take more than one blend cycle, especially if you didn't soak your cashews long enough. Scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure everything is well combined. 

(5 & 6) Pour filling over crust and return to freezer for 3-4 hours, or until completely set.

Let sit out for 10 minutes before topping with fresh fruit and slicing. Store leftovers in refrigerator (for softer texture) or freezer (for firmer texture). 

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

• For best results, let the cheesecake set completely in the freezer, then store in the refrigerator. One of my pet peeves with no bake vegan cheesecakes is that they usually have to be stored in the freezer. I don't love the texture when they're frozen and I think it kind of ruins the experience of a creamy cheesecake filling! We let ours set in the freezer, then transfer to the fridge. The filling is softer than you might expect, and it's SO good. If you'd prefer a firmer filling, freezer is also fine.
  • If serving for an event, we suggest making the cheesecake a day in advance so it has plenty of time to set. You can wait to garnish with berries until just before serving.
• Toppings: we love this cheesecake topped with fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries), but you can really top with just about any fruit you'd like. For a sweeter route, you could also top with vegan caramel sauce, peanut butter and chocolate, a compote, or simple whipped cream!
• Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container (or covered with plastic wrap) in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
• Freezer storage: you can cover and store this cheesecake for up to 3-6 months (as long as it's well sealed)! Thaw in refrigerator before serving.

🍽 Related Recipes

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