Description
This vibrant vegan strawberry cheesecake delight is a luscious and creamy dessert made without any dairy or eggs. Featuring a crunchy cookie crust and a smooth strawberry-infused filling, it’s naturally sweetened and perfect for vegan and gluten-free diets. The cheesecake is chilled to set, then topped with a fresh strawberry sauce and garnished with fresh strawberries for a refreshing and indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 2 cups (200g) plain sweet cookies, gluten-free if needed
- ⅓ cup (75g) vegan butter, margarine, or melted coconut oil
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz (480g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45g) melted coconut oil or cacao butter or 2 teaspoons agar powder
- 3 tablespoons (45g) lemon juice and zest, to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste
- 3 cups (360g) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 cup (240g) thick scoopable canned coconut cream
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch or corn flour
- 1 teaspoon beetroot powder or pink food coloring, to color if needed
Strawberry Topping
- 1 cup (120g) fresh strawberries, stems removed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or corn flour
Instructions
- Make the crust: Line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform or loose-bottom cake pan with parchment paper. Add the cookies to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted vegan butter, margarine, or coconut oil until evenly mixed. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: In a blender or food processor, blend the vegan cream cheese, granulated sugar, melted coconut oil (or cacao butter/agar powder), lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Cook the strawberries for the filling: In a saucepan, simmer the 3 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries over medium heat until softened and slightly reduced, about 5–7 minutes. Mix the coconut cream and cornstarch into the reduced strawberries and continue to heat gently, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Combine and blend the filling: Transfer the cooked strawberry mixture to the blender with the cream cheese mixture along with beetroot powder or pink food coloring if desired. Blend until evenly combined and smooth.
- Chill the cheesecake: Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover and chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until firm and set.
- Prepare the strawberry topping: In a small saucepan, combine the cup of fresh strawberries with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens to a sauce consistency. Allow to cool slightly.
- Serve: Once the cheesecake is fully chilled, spread the strawberry topping over the top. Garnish with fresh strawberries as desired. Slice and serve chilled for a refreshing vegan dessert.
Notes
- Use gluten-free cookies to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Ensure the vegan cream cheese is at room temperature for smoother blending.
- Chilling the cheesecake overnight yields the best texture.
- For a firmer crust, refrigerate the crust for 15 minutes before adding the filling.
- Adjust sweetness of topping and filling by increasing or reducing sugar according to preference.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Vegan
