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A freshly baked vegan cheesecake is positioned on a round, white serving dish. A slice has just been cut from the cake.
4.63 from 8 votes

Ultra Creamy Classic Vegan Cheesecake

Author - Gena Hamshaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cooling and Chilling time 1 day 1 hour
Total Time: 1 day 2 hours
Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 8 sheets vegan graham crackers (125 g)
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar (50g)
  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted (70g)

For the cake

  • 1 cup whole unroasted cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and drained (135g)
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 24 ounces vegan cream cheese of choice (680g; 3 8-ounce/225g containers)
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cane sugar (220g)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)

Optional blueberry lemon sauce

  • 1 pint blueberries (about 1 1/2-2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup water (60ml)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350. Grease with vegan butter or lightly oil an 8 or 9 inch round cake or cheesecake pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom of the pan with a round piece of parchment.
  • To prepare the graham cracker crust: place the graham crackers and sugar into a food processor fitted with the S blade. Process for about 20 seconds, or until the crackers are turning into crumbs. Drizzle in the melted butter and continue processing for about a minute. The crust is ready when a small amount will stick together when you squeeze it in the palm of your hand.
  • Remove the blade from the processor and pour the crumbs into your prepared pan. Use the back of a measuring cup or a regular cup to smooth it out over the bottom and to the sides. You can use some pressure here! Pack the mixture down till it's smooth, solid, and even.
  • Transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake the graham cracker crust for 8-9 minutes, or until just starting to smell nutty. Remove the pan and set it and the pre-baked crust aside.
  • Clean and dry your food processor. Place the cashews into the food processor (fitted with the S blade). Alternately, use a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Add the three tablespoons of water. Cover the processor and pulse a few times. Run the processor for about 1 minute, until the cashews are broken down. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the processor, then continue processing for another 2-3 minutes. The cashews should become relative smooth and blend without effort. Keep scraping the processor sides down if needed.
  • Add the lemon juice, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch to the processor. Process for 3-4 minutes, or until you have a completely smooth mixture. You can stop and scrape down the side of the processor as needed. You'll have a smooth, thick mixture: pourable, but not runny, and it'll coat a spoon or spatula.
  • Transfer the cheesecake batter to your prepared, round baking pan. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the oven carefully. At this point, the center will still be very, very jiggly! It'll firm up during cooling. Allow the cheesecake to cool in a cool place for about 1 hour. Then, gently cover the top of the pan and transfer the cheesecake to your fridge. Chill the cheesecake overnight.
  • To make the blueberry sauce, place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture becomes bubbly, reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool before enjoying.
  • To serve, slice the cheesecake and top it as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftover cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks.

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