Description
This Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake offers a creamy, luscious dairy-free alternative to traditional cheesecake, bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and a crunchy cookie crust. Perfect for a refreshing dessert, it uses plant-based ingredients like vegan cream cheese, coconut cream, and fresh strawberries, making it suitable for vegan and gluten-free diets (with gluten-free cookies). The cheesecake is chilled, not baked, resulting in a smooth and fruity treat that’s easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- ~2 cups (200g) plain sweet cookies, gluten-free if needed
- ⅓ cup (75g) vegan butter, margarine or coconut oil, melted
Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz (480g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature (2 x regular tubs)
- 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, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
- 3 cups (360g) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 cup (240g) thick scoopable canned coconut cream
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch / corn flour
- 1 teaspoon beetroot powder, or pink food coloring, to color if needed
Strawberry Topping
- 1 cup (120g) fresh strawberries, stems removed (can substitute half with raspberries)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch / corn flour
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform or loose-bottom cake pan with parchment paper. Process the cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until well combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan to form an even crust layer. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling – blend base: In a food processor or blender, add the vegan cream cheese, sugar, melted coconut oil, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Cook the strawberry reduction: Place strawberries and a splash of water in a medium pot over high heat. Simmer and mash the fruit until mostly broken down. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces to about half a heaped cup (~180g) and thickens to the consistency of a thick tomato pasta sauce.
- Thicken the strawberry mixture: Add coconut cream and cornstarch to the pot with the strawberry reduction and whisk thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes until it thickens, stirring constantly. Don’t worry if it looks separated.
- Combine strawberry mixture with cream cheese base: Transfer the thickened strawberry mixture back into the food processor with the cream cheese blend. Process until completely smooth. Add beetroot powder or pink food coloring if you desire a more vibrant color. Adjust lemon juice or vanilla extract to taste.
- Set the cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully set.
- Prepare the strawberry topping: Place the majority of the fresh strawberries and cornstarch in a small saucepan over high heat. Mash the strawberries with a fork or stick blender while stirring until a thick sauce forms. Sweeten to taste if desired. Allow the compote to cool completely.
- Serve: Just before serving, top the set cheesecake with the cooled strawberry compote and garnish with the reserved fresh strawberries. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Substitute with Oreos or chocolate cookies for an indulgent vegan Oreo strawberry cheesecake.
- You may use a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, but the cheesecake might be slightly softer in texture.
- If using agar powder, mix it with the coconut cream and cornstarch mixture and add to the strawberry reduction. Agar requires cooking to activate.
- Avoid light canned coconut cream or coconut milk as they contain less thick cream compared to regular canned coconut cream; you’ll need more cans to reach the required amount.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cheesecake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
