This Vegan Cheesecake is easy enough to make anytime and delicious enough for special occasions! With a rich and creamy no-bake filling and a buttery graham cracker crust, this simple vegan cheesecake recipe is versatile, too! Include sprinkles for a funfetti birthday cheesecake, or go with spices, citrus zest, a drizzle of chocolate, or fruit toppings.

no bake vegan cheesecake on a cake stand with several slices removed.

I made the first test batch of this vegan cheesecake last month for my birthday, which is how I had the idea to use sprinkles for a celebratory birthday cheesecake.

Initially I didn't use enough vegan butter in the crust, though, which led to a crumbled mess of graham cracker after slicing. But it was only the two of us celebrating, anyway, and we didn't care. We broke out our spoons and enjoyed every bite!

Why You'll Love My No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake

If you're a fan of easy-yet-special vegan desserts that taste AMAZING enough to serve the picky eaters in your life, you're going to love this one.

This dairy-free no-bake cheesecake is:

decadently creamy with a truly authentic cream cheese flavor
versatile - try it without sprinkles and with spices, citrus zest, or fruit toppings
perfect for prepping in advance for a party or event
and so easy it's basically foolproof!

close up of the creamy filling with a bite of cheesecake resting on a fork.

Ingredients

Similar to my Vegan Cranberry Cheesecake, the filling is made with a combination of vegan cream cheese, raw cashews, and coconut cream.

This combination works well because each ingredient contributes to the overall texture and flavor without any one ingredient overpowering the others.

ingredients for vegan cheesecake and graham cracker crust on a wood cutting board.

Here's a list of everything you'll need to make this vegan cheesecake.

For the graham cracker crust:

As an alternative, you can use a store-bought graham cracker crust.

vegan graham crackers - Nabisco Original grahams are widely available and are "accidentally" vegan.
organic cane sugar - or your favorite brand of vegan sugar (meaning it hasn't been processed with bone char)
vegan butter - you want buttery sticks, not whipped varieties. Earth Balance or Country Crock's plant-based butter are usually pretty easy to find in stores.

For the filling:

raw cashews - see notes below about soaking in water, or get fancy and soak them in champagne! Details below.
vegan cream cheese - any unflavored vegan cream cheese you like will work here. For cheesecakes I like Tofutti brand.
coconut cream (see photo below) - this is the solid portion in a can of full-fat coconut milk. You'll need to plan ahead and place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days in advance. Open the can and scoop out ONLY the solid portion. Reserve the liquid for use in another recipe or freeze it.
fresh lemon juice - bottled is okay if that's all you have, but fresh lemon tastes best.
pure vanilla extract
organic cane sugar
non-dairy milk - some additional liquid helps with blending, especially if you didn't soak the cashews.
optional vegan sprinkles - I use these vegan sprinkles by Sweetapolita.

See recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.

Step By Step Instructions

2-photos showing texture of graham cracker crust in food processor and pressed into pan.

Use a food processor to turn the graham crackers into crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter, and pulse to combine.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. A large ramekin works well to press the crust in evenly. Use your fingers to compact the crust around the edges. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes. Set aside to cool.

blending the vegan cheesecake filling until smooth.

Now blend the filling: combine the cashews and liquid ingredients in a blender. Blend until chunky and mostly broken down. Add the sugar, salt, and coconut cream, and blend until smooth.
Add the cream cheese, and blend again. Refrigerate until cool.

layering sprinkles into the cheesecake as filling is poured into springform pan.

Once the filling is cool, add about 1 tablespoon sprinkles onto the cooled crust. Pour half of the cheesecake filling onto the sprinkles.
Scatter another heaping tablespoon of sprinkles, then pour in the rest of the filling. Decorate the top of the cheesecake with as many sprinkles as you like. Now freeze the cheesecake, uncovered, for 2 to 4 hours before slicing.

Helpful Tips

Use a good quality non-stick 9-inch springform pan. There's no need to oil the pan. The butter prevents the crust from sticking, and the sides of the cheesecake will easily separate from the pan once chilled.

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Make sure you use only the solid portion of a chilled can of coconut milk, and measure out 1 cup. If it's a little bit less than 1 cup that's okay.

Adding the ingredients to the blender exactly as described helps prevent prolonged blending, which will warm up the filling. So blend it just enough to make sure it's 100% creamy. If the mixture does get warm, and you're using sprinkles, refrigerate the filling until cool so it doesn't melt the colors.

Vegan cheesecake topped with colorful sprinkles on a white cake stand.

Substitutions

Nuts: For the best results I recommend making the filling exactly as written. It's possible you could use a different nut or seed instead of cashews, but keep in mind that nuts that have skins, like hazelnuts or almonds, will alter the color of the cheesecake. Blanched almonds are an option.

Gluten-free: For a gluten free vegan cheesecake, feel free to use a different crust recipe. This oatmeal pie crust is perfect! Unfortunately, I don't think vegan gluten-free graham crackers exist. The gluten-free brands often include eggs for binding.

Variation: Champagne-Soaked Cashews

This is totally optional and only slightly impacts the flavor of the cheesecake, but it can be a fun twist, especially if you're making the cheesecake for someone who loves champagne!

To do it:
Place raw cashews in a large, shallow bowl. Cover with about 1 cup sparkling wine or champagne (find vegan options on Barnivore.com), and soak for 1 hour. Refrigerate ¼ to ⅓ cup of the remaining champagne (do whatever you want with the rest). 😉

Drain the cashews, and replace the milk called for in the recipe below with the reserved champagne. Now you have a no-bake champagne cheesecake! How fun is that?

Serving Suggestions

Fresh fruits like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are always beautiful and delicious with cheesecake. Make a simple fruit sauce on the stovetop by following the basic blueberry sauce instructions in this Vegan Trifle recipe.

Or go the chocolate route with an easy vegan chocolate sauce and chocolate chips or shavings.

And finally, a dollop of So Delicious non-dairy Coco Whip or homemade vegan whipped cream is always welcome!

Make Ahead Tips

Freeze the cheesecake for at least 2 hours, and preferably 3 to 4, before slicing and serving. To test whether the cheesecake is cold enough, lightly press the center with a finger. The filling should feel very firm.

The cheesecake is fine at room temperature for an hour or so, depending on how cold it was before serving. Otherwise, keep it refrigerated.

It can be frozen overnight, but if you use sprinkles there's a chance their color may fade. After extended time in the freezer the cheesecake needs 2-3 hours in the refrigerator to soften before serving.

If making for a special event it's best to prepare the cheesecake about 5 hours in advance. This allows for prep time and the 3 to 4 hours chill time.

slice of cheesecake with text overlay to save on Pinterest.

More Classic Vegan Desserts

I hope you love this easy vegan cheesecake. If you try the recipe leave a comment and star rating below to let us know!

Recipe

whole cheesecake resting on a white cake stand

No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake (Easy Prep!)

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This no-bake vegan cheesecake is easy enough to make anytime and delicious enough for special occasions. With a rich and creamy filling that tastes just like the "real thing" and a buttery graham cracker crust that's ready in minutes. It's versatile, too! Include sprinkles for a birthday cheesecake, or add your favorite spices and citrus zest. Or serve plain with fresh berries and a fruit sauce.

5 from 2 votes

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 9

Freeze/chill time: 3 30

Total Time: 4 9

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the crust:

11 sheets vegan graham crackers - about 2 cups crumbs; Nabisco original grahams are accidentally vegan
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted

For the filling:

1½ cups raw cashews - See Note 1
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
up to ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup solid coconut cream - See Note 2
⅔ cup organic cane sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
16 ounces vegan cream cheese, cold

Decoration:

approx ⅓ cup vegan sprinkles, optional - I use Sweetapolita's vegan options.

Instructions

Planning:

Place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator at least 24 hours in advance. Use a good quality brand (I like the Whole Foods 365 coconut milk). This will ensure the solid coconut cream separates from the liquid.
If not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in water overnight or quick-soak them in hot water for about an hour. Option: see instructions above for champagne-soaked cashews.

Make the crust (or use a store-bought crust):

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
In a large food processor pulse graham crackers into crumbs. Add sugar and melted butter, and pulse several times to combine. Press mixture into a 9-inch round, non-stick springform pan. The flat bottom of a glass or ramekin works well for tamping down the crust. Use your fingers to press in the crumbs around the edges.
Bake for about 9 minutes, then set aside to cool. If you have time, once the crust has cooled, refrigerate until ready to fill.

Blend the filling:

If you soaked the cashews, drain and pat dry. Next, blend the cashews with the liquid ingredients (lemon juice, vanilla, and ¼ cup milk, if using) until incorporated but not quite smooth. Once the cashews are mostly broken down, add the coconut cream, sugar, and salt, and blend until smooth. Stop as needed to scrape down the sides of the blender, and use the tamper if your blender comes with one.
Add the cream cheese and blend just until smooth. If using sprinkles, refrigerate the filling until cool, 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how warm the mixture got during blending (this is to keep the sprinkles from melting).
If not using sprinkles or any other additions simply pour all of the filling into the crust and smooth the top.
If using sprinkles, scatter about 1 tablespoon onto the crust. Pour half of the cheesecake filling on top. Add another heaping tablespoon of sprinkles, then pour in the rest of the filling. Smooth the top with a spoon or silicone spatula. Decorate the top of the cheesecake with as many sprinkles as you like.
Place the cheesecake in the freezer uncovered for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 to 4. Once the center is firm and fully chilled, carefully release the sides of the springform pan. Transfer your vegan cheesecake to a serving platter, slice, and serve. See storage tips below.

Notes

Note 1 - if not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews overnight or in hot water for 1 hour. Then drain, rinse, and pat dry. Or get fancy with a soak in champagne! Find instructions in the post, just above the recipe card.

Note 2 - it's important to ONLY use the solid cream portion of coconut milk. To ensure that it separates from the liquid, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk for 1 to 2 days in advance. Reserve the liquid to use in another recipe or freeze it into cubes for beverages.

How to Store

Vegan cheesecake is fine at room temperature for up to 1 hour, depending on how cold it was before serving. Otherwise, keep refrigerated.

If preparing for an event the same day, give yourself at least 5 hours. This allows for prep time plus 3-4 hours in the freezer just before serving. May be frozen overnight. Move from freezer to refrigerator 2-3 hours before serving.