This vegan cranberry cheesecake is a total showstopper and yet so easy to prepare! It has a tangy, rich, and creamy filling that even non-vegans love. The authentic cheesecake flavor pairs perfectly with a spiced pecan and graham cracker crust. This is your must-make vegan Christmas dessert! No tofu.

naturally pink cranberry cheesecake with graham crust on a white cake stand.

It's pretty clear that I've developed a (healthy) obsession with this tart, unique berry over the past couple of years.

From maple-sweetened Easy Vegan Cranberry Sauce, which gives today's cheesecake its perfect pink hue, to this stunning No-Bake Cranberry Tart, every fall and winter I get so much joy from cooking with cranberries.

Here are a few more cranberry recipes to try:

a slice of pink cranberry cheesecake on a plate with cake in background

Until today there was only one vegan cheesecake recipe on the blog, this Meyer Lemon version. So even though we're just days away from Thanksgiving, I decided to indulge my cranberry obsession and create this easy cheesecake to share with you while fresh cranberries are abundant.

And I'm so glad I did because, friends, this turned out to be one of the best vegan cheesecakes I've ever tasted.

Thanksgiving is really all about pumpkin, pecan, and apple, anyway. I'd say this cranberry cheesecake is is PERFECT for Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations!

UPDATE: check out this new easy vegan cheesecake!

Equipment Needed

To make dairy-free cranberry cheesecake you'll need a 9-inch springform pan, a food processor, and a blender. A high powered blender like a Vitamix is best for preparing vegan cheesecakes, but if the cashews are soaked in advance, a standard blender can also get the job done!

Ingredients for Vegan Graham Cracker Crust

1 cup graham cracker crumbs - This is equal to 7 full graham crackers. Finding graham crackers that don't contain honey can be difficult. Nabisco is a widely available brand this is vegan.
⅔ cup raw pecan halves
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon garam masala or ⅛ teaspoon cloves
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Ingredients for the Filling

A combination of cashews, coconut cream, and vegan cream cheese work together to create the best flavor and consistency in this cheesecake.

1 ½ cups Vegan Cranberry Sauce - I recommend making that recipe as written, using maple syrup as the sweetener. However, you can also sweeten it with regular cane sugar (you'll need more sugar than maple syrup, though, for the same level of sweetness). *I tested this cheesecake once with store-bought whole-berry cranberry sauce (365 brand), and while it worked fine, both the color and tartness of the cheesecake were much more muted than when made with homemade cranberry sauce.
1 ¾ cup raw cashews
1 cup coconut cream - This is not the same as coconut milk. Many stores now sell cans of coconut cream (I use the Whole Foods 365 brand). You can also refrigerate 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk for 48 hours, then scoop out 1 cup of solid cream. The liquid can be used in another recipe such as soup, muffins, or pancakes.
16 ounces plain vegan cream cheese
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup
Organic sugar, to taste - This will depend on the sweetness of your cranberry sauce.

using a flat-bottomed ramekin to press crust into pan.

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How to Make the Crust

In a large food processor pulse graham crackers into crumbs, and transfer to a bowl. (I use this 14-cup Cuisinart.)
Pulse the pecans into crumbs, and return the graham cracker crumbs to the food processor. Add the spices, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine.
Drizzle in melted coconut oil, and pulse until the mixture is well incorporated.
Press into an oiled, non-stick 9-inch springform pan. The flat bottom of a ramekin is a great tool for this. Then use the top of your index finger to press the crust down around the edges.
Refrigerate the crust while you blend the filling.

pouring blended cranberry cheesecake filling into the springform pan.

How to Make the Filling

This is the ONLY part of the entire process that can be a bit challenging, because the filling is very thick.

It's important to use patience and stop as needed to scrape down the sides of the blender. If your blender comes with a tamper, definitely use it.

First, blend the cashews with the liquid ingredients (lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup) until incorporated but still chunky.
Once the cashews are mostly broken down, add the coconut cream and blend until smooth.
Now add the cranberry sauce, salt, and cream cheese. Blend again, gradually increasing speed.
Taste the filling, and add ¼ to ½ cup sugar. I used ⅓ cup, but if you opt for store-bought cranberry sauce, which is sweeter, you won't need as much sugar.
Blend until velvety smooth, and pour into the chilled crust.
Place cheesecake in freezer for 3 ½ to 4 hours before slicing and serving.

showing the creaminess of the cheesecake filling with a slice removed.

Decorating the Cheesecake

Simple, stove-top candied pecans are the perfect garnish for this cranberry cheesecake. These can be prepared in minutes, while the cheesecake is in the freezer.

For the candied pecans you'll need a non-stick skillet and these ingredients:

1 cup raw pecan halves
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
heaping ½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup

These are so good! You may even want to double the recipe so there are some available for snacking.

a tall slice of pink cranberry cheesecake on a plate.

Tips and Substitutions

If preparing the same day you plan to serve the cheesecake, start early in the morning so there's plenty of time for it to chill and set, which takes about 4 hours.
Another way to save time is to prepare the cranberry sauce in advance.
The cheesecake and crust hold up well in either the refrigerator or freezer if you'd like to make it in advance. After 4 hours in the freezer it will be the perfect texture for slicing. If frozen overnight, the cheesecake will be very firm, so you'll want to move it to the refrigerator a few hours before serving.
For a gluten-free cheesecake, feel free to substitute your favorite crispy GF cookie for the graham crackers. Ginger snaps would be fantastic (no need to add extra spices if you use ginger snaps)! You can also pair this with any other suitable gluten-free crust that fits a 9-inch springform pan.

close up of a slice of cranberry cheesecake on a small plate with a fork slicing through.

More Vegan Holiday Desserts:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie (OF, GF)
Healthy Sweet Potato Pie (OF, GF)
Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie (GF)
Healthier Pecan Pie (GF)
Vegan Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Vegan Trifle With French Toast
Vegan Apple Layer Cake

I hope you enjoy this Easy Cranberry Cheesecake! As always, if you try the recipe I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment and a star rating below to let everyone know how it turned out.

Recipe

close up of pink cheesecake topped with candied pecans

Vegan Cranberry Cheesecake

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

Delicious, gorgeous, and so easy to prepare, this vegan cranberry cheesecake is perfect for the holiday season or anytime you need an easy and impressive dairy-free dessert. Make with fresh or frozen cranberries (or store-bought cranberry sauce)! No tofu; just blend, pour, and chill. Gluten-free option.

5 from 3 votes

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 0

Chill time: 3 30

Total Time: 4 10

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (7 full sheets) - Nabisco is vegan; most others contain honey. See Notes for GF.
⅔ cup raw pecan halves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cloves or ¼ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the filling:

1 ½ cups vegan cranberry sauce - For best flavor and color, homemade is recommended. See Notes.
1 ¾ cups raw cashews - Soak overnight if not using high-powered blender. Then drain and pat dry.
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut cream - Not coconut milk; see Notes
16 ounces vegan cream cheese - I like Tofutti for cheesecakes.
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ to ½ cup organic cane sugar (depending on sweetness of cranberry sauce)

For quick candied pecans, optional garnish:

1 cup raw pecan halves
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

If you haven't already, prepare the cranberry sauce, then set aside to cool. Lightly oil a non-stick, 9-inch springform pan, and clear enough space in the refrigerator and freezer for the pan.

Make the crust:

In a large food processor pulse graham crackers into crumbs (you should have 1 cup). Transfer to a separate bowl. Pulse the pecans into crumbs.
Return the graham cracker crumbs to food processor with the pecans, and add the spices, sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine. Drizzle in melted coconut oil, and pulse several times to distribute the oil.
Press mixture into the prepared pan. The flat bottom of a glass or ramekin works nicely to tamp down the crust. Use your fingers to neaten and compact the crumbs around the edges. Refrigerate crust while blending the filling.

Make the filling:

First, blend the cashews with the liquid ingredients (lemon juice, vanilla, and maple syrup) until incorporated but still chunky. Once the cashews are mostly broken down, add the coconut cream and blend until smooth, gradually increasing to high speed. Stop as needed to scrape down the sides of the blender, and use a tamper if your blender comes with one.
Add the cranberry sauce, salt, and cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
Taste the filling for sweetness. Depending on the sweetness of the particlar cranberry sauce used, you may need anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup sugar. I used ⅓ cup (my cranberry sauce was sweetened only with ⅓ cup maple syrup). If you opt for store-bought cranberry sauce, which is sweeter, you will likely need less additional sugar. Blend until velvety smooth, and taste again. Pour into the chilled crust.
Place cheesecake in freezer, uncovered, for 3 ½ to 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully releasing the sides of the springform pan. Transfer to a cake plate, garnish with pecans, slice and serve.

Make the candied pecans garnish (optional):

Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or large plate.
Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Toast the pecans, shaking pan occasionally, for 5 to 6 minuters or until fragrant.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and stir to combine. Immediately add the maple syrup, and stir again.
Remove from heat. Transfer pecans to the parchment paper, using your hands to separate them if stuck together. Let cool.

Notes

Gluten-Free Option

For a gluten-free cheesecake, feel free to substitute your favorite crispy GF cookie for the graham crackers. Ginger snaps would be fantastic, and you can skip adding the spices. You can also pair this filling with any other suitable gluten-free crust that fits a 9-inch springform pan.

Cranberry Sauce

Using the homemade cranberry sauce linked in the recipe creates the best flavor and color, though store-bought cranberry sauce can also be used. Make sure it's vegan, and choose a whole-cranberry variety, not jellied. Then measure out 1 ½ cups.

Store-bought cranberry sauce is typically sweeter and less tart than homemade, so adjust the optional sugar (final ingredient to be added to blender) as needed.

Also, the color of the finished cheesecake won't be as vibrant with store-bought sauce.

Coconut Cream

Many stores now sell cans of coconut cream (I use the Whole Foods 365 brand). But if you can't find it, buy 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk. Refrigerate the cans for 1 to 2 days in advance. The cream will separate from the liquid making it easy to scoop out 1 cup of solid cream. The leftover liquid can be used in another recipe such as soup or baked goods.

Storage

Vegan cheesecake will keep in an airtight container the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It's also freezer-friendly. Simply thaw in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Nutrition information represents 1/16 of entire recipe; does not include candied pecan garnish.