Description
This Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake is a luscious, dairy-free dessert perfect for those craving a creamy, fruity treat without animal products. Featuring a crunchy cookie crust and a smooth strawberry-infused vegan cream cheese filling, topped with a fresh strawberry compote, this recipe is vibrant, refreshing, and beautifully natural.
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
- Make 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 form fine crumbs. Add the melted vegan butter and pulse until combined. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of your cake pan. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a food processor or blender, combine vegan cream cheese, sugar, coconut oil, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Prepare strawberry reduction: In a medium pot over high heat, add strawberries and a dash of water. Simmer and mash the strawberries until mostly broken down, cooking for 10-15 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 heaped cup (~180g) with a thick sauce consistency.
- Thicken strawberry mixture: To the pot, add coconut cream and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly and bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. It may separate slightly, but this is expected.
- Combine mixtures: Add the thickened strawberry mixture to the food processor with the cream cheese mixture. Process until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add beetroot powder or pink food coloring if desired for color. Taste and adjust lemon juice or vanilla extract as needed.
- Chill the cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully set.
- Make the strawberry topping: In a small saucepan over high heat, combine most of the strawberries and cornstarch. Mash with a fork or use a stick blender and cook until thickened into a sauce. Sweeten if desired and allow to cool completely.
- Serve: Just before serving, top the chilled cheesecake with the strawberry compote and reserved fresh strawberries. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can substitute the plain sweet cookies with Oreos or chocolate cookies to make a decadent vegan Oreo strawberry cheesecake.
- A liquid sweetener like maple syrup can be used instead of granulated sugar, but this might result in a slightly softer cheesecake texture.
- If using agar powder, mix it with the coconut cream and cornstarch mixture before adding it to the strawberry reduction, ensuring it is cooked properly to activate.
- Avoid light canned coconut cream or coconut milk as they contain less thick cream; regular canned coconut cream is preferred for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
