Description
A luscious and creamy vegan raspberry cheesecake featuring a crunchy vegan cookie crust, a smooth cashew and vegan cream cheese filling, and a vibrant homemade raspberry glaze. This no-bake dessert is perfect for special occasions or a refreshing treat, delivering indulgent flavor without any dairy or eggs.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 180 g vegan digestive cookies (or other vegan cookies)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 90 g vegan butter
Filling
- 200 g fresh raspberries
- 200 g cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight)
- 300 g vegan cream cheese
- 80 ml pure maple syrup
- 70 g coconut oil (solid)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 25 g raspberry powder (or freeze-dried raspberries, optional)
Raspberry Glaze
- 120 g fresh raspberries
- 30 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 118 ml water
Garnish
- 200 g fresh raspberries (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Line the base of a 7″ or 8″ cake tin with removable base with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the vegan cookies, coconut sugar, and sea salt. Blitz for about 30 seconds until finely ground. Add the vegan butter and blend again until the mixture is well combined and sticks together when pressed.
- Form the crust: Press the cookie mixture firmly into the base of the prepared cake tin. Smooth out the surface using a ¼ cup measure or the flat bottom of a glass. Place the tin with the crust in the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Make the filling: Add fresh raspberries, soaked cashews, vegan cream cheese, pure maple syrup, solid coconut oil, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and raspberry powder (if using) into a high-speed blender. Blend for several minutes until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Assemble and freeze: Pour the creamy filling over the chilled crust in the cake tin. Place the entire cheesecake in the freezer and allow it to set for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. Once fully set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin while still frozen.
- Prepare the raspberry glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine fresh raspberries, caster sugar, and lemon juice. Heat over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to break down the berries and prevent sticking. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, then return the smooth raspberry sauce to the pan.
- Thicken the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with water until smooth and lump-free. Add this mixture into the saucepan with the raspberry sauce. Simmer gently while stirring continuously for 2–3 minutes until the glaze thickens. Remove from heat and let cool for 15–20 minutes.
- Apply glaze: Pour approximately two-thirds of the cooled raspberry glaze evenly over the set cheesecake. Use an offset spatula to gently spread it over the edges for a decorative finish. Save the remaining glaze to serve on the side.
- Store the cheesecake: Transfer the cheesecake to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep fresh for up to 5 days, depending on the freshness of the raspberries used for garnish.
- Serve: Garnish the cheesecake with additional fresh raspberries before serving and drizzle with remaining raspberry glaze for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Notes
- Soak cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight to soften them, which ensures a smooth filling.
- Use vegan cream cheese that is firm and creamy for best texture in the filling.
- Raspberry powder or freeze-dried raspberries are optional but enhance the natural raspberry flavor and color of the filling.
- If you don’t have caster sugar, superfine sugar can be substituted in the raspberry glaze.
- The cheesecake is best kept frozen until ready to slice for clean cuts; thaw slightly in the fridge before serving for optimal texture.
