This vegan cheesecake is also paleo and super rich, creamy and decadent! Made with coconut milk, dates and coconut sugar, this no-bake cheesecake is a little healthier than a traditional one.
You all doing anything special for Valentine’s Day? We never do (although I don’t have anything against the holiday) but I do take it as the perfect excuse to make something rich and chocolaty like this vegan chocolate cheesecake!
These gluten-free chocolate lava cakes and raspberry molten lava cakes (which are also gluten-free) are our favorite Valentine’s Day treats. I love that they yield just two! Perfect for portion control.
But back to today’s recipe! So many paleo cheesecake recipes use a 6″ or 7″ springform pan and I’ve always thought that this was so silly. How many people have a 7″ springform pan? Every traditional cheesecake recipe I’ve ever made calls for a 9″.
So I tried making this paleo cheesecake recipe in a 9″ pan. And the layer of cheesecake was like 1″ thick. It didn’t look impressive enough to get anyone’s attention.
I thought about doubling the filling but the recipe already calls for 3 cans of coconut milk and I couldn’t see anyone making a recipe that called for 6 cans of coconut milk. So here it is in a 7″ springform!
It’s super rich. We served it in 1″ slices and that was enough. So while the cheesecake looks quite small, it will provide much enjoyment. :) It freezes great so you can enjoy it a little at a time!
Cashew-based vegan desserts like these paleo lemon bars, raspberry cream pies and paleo key lime pie really taste like the real thing.
But I’ve had SO many bad vegan cheesecakes that use cashews or tofu in place of cream cheese. I’m not saying that they’re bad in general – perhaps I’ve just not had the right recipes! I just usually really miss the cream cheese in dairy-free cheesecakes.
This vegan chocolate cheesecake, though, won’t leave you disappointed. The filling is nut-free and uses coconut cream and dates, which results in a texture that’s creamier than regular cheesecake.
And does it taste like coconut? Not at all! This paleo cheesecake is all chocolaty goodness. I used unrefined coconut oil and even with that and the 3 cans of coconut milk, there’s not a bit of coconut taste (at least with the coconut milk I used!).
I tried out a load of crust recipes. I keep trying to recreate a paleo Oreo-like crust (like this classic Oreo crust from Crazy for Crust) and it just seems impossible.
I’ve tried other vegan chocolate cookie crust recipes I’ve found online and none of them are even remotely like an Oreo crust. I desperately want it to taste like the real thing!
So I went a different route and ended up with something super simple and no-bake. Which also means this vegan cheesecake is no-bake and raw! For more no-bake treats, check out this post on 85 no-bake paleo desserts (most of which are also vegan!).
If you try it out, I’d love to hear what you think! Happy Valentine’s Day. :)
Substitution questions for this vegan chocolate cheesecake:
- What can I use in place of the coconut cream?
Nothing unfortunately. There’s no sub for it.
- Can I use something instead of coconut sugar?
Granulated sugar would work if you don’t care about it being paleo. A liquid sweetener would make the cheesecake too runny. You could probably add a bunch of coconut oil to firm it up but I think that’d require a lot of experimenting to find the right amount.
And as always, I have no idea how to make this vegan chocolate cheesecake low-carb (I say this in every post because someone asks this in every recipe). - Can I reduce it?
I already give a range of 1 cup to 1 1/3 cups. If you want, you could try 2/3 cup and add a bit more sweetener at a time until it’s your desired level of sweetness.
- Can I use something instead of dates?
I haven’t tried it but perhaps prunes would work. I’m not sure how different they taste but I think with all that cocoa powder, it’d cover up any unusual taste.
- Can I use a different sized pan?
Definitely! Your cheesecake will just be thinner. Think about the crust, though. If you want an 8″x8″, you’ll probably want to double the crust. If you use a 6″ springform, you’ll have a little too much for the pan and will need to put the leftover filling in something else. I recommend just eating it straight from the blender with a spoon. :D
- I don’t have a food processor or high-speed blender. What else can I use?
Sorry to say you need one of those. You can’t chop up the dates finely enough. And I really, really recommend a high-speed blender (not a regular blender!) over the food processor. They’ll get the filling perfectly smooth and creamy. I can’t say that all food processors will do the same (though I’m sure some would!).
- Can I use X type of cocoa powder?
I first tried this vegan chocolate cheesecake with Dutch-process cocoa powder (it’s my favorite!) and it made the cheesecake have a very odd bitter taste to me. My husband didn’t taste the bitterness.
I tried the next day and it still tasted very bitter. The third day, though? Totally normal. I wasn’t sick and nothing else tasted off to me so I have no idea what that was about.
I’m pretty sure it had to be the cocoa powder. So because of this, I’m recommending that you not use Dutch-process cocoa powder and use the regular natural kind (like Hershey’s unsweetened) instead.
I hope you’ll enjoy this vegan chocolate cheesecake! Here are some resources in case you’re new to vegan baking:
Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake (paleo, no-bake)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 12-16 slices
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (93 grams) almonds
- 2/3 cup (140 grams) pitted dates, firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (19 grams) cocoa powder
- little less than 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (720 grams) warmed coconut cream1
- 1 cup (210 grams) pitted dates, firmly packed
- 1 2/3 cups (183 grams) cocoa powder (I don't recommend Dutch-process - it made my cheesecake bitter)
- 1 to 1 1/3 cups (200-266 grams) coconut sugar, very firmly packed (it's best to weigh this)
- 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 teaspoons (64 grams) coconut oil (I used unrefined)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- raspberries and strawberries
For the crust:
For the filling:
For the top:
Directions
- Line the bottom and sides (all the way to the top) of a circular 7"x3" springform pan (if a little smaller, you can pour the leftover filling in a small dessert glass / bowl) with a piece of foil.
- In the bowl of your food processor using an S-blade, pulse all the crust ingredients until it starts to come together. Depending on your food processor, this will take 1-3 minutes. Pinch a bit of it together - it should stick together easily. You can also use a high-speed blender to make the crust but you have to scape the sides of the container often. I thought it was much easier with a food processor.
- Press firmly onto the bottom of the lined pan.
- Get out a high-speed blender and make sure it's large enough to fit all the ingredients. The filling yields about 5-6 cups. If your blender isn't big enough, a food processor will do - but it'll likely (it depends on your food processor) be creamier with a high-speed blender. Add all the filling ingredients, in the order listed (starting off with 1 cup (200 grams) of coconut sugar), and blend for about 30-60 seconds, or even longer, depending on your blender, or until totally smooth and no lumps of dates remain. Taste and add up to another 1/3 cup (66 grams) of coconut sugar, if desired.
- Pour the filling over the crust and place the cheesecake in the freezer for 6-8 hours or until the filling is frozen. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and remove the foil from around the sides. If it's difficult to do now, wait until it thaws a bit more.
- Let thaw for about 1 hour at room temperature (it'll depend on the room temperature and how long the cheesecake was frozen) and top with berries. Can be stored in the fridge for a softer consistency.
Prepare the crust:
Prepare the filling:
Notes
- You can use 3 cups of canned coconut cream or get three 14-ounce (400-gram) cans of full-fat canned coconut milk, chill them overnight, then scoop out the coconut cream that has formed at the top. You should get 3 cups (720 grams) of coconut cream. Warm it up slightly so that the mixture will be easier to blend.
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122 comments on “Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake (paleo, no-bake)” — Add one!
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what can i substitute for coconut sugar?
Please read the second point under substitution questions. :)
Hi there.
My daughter is allergic to dairy and sugar – do you think stevia would work in place of coconut sugar? I did read your substitute section but it didnt mention stevia, and I don’t want to mess up this recipe- do you consider stevia a granulated sugar? I appreciate your advice.
Hello! Is it the kind of stevia that’s combined with some kind of filler so that it’s a 1-to-1 sub for granulated sugar? If so, I think that would work! If it’s a liquid stevia where you only use a tiny amount, then I don’t think it’d work. If you try it out, I’d love to hear how it goes. :)
This cheesecake is absolutely delicious! Quick and easy to make.
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for your comment. :)
I’m allergic to cashews, is there something else that I can substitute for them?
There aren’t any cashews in this recipe.
I’m have a food sensitivity to almonds. Do you think I could use cashews in place of the almonds in the crust?
Most definitely! That wouldn’t be a problem at all. I’d love to hear how it goes!
This looks so perfect for my chocolate cravings! Enjoying my favorite without all the guilt!
This sounds so wonderful –
Question: I can’t have fructose so dried fruits are out for me. I can figure out a crust but do you have any ideas for guidance in a filling substitute? I’m not vegan just can’t do dairy so I’m super drawn to this recipe and want to figure out a sub and try it!! Any ideas are appreciated :-)
I wish I did but prunes was the only idea that I had! I’m sorry. :( I have another recipe that’s similar and fruit-free! This paleo chocolate fudge pie is REALLY tasty. Promise. :)
Can’t wait to give this a try! Always a fan of chocolate and cheesecake. Thanks for sharing this!
I made this today for a Valentines Day dessert. This recipe is absolutely delicious. I didn’t have a springform pan, but used parchment paper in a 6 in cake pan, and it came out perfectly. I also subbed out cacao because that’s what I had on hand. But the texture and taste was perfect. I will definitely file this under a ‘go-to’ recipe.
Yay! So happy that it’s a new go-to recipe for you. :) And wow – a 6″ cake pan?! How high are the sides? My 6″ cake pan would have been way too small for all the filling! I’m thrilled that it worked out well for you. Thanks for the tip on the pan size (because I know lots of people don’t have 7″ springforms) and for your comment!
Since I don’t have the 7-inch springform pan, I’m thinking about putting them into individual cupcake liners. What are your thoughts on how many it would make and if you have any concerns whether they would turn out differently? TIA.
Sorry for just now seeing your comment! I have to confess that I’m worthless when it comes to estimates like this. The filling yields about 5-6 cups (that I did measure!). So you can see how big your cupcake liners are (I believe they’re usually 1/3 or 1/2 cup) and figure out the yield from that. :) I’m guessing 12 but I could be wrong. And you might need to do 1.5x the crust, but I’m not sure. I’d love to hear how they come out if you give it a try!
Yes, please!! This cake is absolutely stunning! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
This chocolate cheesecake calling my name! I need this right now!
This cheesecake looks stunning! My kid doesn’t like cheesecake, but loves everything chocolate. I think he will this one, the chocolate version!
This looks like heaven!! I’d love a slice or two!
This cheesecake is one of the best no bake one’s I’ve seen!
Native Forest has fabulous canned coconut cream, so I know longer have to chill coconut milk to get the cream. I have a couple of cans in the pantry, so this recipe is now in the line-up!
Thanks for the tip! That sounds convenient. Wish we had them were I live! Hope you’ll enjoy the cheesecake. I’d love to hear how it comes out!
Oh yes, this
Delectable recipe
Is
Just one more of yours I need to flag and try when I am eating sugars again!!! I actually bought a small
Springform pan…..thinking that way I don’t have to make something
hUGE, I love it for that!!!
I hope I didn’t tempt you with this recipe! And I hope you’ll enjoy the cheesecake once you get the chance to try it out. :) And yay on having the right sized pan! I always used to wonder what in the world I was going to make with that tiny little pan. Now I know!
This will be fantastic for valentines day! So beautiful – can’t wait to try it.
Thanks
Alice
WOW this cake looks amazing! I love the texture ♥
WOW!! This looks rich! Creamy looking though.
This sounds great. My kids can’t have dairy and one is allergic to nuts. I like the idea of the coconut cream. Trader Joe’s sells cans of straight up coconut cream. I might try that.
Also, to make this low carb, you would have to remove the dates and you said the dates add to the creaminess of the cheesecake. But if someone did want to make it low carb, they could try removing the dates and replacing the sugar with a combination of xylitol and erythritol…like half and half. I made a peanut butter cheesecake the other day with straight xylitol as my sweetener….not as good as sugar but better for me.
Beautiful cheesecake! Thanks for the recipe.
Coconut cream is harder to get here and I live outside the city so I just go with my favorite brand of coconut milk. I so wish we had Trader Joe’s here! Thanks for the info on how to make it low-carb. It’s great that I have commenters who can leave tips like this because it’s all a mystery to me. The low-carb sweeteners I’ve tried all have such strong aftertastes and I just can’t get used to them. And the texture doesn’t come out right, either. :/ Thanks for your comment!
This looks wonderful!!! No eggs, yaaay for me!!! I have made a chocolate cookie crust from Deliciously Organic that was super yum! Can’t remember if it was paleo, but it was certainly grain-free.
Oooh! I’ll check out that crust! Thanks for the tip. :) I hope you’ll get to try the cheesecake out! I’d love to hear the result, if you do. :)