Move over Daiya! This Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake is the best!
Cheesecake was always my favorite dessert from my non-vegan days
So I have spent countless hours testing and tasting and tweaking o bring you the best one ever!
In my opinion an acceptable vegan cheesecake recipe is hard to find
Almost every recipe is made from soaked cashew nuts, and to me it is not really a cheesecake
To me it’s merely a frozen “nut cream cake”
Introducing Vegan Double Chocolate Cheesecake~ in the style of Daiya.
You know those tiny little teaser cheesecakes you find in your supermarket freezer section that are overpriced and just “meh…”
If you haven’t yet had the Daiya brand yet you may want to skip, just my opinion!
WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR THE MAKING & THE COMPARISON!
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Notes for Success:
Tofutti Cream Cheese is the only brand I will use for my BAKED recipes *not sponsored
I had not had success with any other brand in BAKED recipes; for some reason some other brands I’ve tried have broken down into an oily mess when baked.
However more recently I tried Violife again and it works! Although I still prefer the Tofutti brand
Cornstarch is a very difficult ingredient to measure consistently with a volume spoons measure
So while I list both measures below I cannot stress enough how the grams measure with a scale is going to give you the best results.
Many times people have complained that their cheesecake is like rubber and they don’t know why
This recipe can also be made gluten free simply by using gluten free sandwich cookies of your choice for the crust!
- For the Crust:
- Vegan Chocolate Sandwich Cookies 12
- Vegan Butter 2 Tablespoons (28g)
- For the Cheesecake Batter:
- Vegan Cream Cheese 1-8ounce package (226g) *see notes
- Firm Tofu half package drained 7ounces
- Semi Sweet Chocolate 4 ounces (113g)
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Cornstarch 2 Tablespoons (20g) *see notes
- Cocoa Powder 2 Tablespoons
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
- Lactic Acid 1 teaspoon
- or 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Vegan Butter 2 Tablespoons (28g)
- Plant Milk ¾ cup (177ml)
- Prepare the crust by crushing the sandwich cookies (with cream fillings) in a food processor and then add the melted vegan butter
- Press it into the greased and parchment lined 7" cake pan and freeze while you prepare the cheesecake batter
- Place all cheesecake ingredients *except the melted vegan chocolate & milk into the food processor and process smooth
- Now combine the warm melted chocolate with the warmed plant milk & whisk smooth (*this ensure that the chocolate does not seize up when you add it to the cold ingredients in the food processor)
- Now pour the milk/chocolate mixture into the food processor & process smooth
- Pour batter into prepared pan with the cookie crust and bake in a water bath in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour, then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for another hour.
- Remove from the oven and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours to set before unmolding
- Decorate as you like, or leave it plain
Store refrigerated for up to 1 week
Freeze, wrapped well for up to 2 months
Nicholas
Why does this cheesecake base differ from your other recipes? (no sour cream, etc)
Gretchen
This one is more dense like a traditional NY cheesecake texture. The others (with the sour cream addition are going to be more creamy texture, not as stiff) I did play around with using all vegan cream cheese in place of the tofu in my German Chocolate Cheesecake and it is equally amazing, but I have to say I like the tofu addition as it feels a bit lighter to me
Vera
Hi! I would love to try this recipe but where I live it is almost imposible to find vegan cream cheese, can you suggest me a good substitution? I was thinking maybe some soaked cajus? thanks in advance!!
Gretchen
While I have not tried the soaked cashew cheesecake recipe here in this baked version (I suspect it may not be a straight sub, but it’s worth a try!) – I have done cashew cheesecakes CLICK HERE
vineeta
hi Gretcheni am obsessed with your recepies .1)Thiis particular double chocolate recepies freezes well you say .elsewhere i have read in your other cheese cake recepies that freezing changes the texture of cheeses cakes .is this recepie freezer friendly then?
2) i own a small bakery do you think that a waterbath would be a neceesity if we were to mass produce this cheesecake.Could wejust not bake the same way as we bake muffins etc . i have read your notes on cheesescake and the necessity of waterbath . But my question is do bakeries use waterbaths for making cheese cakes ? it seems a tedious practice to me?
Pauli
Made this for my sister-in-law’s birthday. I added raspberries, almond milk whipcream and chocolate cookies to decorate it. Turned out amazing! Everyone loved it, tasted exactly like a regular cheesecake. I am not a professional baker nor am I a vegan, but I have 20 years of home baking experience and this cheesecake fooled my pallet! The flavors really came together to emulate the creamy, tangy texture of a regular cheesecake. Every recipe from Gretchen’s blog comes out perfect as well as her book. When I want to make something nice for my vegan sister-in-law, I always reach for your book and your blog. Thanks Gretchen!
Gretchen
YAY!! Thank you so much for this raving review! I too am enamored by my Vegan Cheesecake recipe(s) they are my pride & joy! I am so happy you made it and loved it and took the time to write! ThankyoU!!
Tara
Hi Gretchen, I’d like to make a coffee version of this recipe for a coffee loving friend (ok I want to taste it too) how do you suggest is best to do this please and thank you?
Or is there a coffee cheesecake recipe coming soon I can wait for hehe 🙂
Gretchen
Oh yumm! Coffee cheesecake!
I don’t have one, but you can easily convert this recipe! Just add 2 Tablespoons of instant coffee granules to the soy milk – to make a super strong “espresso” type liquid!
Tara
Ok thank you, I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Shirly
Can I use Avocado oil instead of the vegan butter?
Gretchen
No, Just leave it out, oil will just make this “oily” the vegan butter adds some body, richness thickness.
Ann
Which of your Vegan Buttercream recipes did you use. The link show many versions. Also, can I sub coconut milk or any other instead of the soy?
Thanks!
Gretchen
I used the American Buttercream recipe (chocolate version)
yes to coconut milk (or your fav~ any will be fine here!) for sure!
Claire
Thanks for this excellent recipe! I have made it a few times and it works perfectly. I use homemade tofu cream cheese (recipe from the Edgy Veg) with excellent results, and have added orange extract one time. I have made a cake as the recipe suggests, but also have made 12 mini cheesecakes using muffin tins.
Gretchen
Awesome! I am happy to know homemade cream cheese works! I’m going to have to check that out!
Peggy Bohn
Is the tofu silken kind or refrigerated kind?
Gretchen
I always use the refrigerated tofu
Saiedah
Can I use maple syrup or agave instead of the granulated sugar?
Gretchen
Yes!
Gretchen
yes