Dairy-Free Cheesecake (No Bake)

We’re supposed to be nearing the start of spring, but our weather patterns don’t agree. It depends on the day though, some days it’s sunny and warm, others snow (or better) makes an appearance and there’s a piercing chill in the air. I’m a bit lost trying to figure out what kind of recipe would suit the moment – ​​I kept switching between a spring salad and a stew – but then I remembered that Sunday is Mother’s Day here so throw together a decadent but super easy dairy-free cheesecake. Garnished with pretty pink roasted rhubarb looks very appropriate.

These cheesecakes are completely no-bake and very easy to make. They don’t require many or any special ingredients so I hope I’ve made them accessible to everyone. If you’re outside the UK the only thing you might have trouble getting is the pink rhubarb. Its gorgeous color isn’t necessary for the flavors to work (you can use regular rhubarb), but it sure makes a visual impact, right? Instead of forced rhubarb — so called because it’s forced to grow a little early and gets its vibrant color by growing it in total darkness — use any other tangy fruit or fruit you enjoy. Raspberries (cooked from frozen outside in summer) would be an obvious substitution, but gooseberries, sour cherries and kiwi fruit would also work beautifully.

These cute dairy-free cheesecakes are a doddle to make too, requiring no baking skills. To make the base, all you need is a food processor or a pestle and mortar and some elbow grease. And you need a blender to make the cheesecake mixture. It doesn’t have to be a very fancy blender. I used to use an old Kenwood machine (which I have now given away) and now I use my Ninja Smoothie Maker it’s a small batch, it works a charm. I hope I’ve convinced you to give these a go – you won’t be disappointed, I promise.

More about ingredients

Vegan Ginger Biscuits: Ginger biscuits coated with melted vegan butter are used to make the base of this simple cheesecake. I used regular ginger biscuits (which are called ginger snaps in the US) because they are accidentally vegan and their flavor works perfectly with the flavor of the cheesecake mix. You can use any vegan biscuits you like instead or make your own base using whole food ingredients like here.

Vegan butter: I used melted vegan butter (Violife brand) to bind the crushed ginger biscuits together. You can also use refined (unflavored) or extra virgin coconut oil, but liquid oil won’t work – it has to be fat that solidifies at cold temperatures.

Vegan White Chocolate: Dairy-free white chocolate is one of the key ingredients here – it gives these cheesecakes a lovely flavor, makes this cheesecake decadently creamy, and makes it beautiful. I used vegan white chocolate from Aldi so it won’t break the bank either. If you can’t find vegan white chocolate, 50 grams (1.75 ounces) of cacao butter will have the same effect, but you’ll need to use more sugar.

Silken tofu: Silken tofu, the kind that has a custard-like texture and usually comes in a tetra pack, is what I use here. You can use a non-silken (known as cotton) type of tofu I’m sure but I haven’t tested this recipe with it.

Maple syrup: Although white chocolate contains sugar, I felt the mixture needed more sweetness. I used maple syrup but any neutral flavored liquid sweetener will work just as well – agave syrup, rice syrup, golden syrup or even stem ginger syrup if you use stem ginger instead of grated fresh ginger to flavor this cheesecake.

cashew nuts: Cashews are used in making vegan cheesecakes and cheeses because they have a higher fat content than other nuts, which translates to a creamy mouthfeel in the finished product. If you live in Australia, macadamia nuts are a good substitute and if you are allergic to nuts, use sunflower seeds. All three need to be soaked in water first to soften and mix easily. Soak in cold water for several hours or at least 30 minutes in boiling water.

Vanilla: Vanilla needs no introduction, it adds a lovely flavor to these cheesecakes and in my books there is rarely such a thing as too much vanilla – I used a teaspoon and a half of quality vanilla extract.

lemon: Lemon juice is used to give these cheesecakes their characteristic tang, which in the case of a dairy cheesecake is achieved by using cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt. Lemon zest gives these cheesecakes even more flavor so be sure to add it.

ginger: I love the combination of white chocolate and ginger so I used plenty of grated ginger to flavor this cheesecake. If you are not such a fan of ginger, use less or none at all. You can use a few balls of stem ginger (a UK baking oil staple) or ground ginger for flavour.

RHUBARB: This beautiful pink forced rhubarb is a UK specialty – grown in the dark, in Yorkshire – that my non-UK based readers won’t be able to get easily. Fear not, any sour fruit or fruit compote works just as well. Raspberries or blackberries (cooked from frozen out of season) would be an obvious substitution, but gooseberries, sour cherries and kiwi fruit would also work beautifully.

I accidentally used vegan ginger nuts (called ginger snaps in the US, I think) to make the biscuit crumb for the base. You can use any hard biscuits/cookies you enjoy although ginger-flavored ones are my recommendation for this dessert. The easiest way to make a crumb is to use a food processor, but you can just use a pestle and mortar and some elbow grease (plus, it’s a great way to get bored…).

Blend all of the cheesecake mixture ingredients except the chocolate in a blender. A small blender like my Ninja Smoothie Maker works well for this amount.

Melt your chocolate slowly in a bowl over gently simmering water and then add to the cheesecake mixture, blending again until smooth – you may need to use a spatula to help the blender as chocolate is heavy and tends to gravitate to the bottom. .

Compact biscuit crumbs in the bottom of each muffin hole, then top with the cheesecake mixture – stirring as often as you want the melted white chocolate to sink to the bottom.

Allow the cheesecakes to set in the fridge first and once firm enough to lift out of the fridge easily. Top with your sour fruit compote or fresh fruit of choice – I went for roasted rhubarb as it’s rhubarb season in the UK and it doesn’t look pretty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cheesecake without almonds?

You can use sunflower seeds soaked in water first (to soften) instead of cashews. Be aware that they will make the color a little less attractive but do the same job.

How long do they keep?

They keep up to 4 days in the fridge and several months in the freezer.

Can I freeze these cheesecakes?

Yes, you can freeze them in molds, then unmold and transfer to an air-tight food container. Do not double freeze so once your cheesecake is thawed, I would not recommend refreezing.

Can I make these cheesecakes gluten-free?

The only ingredient in this recipe that contains gluten is the biscuit used for the base so you can easily make these dairy-free cheesecakes gluten-free using your favorite gluten-free biscuits (hard cookies for US audiences). You can make your own base from whole food ingredients – I really like it but it requires baking.

How do you find them without squashing?

To get them out of the mold cleanly, I recommend using silicone muffin mold trays or individual cups. I recommend putting them in the freezer (just to set) as it makes for a mess free removal.

Do you use vegan chocolate and what can I use instead?

I used blonde vegan white chocolate from Aldi, which is affordable and tastes pretty good too. There are many vegan white chocolate brands in the market so choose any one you like. Alternatively, you can use 50g (1.75oz) raw cacao butter and a bit more sweetener/sugar.

What can I use instead of ginger?

If you dislike ginger, you can safely skip it as it is only used for flavor. In terms of alternatives, I’d recommend green cardamom (freshly ground from the pod is best!) and lemon zest, as well as orange.