This Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake is rich and creamy, sweet and fruity and just as delicious as the real thing!
I thought it was time to post another summery dessert, and as Blueberry Cheesecake used to be one of my favourites, I decided to make a vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free version.
The recipe was inspired by my Purple Sweet Potato Cheesecakes and it's not only vegan and gluten-free, but also oil-free, grain-free, paleo-friendly and refined sugar free.
The crust is super simple, and it's made with dates and nuts (you can use walnuts, pecan nuts or brazil nuts, or even seeds or desiccated coconut), which creates a crunchy texture and a buttery, salty-sweet flavour.
Just like this purple sweet potato cheesecake recipe, the base of the filling is soaked cashew nuts, which create a luxuriously creamy, velvety texture, as well as a pleasantly neutral flavour.
Alongside cashew nuts, another key ingredient for this cheesecake is coconut yogurt, which adds extra rich creaminess, as well as a tangy, fermented taste reminiscent of cream cheese!
Lemon juice helps to enhance the quintessentially tangy cheesecake-like flavour, whilst maple syrup adds natural sweetness, and vanilla adds a delicately fragrant aroma.
A tiny amount of cacao butter helps the cheesecake to firm up, as well as adding extra richness and the most opulent flavour. Cacao butter can be substituted with coconut oil, or left out completely.
Of course you can just top this Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake with fresh blueberries, but I absolutely love the combination of the rich cheesecake with the sticky, jammy cooked blueberries, which add a vibrant purple colour, and a touch of sweet-tart juiciness.
If you're not into blueberries, you can substitute them with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or any other fruit you like!
This Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake is perfect for summer entertaining as it can be made in advance and keeps well covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
I'd recommend storing the cheesecake and the blueberry sauce separately, and then topping the cheesecake with the blueberry sauce before serving. Otherwise, the colour from the blueberry sauce seeps into the cheesecake and the liquid from the sauce will affect the texture.
For more blueberry recipes, check out my:
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Blueberry Pie
- Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Banana Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 65 g (½ cup) walnuts, pecan nuts or brazil nuts (or sub any seeds or desiccated coconut)
- 90 g (½ cup) pitted dates
- Pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 150 g (1 cup) raw cashew nuts (soaked overnight in cold water or in boiling water for 10 minutes)
- 150 g (¾ cup) coconut yogurt (or any other plant-based yogurt)
- 10 g (0.35oz) cacao butter (or sub coconut oil)
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the blueberry sauce:
- 150 g (1 ½ cups) fresh blueberries (or sub equivalent amount frozen blueberries)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup to taste (or sub any other sweetener)
Instructions
For the crust:
- Grease a springform tin (I used a 18 cm/7 inch springform tin) and line with a circle of baking paper on the bottom
- Add all the ingredients for the crust to a food processor and blitz until you get a crust that easily sticks together but that still has some texture
- Place the crust along the bottom of the springform tin, pressing down with your fingers, the back of a spoon or the bottom of a small cup or glass to make it as compact as possible
- Place in the fridge while you make the rest
For the filling:
- Drain the soaked cashew nuts
- In the same food processor (no need to wash it out), add all the ingredients for the cheesecake and whizz until completely smooth
- Taste and add extra maple syrup or lemon juice if necessary
- Place the filling on top of the crust and put back in fridge until completely set (will take up to a few hours)
- Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days - it’s best to store the cheesecake and blueberry sauce separately, and pouring over the top when serving
For the blueberry sauce:
- Place the blueberries and maple syrup in a pan
- Cook on a low heat for around 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the blueberries lose their shape and a sauce forms
- Transfer into a bowl and leave to cool - best stored separately and pour over the top when serving
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Theresa Joseph
I followed the recipe and it did NOT firm up. It's like very soft pudding!
Rhian Williams
I'm sorry to hear that - did you use the cacao butter?
Theresa Joseph
Please make sure this comment is seen as a follow up to my negative comment. Maybe you can say in your recipe to let the pie set overnight. In 4 hours, it was very runny, but after a day in my fridge, it was the perfect texture! Next time I'll add a little more coconut oil. I didn't have cocoa butter.
Rhian Williams
Great, I'm glad it worked out in the end. Thank you for your feedback, that's helpful to know. Will amend the recipe!
Colleen
Hi, I am just wondering should the coconut yogurt be sweetened or is vanilla flavoured okay?
Rhian Williams
I used unsweetened coconut yogurt, but you can use sweetened coconut yogurt if you like. Vanilla flavour is fine.
Chen
Thank you for the recipe!😍
Do I need to melt the cacao butter before I use it in this recipe?
Rhian Williams
It really depends on how powerful your food processor is. If it's powerful enough, the heat produced from the blades will be enough to melt the cacao butter. To be on the safe side, I'd recommend melting it before adding it to the food processor though!
Carol
Hi Rhian - you're recipes are a God-send. I've recently had tests for food intolerances and there are lots of things i have to give up for a few months, but i can eat most of the ingredients in your recipes so i can still have some yummy treats. I cannot, however eat cashews. In fact the only nuts i can eat are walnuts, pine nuts and macadamias -(i can't have sunflower seeds either) Can i substitute pine nuts for cashews in your cheesecake recipes? If so, do i treat them the same way? thank you
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that! You can replace the cashew nuts in this recipe with very well soaked macadamia nuts! Pine nuts could potentially work, but not sure about the flavour...would love to hear how you get on if you try it!
xenia
CAN I REPLACE THE COCONUT YOGURT WITH TOFU?
Rhian Williams
Yes that will work, though the flavour will be a bit different!