Cheesecake can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, in current times cheesecake can vary from region to region with the traditional thick slice of New York Style Cheesecake being the most well-known type.
One may think a vegan cheesecake isn’t possible since this dessert features cheese, which is off-limits to vegans.
You may be surprised when you come across a vegan cheesecake in a store or on a menu and wonder, what is in vegan cheesecake?
Vegan Cheesecakes are made from a variety of vegan-friendly ingredients including tofu, nuts, coconut, cookies, and crackers.
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What Is In A Cheesecake
Classic cheesecake is made with a ground-up crust of a graham cracker mixture or shortcrust that is made from flour, butter, sugar, and eggs.
The thick and creamy filling that is so distinct is a simple mixture of cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.
The cheesecake is baked to perfection.
What Are Cheesecake Crusts Made Of
You may be surprised to discover that even a traditional cheesecake is often made with a variety of crusts.
- New York Cheesecake Style- short crust made with flour, butter, sugar, and eggs
- Graham Cracker Crust- graham crackers crumbs with butter and sugar
- Cookie Crust- crushed cookie crumbs often combined with butter
- Pastry Crust- brownie, cake or ladyfinger base
- Nuts- Ground nuts sometimes mixed with honey
- Ice Cream Cones- ground up sugar cones
- Pretzels- ground up pretzels and butter
- Coconut Macaroons- ground up macaroons
What Is A Cheesecake FIlling Made Of
The traditional cheesecake is made with a mostly cream cheese filling with the addition of eggs, vanilla, and sugar.
You may find some recipes that include tangy sour cream on the ingredient list.
- Cream Cheese
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Sugar
- Sour Cream (sometimes)
Easy Baked Vegan Cheesecake (For Beginners)
What Is In Vegan Cheesecake
If cheesecake is made from a crust that often includes butter and a filling of cream cheese and eggs, what could possibly be in a vegan cheesecake?
Vegan cheesecakes come in a variety of crusts and fillings to choose from.
Vegan Cheesecake Crust Options
There is a variety of vegan cheesecake crusts to choose from.
- Oat & Almond- ground oats, almonds, sugar, salt, coconut oil
- Graham Crackers with coconut oil
- Walnuts, Dates and coconut oil
- Almond flour & dates
Vegan Cheesecake Filling Options
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Raw Cashews
- Coconut Cream
- Tofu
Is Vegan Cheesecake Made With Tofu
There are many vegan cheesecake recipes that use a firm pressed tofu that is crumble mixed with other ingredients and baked.
Another tofu cheesecake option uses silken tofu, which is a silky smooth texture as the filling base.
Is Vegan Cheesecake Made With Cashews
Vegan cheesecake can be made with cashews.
Raw cashews are often used and must be soaked for a few hours before blending them into a thick and creamy cheesecake filling base.
Does Vegan Cheesecake Contain Agar
Some vegan cheesecakes contain Agar instead of gelatin as a thickener to set the filling.
You will most likely find agar in a no-bake cheesecake that needs to be set on its own instead of one that sets while being baked in the oven.
What Is Agar
Agar or Agar-Agar is a jelly-like substance that is found in red algae.
This ingredient is used instead of gelatin in vegetarian and vegan recipes.
It may sound a little questionable but, it’s nothing compared to where true gelatin comes from.
Can Cheesecake Be Made With A Date Crust
Dates can be used in cheesecake crusts, they are often mixed with ground almonds or oats, as well as coconut oil.
What Is In Cheeseless Cheesecake
Cheeseless cheesecakes do not contain cream cheese-like traditional cheesecakes do.
A cheeseless cheesecake can contain a filling of vegan cream cheese, tofu, soaked nuts, and coconut cream.
What Is In Sugar Free Cheeseless Cheesecake
Sugar-free cheesecakes are often sweetened with other sweet ingredients including artificial sweeteners, coconut sugar, honey, monk fruit, agave, or coconut sugar.
Does Cheesecake Have Eggs In It
Traditional cheesecake contains eggs in its thick and creamy filling.
What Is Eggless Cheesecake Made Of
Eggless cheesecakes can be made with a variety of ingredients with yogurt, baking soda with vinegar, and condensed milk being the most used replacements in traditional dairy cheesecakes.
Vegan cheesecakes on the other hand do not contain eggs and are made with a variety of fillings including tofu, soak and blended nuts, and vegan cream cheese.
What Can I Use In Cheesecake Instead Of Eggs
If you are making a vegan cheesecake recipe you will not need to replace any eggs, to begin with.
If you are making a traditional dairy cheesecake you can replace the eggs in the recipe with 1/4 cup of condensed milk.
Where Can I Buy Vegan Cheesecake
- Publix
- Winn-Dixie
- The Fresh Market
- Target
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
- Earth Origins Market
- Trader Joes
What Brands Sell Vegan Cheesecake
What Restaurants Have Vegan Cheesecake
There aren’t any mainstream chain restaurants that offer vegan cheesecakes, including The Cheesecake Factory.
What Are The Best Vegetarian And Vegan Options At The Cheesecake Factory?
What Is Daiya Cheesecake Made From
The filing in a Classic New York Style Cheesecake contains.
Filtered Water, Creamed Coconut, Cane Sugar, Coconut Oil, Tapioca Starch, Expeller Pressed: Canola and/or Safflower Oil, Potato Starch, Pea Protein, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Alginate, Lactic Acid (Vegan), Tricalcium Phosphate, Vegan Natural Flavors, Cultured Sugar, Vegan Enzyme
The crust on the same cheesecake contains.
Tapioca Starch, Cane Sugar, Coconut Oil, Brown Rice Flour, White Whole Grain Sorghum Flour, Potato Starch, Water, Expeller Pressed: Canola and/or Safflower Oil, Blackstrap Molasses, Vanilla Extract, Milled Flax Seed, Psyllium, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Xanthan Gum
Is Daiya Cheesecake Soy Free
Daiya Cheesecake or Cheezecake is a soy-free food.
Does Trader Joes Have Vegan Cheesecake
Trader Joe’s has their own brand of vegan cheeseless cheesecakes that is available in its freezer section.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to give up cheesecake as a vegan!
Luckily, there are many different vegan cheesecake options ranging from nut-based to tofu-based.
Although, making your own cheesecake is a delicious idea there are many store-bought vegan cheesecakes available at your local grocery store.
