A date-sweetened oat crust with a rich and creamy, sweet filling and fresh raspberry topping makes these no bake vegan cheesecake minis unforgettable! They’re gorgeous, delicious, and SO simple to make.
This recipe was originally published in December 2022. It has been updated for content and photos.
A good no bake vegan cheesecake is great any time of year, but these gorgeous individual servings make this dessert extra special to serve on holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays, or Valentine’s Day.
This layered cheesecake uses a tofu filling like my no-bake peanut butter pie and our vegan key lime pie, too.
If tofu can make vegan cream cheese, (and frosting!) why not tofu cheesecake? 😉
Jump to:
Why you’ll love these
- They’re PRETTY. And since we eat with our eyes first, this stunning dessert and all its gorgeous layers will have you and your guests salivating.
- So easy to make! Just 8 ingredients are needed, and no baking is required. Plus there’s no cake to slice into, as these are already portioned.
- Suitable for a WFPB (whole food plant-based) diet using real food and minimally processed ingredients with no butter and no oil. (No, not even coconut oil!)
- Allergen friendly. This mini dairy-free cheesecake recipe is not only vegan, but it’s naturally gluten-free, coconut-free, and nut free, too.
- They’re delicious! A sweet and lovely textured crust, followed by a rich and creamy filling that’s topped with a fresh, sweet, and tart raspberry sauce. Seriously DROOL-WORTHY.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need for these delicious no bake vegan cheesecake minis!
- Dates: Use pitted dates or Medjool dates, but make sure to remove the pits. If your dates have been sitting in the pantry for a while, soak and then drain them first to make the dates easier to process.
- Oats: Use rolled oats or old-fashioned oats, not instant oatmeal. Oats are naturally free from gluten, but choose certified gluten-free oats if needed, as cross-contamination is possible.
- Vanilla: Choose pure vanilla extract for the best flavour and not the artificial stuff.
- Tofu: Use extra firm tofu and squeeze out the excess moisture before processing. Although medium or soft will work, the filling will be much softer.
- Maple syrup: This keeps the mini cheesecakes refined sugar-free, but another liquid sweetener works fine as well.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best. This adds a hint of tart flavour to the tofu cheesecake filling and the raspberry topping. If you don’t have lemon juice available, apple cider vinegar works with similar results.
- Raspberries: I like raspberries, but any berry will work for the topping. Try strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a mix of berries.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Add the dates, hot water, and vanilla to your food processor. (photo 1)
Process until mostly smooth and then add the oats. (photo 2)
Pulse several times to break down the oats, but DO NOT overprocess. (photo 3)
Divide the crust among your cups and then add the filling ingredients to the food processor. (photo 4)
Blend until completely smooth and then pour the filling on top of the crust. (photo 5)
In a medium bowl, add the topping ingredients, and gently mash, but do not puree. (photo 6)
Finally, spoon the raspberry topping over the tofu cheesecake filling, and then garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves, if you’d like.
Refrigerate for at least one hour (but longer is better) before serving.
Variations
Here are some fun ways to change up the flavours.
- Mango cheesecake: Use fresh or frozen and thawed mango, add a few chunks to the filling, and use it for the sauce topping, too.
- Chocolate cheesecake: Add 2 tablespoons of raw cocoa powder to the filling mixture and garnish your fruit sauce with chocolate shavings and/or chocolate chips.
- Lemon cheesecake: Add some lemon zest to the crust, and the filling, and sprinkle it on top, too.
- Full-sized cheesecake: Don’t want minis? To keep this one free from vegan butter and/or oil, I decided to make these into mini cups to hold their shape. Coconut oil is normally used to make vegan cheesecake firm. But you can still manage if you add some blanched almonds or raw cashews to the filling to make it firmer, and then freeze the dessert in a springform pan for 1-2 hours before serving.
- You may also try different crust options and use biscuits, oreo crumbs, vegan graham crackers, or other vegan cookies to replace the oats. You could also replace half the oats with walnuts or pecans for a nutty crust. But note that these options will increase the calories and fat.
Or, see this cheesecake dip for a cashew-based vegan cheesecake option.
Equipment
I use this Cuisinart food processor but you may also use a blender to process your crust and filling. If you have both options available, I prefer a food processor for the ease of transferring the ingredients.
Storage
If possible, prepare this vegan cheesecake recipe one day before serving for the best results. Then place in the refrigerator overnight and serve cold.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
I haven’t tried freezing yet, but I don’t believe these would hold up very well in the freezer.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overprocess the oats when making the crust. You want a nice texture, not a puree.
- Wet your spoon or shooter glass when pushing the crust down into the individual cups to prevent sticking.
- If possible, make your mini cheesecakes one day in advance as these taste best when refrigerated overnight.
- You may use strawberries, blueberries, or a mix of berries for the topping. Or, to save time, you may use your favourite store-bought jam for the fruit topping.
- The serving size pictured is 6-ounce glasses. Portion sizes will vary according to the size of the glass being used.
More amazing ways to use tofu
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- ¾ cup pitted dates packed
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup rolled oats gluten free if preferred
For the cheesecake filling
- 14 ounce (400 grams) extra firm tofu use GMO free if possible
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the raspberry topping
- 1 cup fresh raspberries plus more for garnish (or berries of choice)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
For the cheesecake crust
- Add the dates, hot water, and vanilla to the bowl of your food processor and process until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides, as needed. Then add the oats and pulse several times to break them down but don't puree them.
- Divide the crust between your individual cups and press it down using a spoon or shooter glass.
For the cheesecake filling
- Add all the filling ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Then pour and divide the filling over the crust.
For the topping
- Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and gently mash with a potato masher or large fork, but leave some chunks for texture. Then top each mini cheesecake with a large spoonful of the fruit topping.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.
- Place the layered cheesecakes in your fridge for at least 1 hour before serving, but these taste best when refrigerated overnight.
Notes
- Don’t overprocess the oats when making the crust. You want a nice texture, not a puree.
- Wet your spoon or shooter glass when pushing the crust down into the individual cups to prevent sticking.
- If possible, make your mini cheesecakes one day in advance as these taste best when refrigerated overnight.
- You may use strawberries, blueberries, or a mix of berries for the topping. Or, to save time, you may use your favourite store-bought jam for the fruit topping.
Nutrition
FAQ
Yes! You may use store-bought vegan cream cheese (like Tofutti), or make your own as I’ve done here.
Yes. Although it doesn’t need an oven, it still needs to be refrigerated to chill before serving.
Beth says
These are sooo good! Made the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly! Thank you for this great recipe that my husband and I enjoyed!
Rosa says
You’re most welcome Beth! Thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
Amanda says
I tried this exactly as written and love it! Great recipe. Thank you 🙏
Rosa says
My pleasure Amanda!
Amelia says
Would this work as a pie instead of dividing it into 8 cups?
Rosa says
It will be a bit too soft to slice since I’ve made this one oil free. Most vegan cheesecakes call for coconut oil since it hardens as it cools, which makes it easy to slice.
Karen says
I made these yesterday as a test run for Christmas and will definitely make them again for next weekend’s company. What a delicious and healthy treat!! Thank you Rosa!
Rosa says
You’re most welcome Karen! 🙂
Suzanne says
When I got your email I decided to try it right away for a friends Christmas I was hosting yesterday!! What a hit!! Even my non vegan friends loved it. I love how they are already portioned. I used slightly bigger glasses so I got 6 servings which was perfect for us.
Rosa says
Fantastic! So glad everyone enjoyed Suzanne.
Ethel says
How big are the 8 servings? What containers did u use?
Rosa says
Hi Ethel, I included this info in the notes section. The serving size pictured is 6-ounce glasses. Enjoy!