Authentic New York Style Vegan Cheesecake

Vegan strawberry cheesecake (Addicted to Dates)

There are not many people who don’t love a thick slice of cheesecake, but you can make delicious dairy-free alternatives, also without the biscuit base full of palm oil. It’s not ‘health food’, but vegan cheesecake is far better for you as it’s cholesterol-free, as well as being animal-kind.

Read up on food safety for people and pets (many foods including citrus, nutmeg, nuts and chocolate are unsafe near animal friends). Before recycling tins, rinse/remove lids (or pop ring-pulls over holes) then step on can to ‘pinch’ inner rims together, to stop wildlife getting trapped.

Although it’s good to compost food scraps, unless you have a food waste bin (turned into biogas), just bin allium scraps (onion, leeks, garlic, shallot, chives), citrus/tomato/rhubarb scraps and tea/coffee grounds. To avoid too much acid/caffeine affecting compost creatures.

Reasons to try vegan cheesecake 

Vegan mango cheesecake (Addicted to Dates)

• Animal-kind – avoiding dairy is good for animals, as well as the planet.
• Lactose-free – avoiding heavy dairy cream cheese is better for digestion
• No cholesterol – plant-based fats are free from cholesterol!
• One cheesecake for everyone – you don’t have to make two different ones for a crowd!

Tips for good vegan cheesecake

Vegan pumpkin cheesecake (Rainbow Nourishments)

• If using a cashew base, soak them for 15 minutes or overnight for a grit-free cream.
• Tap out air bubbles: tap the springform pan firmly on the counter before baking, to prevent surface holes.
• Chill overnight. Once cool, chill for at least 8 hours in the fridge to fully set.
• Crust variations: vegan biscuits or wholefoods
• It’s easier to use a biscuit base, but it’s important to use biscuits without palm oil. For this reason, it’s best to avoid ‘biscoff or oreo cheesecake’, as these biscuits use palm oil.  In North America, you could use graham crackers. Choose vegan butters without palm oil too.
• The other option is to make a wholefood base with natural ingredients like almonds (choose organic to avoid brands that use migratory beekeeping), pecans or walnuts, blended with dates, oats or shredded coconuts.
• You can buy vegan cream cheese in most shops these days, or make it yourself.