coconut cream recipe

Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake — The Most Classic Plant-Based Dessert You Will Ever Make

vegan vanilla cheesecake

There are desserts that define an occasion. And then there are desserts like this Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake — the kind that sets in the refrigerator into a perfectly smooth, ivory-white filling of such extraordinary creaminess and such pure, clean vanilla flavor that the first slice silences the table completely, producing the specific, reverent quiet that only a genuinely exceptional dessert can achieve. This is that cheesecake. The classic. The one without distractions — no fruit swirl, no chocolate topping, no flavored crust — just the purest possible expression of creamy, vanilla-scented cheesecake sitting on a buttery shortbread base, sliced cleanly and served cold. The one that proves sometimes the simplest version is the best version.

This cheesecake uses a silky combination of soaked cashews and vegan cream cheese blended with coconut cream, vanilla bean, and lemon juice into a filling of extraordinary smoothness and depth, baked until just set with a gentle wobble in the center, chilled overnight into a perfectly sliceable, luxuriously creamy result that is indistinguishable in texture from a premium dairy cheesecake.

What makes this cheesecake so outstanding is the vanilla — using both vanilla extract and scraped vanilla bean seeds produces a filling with the distinctive speckled appearance and deep, complex vanilla flavor of a professional cheesecake, incomparably more interesting and more beautiful than extract alone.

This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in about 90 minutes of active preparation plus overnight chilling, and absolutely magnificent served in clean, confident slices with nothing more than a fresh berry compote alongside if desired, or entirely plain to let the vanilla speak for itself.

Recipe Information

Prep TimeCook TimeChill TimeTotal TimeServingsCalories
25 mins50 mins8 hours~10 hours12~420 kcal

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Crust

  • 250g vegan vanilla sandwich cookies or digestive biscuits
  • 5 tbsp vegan butter, melted
  • Pinch of salt

For the Vanilla Cheesecake Filling

  • 1½ cups (195g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes then drained
  • 400g vegan cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) full-fat coconut cream
  • ¾ cup (150g) cane sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • Pinch of fine salt

Optional Toppings

  • Fresh berry compote — strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry
  • A dusting of powdered sugar
  • Fresh berries arranged decoratively
  • A drizzle of mango coulis for a tropical contrast

Instructions

  1. Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Process the cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the melted vegan butter and salt and pulse until the mixture holds together when pressed. Press firmly and evenly into the base of a greased 23cm (9-inch) springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes until set. Cool slightly while making the filling.
  2. Make the cheesecake filling. Place the drained cashews, softened vegan cream cheese, coconut cream, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt in a high-speed blender. Blend for a full 2 minutes until completely smooth, silky, and lump-free. Stop and scrape down the sides twice during blending to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
  3. Bake the cheesecake. Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter several times to release any air bubbles. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 45–50 minutes until the edges are set and firm and the center has only a very slight, gentle wobble when the pan is nudged. Do not overbake — the filling continues to set significantly during chilling.
  4. Cool gradually. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside with the door slightly ajar for 30 minutes — this gradual cooling prevents cracking. Then remove and cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.
  5. Chill overnight. Refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, ideally overnight, until completely firm throughout. This is the most important step — insufficient chilling produces a soft, slumping cheesecake that does not slice cleanly.
  6. Slice and serve. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan before releasing the springform. Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut for the sharpest, most professional slices. Serve cold.

Pro Tips

  • Blend the filling for the full 2 minutes — any remaining cashew graininess in a vanilla cheesecake has nowhere to hide against the pure, clean filling and will be noticeable in the finished texture.
  • Use both vanilla bean and vanilla extract — the bean provides the beautiful black specks and a deep, complex floral vanilla character; the extract amplifies and reinforces it. Together they produce a filling that tastes of genuinely premium vanilla rather than of artificial flavoring.
  • Cool gradually in the turned-off oven — sudden temperature changes cause cracking. A slow cool produces a smooth, uncracked surface.
  • Chill for the full 8 hours minimum — there is no shortcut to a properly set cheesecake. Cutting time short produces a soft, understructured filling.
  • Dip the knife in hot water between every slice — this is the difference between a clean, professional slice and a dragged, messy one.

Why This Is the Most Important Cheesecake Recipe to Master

Of all the flavored cheesecakes — chocolate, fruit-topped, spiced — vanilla is the one that reveals the most about the quality of the underlying technique and ingredients. A chocolate cheesecake can hide minor textural imperfections behind its dominant flavor. A fruit-topped cheesecake divides attention between the filling and the topping. A vanilla cheesecake has nowhere to hide — its flavor is pure and its texture is everything, which is precisely why mastering it produces a skill that transfers to every other cheesecake variation.

Once the technique in this recipe is fully understood — the proper blend time, the correct bake, the gradual cool, the overnight chill — every other cheesecake on this site becomes dramatically easier, because the foundational skill is in place.

Flavor Variations

  • Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake: Add the zest of 2 lemons to the filling and top with lemon curd for a brighter, more citrus-forward version.
  • Berry Swirl Cheesecake: Drop spoonfuls of berry compote onto the filling before baking and swirl with a toothpick for a marbled, fruit-swirled version.
  • Brown Sugar Vanilla Cheesecake: Replace the cane sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel-toned sweetness that pairs particularly beautifully with the vanilla.

Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)

CaloriesProteinCarbsFiberFat
~420 kcal7g44g1g25g

Storage

  • Refrigerator: Store covered in the springform pan or transferred to an airtight container for up to 5 days. This cheesecake actually improves on day 2 as the vanilla flavor deepens.
  • Freezer: Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving — the texture after thawing is excellent.
  • Make ahead: This is an ideal make-ahead dessert. The overnight chill required makes it perfectly suited to preparation the day before any celebration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cheesecake without cashews?

Yes — replace the cashews with additional vegan cream cheese in the same weight. The texture will be slightly denser and less silky but still excellent.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

Cracking is caused by overbaking, cooling too rapidly, or insufficient fat in the filling. Remove from the oven while the center still wobbles gently, cool gradually in the turned-off oven with the door ajar, and ensure the coconut cream used is full-fat rather than reduced-fat.

Can I make this as individual mini cheesecakes?

Yes — divide the crust and filling between a lined 12-hole muffin tin and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20–22 minutes until set. Chill for at least 4 hours before removing from the tin.

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more addictive vegan snack and appetizer recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!

December 28, 2025 by All Recipes Desserts 0

Vegan Lemon Curd

vegan lemon curd

There are spreads you buy from a jar and feel vaguely disappointed by. And then there are spreads like this Vegan Lemon Curd — the kind that you make once from scratch and realize immediately, irreversibly, that homemade lemon curd is in a completely different category from anything that has ever come in a jar. This is that curd. Brilliant yellow, impossibly silky, intensely lemony in the way that only fresh lemon juice and zest can achieve, with a richness and body from coconut cream and cornstarch that make it spread like liquid silk and set into glossy, glossy, glossy perfection. The one that goes on everything. The one you make in double batches and find seventeen uses for before the week is out.

This recipe cooks fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, coconut cream, cornstarch, and turmeric into a thick, glossy, intensely flavored curd that is every bit as silky and rich as a traditional egg-and-butter lemon curd, without any of either. The turmeric provides the characteristic deep yellow color that lemon curd should have, contributing a negligible flavor note while making the finished curd look exactly as beautiful as it should.

What makes this curd so outstanding is the ratio of lemon to sweetness — using more lemon than most recipes dare to, producing a curd that is genuinely tart and intensely citrusy rather than merely sweet with a hint of lemon, balanced by just enough sugar to make every spoonful genuinely delicious.

This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally gluten-free, ready in just 15 minutes, and absolutely magnificent spread on toast, used as a cake filling, swirled into yogurt, folded into whipped coconut cream, or eaten directly from the spoon standing at the kitchen counter.

Recipe Information

Prep TimeCook TimeChill TimeTotal TimeServingsCalories
5 mins10 mins30 mins45 mins8~120 kcal

Ingredients

For the Lemon Curd

  • ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (from approximately 3–4 large lemons)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • ½ cup (100g) cane sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) full-fat coconut cream
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter, cold, cut into small cubes (stirred in at the end)
  • Pinch of salt

Optional Uses

  • Spread on toast or bagels
  • Fill cakes or cupcakes
  • Swirl into vegan yogurt or chia pudding
  • Layer in trifles and parfaits
  • Fill tart shells for lemon tarts
  • Fold into whipped coconut cream for lemon mousse
  • Drizzle over pancakes or waffles

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except the butter. In a medium saucepan whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, coconut cream, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt until the cornstarch is completely dissolved with no lumps remaining. This pre-whisking before heat prevents lumps from forming during cooking.
  2. Cook over medium heat. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously and without stopping, until the mixture thickens significantly — approximately 7–9 minutes. The curd is ready when it coats the back of a spoon thickly and a line drawn through it holds its shape cleanly.
  3. Remove from heat and add the butter. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and add the cold vegan butter cubes one at a time, whisking each one in until completely melted and incorporated before adding the next. This technique — called mounting — adds gloss and richness to the finished curd.
  4. Strain for ultimate smoothness. Pour the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar or bowl to remove the lemon zest pieces and any lumps, producing a perfectly smooth, glossy curd.
  5. Cool and store. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd — preventing a skin from forming — and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until thickened to the desired spreading consistency. The curd thickens considerably as it chills.

Pro Tips

  • Whisk continuously throughout cooking without stopping — the moment you stop whisking a cornstarch-thickened curd over direct heat is the moment lumps begin to form.
  • Use fresh lemon juice only — bottled lemon juice lacks the volatile aromatic compounds that make fresh lemon curd so intensely flavored and alive.
  • Use both juice and zest — the zest contains aromatic oils that are entirely absent from the juice, and these oils contribute much of the complex, floral lemon character of great lemon curd.
  • Add the vegan butter off the heat one cube at a time for the glossiest, most emulsified result.
  • Strain the finished curd — removing the cooked zest pieces produces a perfectly smooth, professional result.

The Brilliant History of Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is one of the most beloved British preserves, with a history stretching back to the nineteenth century when it first appeared as a simple preparation of lemon juice and zest cooked with eggs, butter, and sugar into a thick, spreadable preserve. It became particularly associated with afternoon tea, where it was served alongside scones and clotted cream as an alternative to jam, and remains one of the defining flavors of British baking and preserving tradition.

The name “curd” derives from the cheese-making process that it superficially resembles — both involve the controlled thickening of a liquid into a more solid, concentrated form through heat and chemical interaction. In lemon curd’s case, the proteins in the eggs traditionally provided this thickening; in this vegan version, cornstarch performs the same role, producing an identically thick, glossy, sliceable result without the eggs.

Lemon curd’s enduring appeal lies in its extraordinary versatility — it works as a spread, a filling, a sauce, a topping, and an ingredient in countless other preparations, making it one of the most useful and most rewarding things available to make in a home kitchen.

Flavor Variations

  • Lime Curd: Replace the lemon juice and zest with fresh lime juice and lime zest for a more tropical, slightly more tart version with a beautiful pale green color.
  • Orange Curd: Replace the lemon with fresh orange juice and zest for a sweeter, more mellow citrus curd.
  • Grapefruit Curd: Use pink grapefruit juice and zest for a more bitter, complex curd with a beautiful blush color.
  • Lemon Lavender Curd: Add 1 teaspoon of culinary dried lavender to the curd while cooking and strain out with the zest for a floral, aromatic version.

Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving — 2 tbsp)

CaloriesProteinCarbsFiberFat
~120 kcal0g18g0g6g

Storage

  • Refrigerator: Store in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. The curd continues to thicken slightly during refrigeration.
  • Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before using — the texture may be slightly different after thawing but still delicious.
  • Gifting: Homemade lemon curd in a beautiful jar makes one of the most wonderful and appreciated homemade food gifts available. Label with the date and storage instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my lemon curd too thin?

Thin curd is caused by insufficient cooking time or insufficient cornstarch. Ensure the curd has thickened significantly on the stovetop — it should coat the back of a spoon visibly — before removing from the heat. It will thicken further during chilling.

Can I make this curd less sweet?

Yes — reduce the sugar to 6 tablespoons for a more tart, assertively lemony curd. Do not reduce below this as the sugar also contributes to the texture of the finished curd.

Why did my curd turn lumpy?

Lumps are caused by stopping whisking during cooking, or by the cornstarch not being fully dissolved before heating. Whisk continuously without stopping and ensure the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the cold liquid before applying heat. Straining the finished curd removes any lumps that do form.

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more vibrant vegan breakfast and baking recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!

March 9, 2025 by All Recipes Breakfast 0