Vegan Cinnamon Coconut New York Style Cheesecake. This cheesecake is dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free and to die for. It is creamy, rich, smooth and made with only 8 ingredients!
Ah, New York style cheesecake. One of the best desserts known to man….and to my tummy. I knew I needed to create a vegan one. This is the easiest Vegan New York Style Cheesecake ever. You don’t even need an appliance to make this! No soaking cashews, no freezing, nothing.
First, I have exciting news I’ve been dying to share with you all! The Vegan 8 had it’s first magazine feature….an international magazine feature, that is! My blog and 2 of my recipes were featured in the popular Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine in the May/June issue, with Jason Wrobel on the cover. If there was ever a featured I’d want to be in, it is with him on the cover! He is amazing and the first vegan chef to have his own cooking show on the Cooking Channel.
To say I was excited, would be an understatement. My blog is featured on pg 64 in Nutrition expert, Monica Parodi’s column, and my recipes are full page on pages 66-67!
You can purchase one at Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc.
Now, back to this Vegan New York style cheesecake….the firm, dense, yet somehow fluffy texture you get in a New York style cheesecake, is what I love so much. This vegan cheesecake is nut-free, oil-free, tofu-free, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
VEGAN CHEESECAKE MADE WITH COCONUT BUTTER
No cashews, oil or tofu in this baby, like you typically see in vegan cheesecakes/desserts. Coconut butter is the secret ingredient to this wonderful creation. Note, it is NOT the same thing as coconut oil. Coconut butter is the whole coconut meat shredded and processed into silky smooth butter, whereas coconut oil is just the fat separated and just taste like greasy oil. Do not use oil in this, it will not give the same result, at all. I make my own coconut butter, super easy and fast.
One of my most popular desserts on my blog is my Raw Vegan Cinnamon Spice Cheesecake Tart (the one featured in the mag). It is absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to make. It requires several hours freezing time though. I wanted to create another totally different version that didn’t require any freezing and it also be NUT-FREE!
WHY I LOVE COCONUT BUTTER
If you haven’t noticed after following my blog for awhile (or are new to it), I love coconut butter. My 3 Ingredient Fudge is made with it and it has been a huge hit. It gives so much more flavor than just coconut oil and is much less greasy. It also is a secret ingredient to how I made the perfect brownie .
This Vegan New York Vegan Cheesecake tastes like a baked one and the crust is a hefty, oat crust with flavors from coconut butter, cinnamon and maple syrup. I wanted a nut-free crust and I have to say, I LOVED the oat crust/coconut butter combo because it didn’t taste raw…like the nut-based ones do.
It is different than a traditional French style cheesecake that is more creamy and light. I love that too, but this one is fantastic and is the same kind of texture of the dairy-filled cinnamon cheesecake I used to make on holidays or for friends, but contained dairy and eggs!
Can’t wait to hear what you think of this Vegan New York Style Cheesecake! Leave me feedback below after you make it!
Other Vegan Cheesecakes:
Cinnamon Coconut New York Style Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) fine oat flour use gluten-free if needed
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (90g) pure maple syrup or agave
- 3 tablespoons (45g) melted liquid coconut butter, NOT coconut oil!
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23g) apple juice or water
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Cake
- 1 cup (240g) melted liquid coconut butter, NOT coconut oil!
- 3/4 cup (180g) coconut milk, room temp
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (120g) pure maple syrup or agave, room temp
- 2 tablespoons (30g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons (10g) pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
NOTE
- As noted above, it is crucial that the liquid ingredients are all at room temperature when adding to the melted coconut butter for the cake. Otherwise, the coconut butter will sieze up if the liquids are cold. Also, coconut butter is not the same thing as coconut oil. Coconut butter is dried coconut that is processed into a liquid, whereas coconut oil is just the fat extracted, and will not give the same texture result.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- First, prepare the crust by adding the oats to a food processor (or use storebought oat flour) and process into a fine flour. I add 2 cups of oats and process for 2 minutes until it is finely ground. Measure out 1 1/2 cups and add to a bowl.
- Add the remaining "crust" ingredients and stir until a crumbly, wet texture forms. Line an 8 inch cake pan with plastic wrap, with it hanging over the sides. You can spray the pan first with nonstick spray and the plastic wrap will hold in place. (8 inch is best for a taller cake) Press the dough into the bottom of the lined cake pan, evenly and flat around to the edges. Place in the fridge.
- To prepare the cake, melt your coconut butter to a complete liquid if it is hardened. If using a new jar, the oil tends to separate from the coconut meat, so you must gently warm it up, remove the lid and heat in the microwave (15-30 seconds). I prefer to empty the jar into another large glass container, stir well until thoroughly mixed and store it this way. Heat a few more seconds as needed just until it's soft enough to stir until it fully melts. As you stir, the heat will melt it. It is important that it is a runny liquid when measuring, so the right texture is achieved. If using a batch you've used before, just gently melt in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, stir and heat again for a few seconds at a time until completely smooth and runny. Be careful about overheating it or it can burn. Make sure to measure it out at 1 cup after melted. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add the milk, syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the cinnamon and salt. Now, pour in the melted coconut butter and blend until completely smooth and thick like cake batter. Pour the batter into the prepared crust and place in the fridge to completely set. 1-2 hours should do it.
- Once set, just pull the cake out with the plastic wrap and slice. Top with coconut cream, cinnamon and strawberries, if desired. Keep cake stored in the fridge covered and it will retain the perfect shape that way.
I’ve been trying to make this coconut butter for almost 30 minutes now and I’m so close to giving up. Do you have any substitutions????
What kind of appliance are you using? Mine never takes more than 10 minutes. Are you in a very cold environment? Are you using regular unsweetened coconut flakes? Not the defatted kind, correct? That is odd that it would take that long unless you are trying it in a blender?
Cuisinart 4 cup work bowl, I’m using “let’s do organic unsweetened shredded coconut” It says reduced fat?
Oh no, that is why it’s not working then, reduced fat means a lot less moisture, which means it won’t turn into coconut butter unfortunately. Reduced fat coconut is nearly half the amount of regular coconut flakes and it won’t turn into butter without the fat-which is what turns it into liquid. You need regular unsweetened coconut flakes as listed. I used Bob’s red mill but there are lots of brands out there. If you don’t want to bother with making the coconut butter, that is perfectly fine, as store-bought is always 100% smooth anyways. My favorite brand is the MaraNatha brand, which can be found at a lot of stores like Sprouts, Walmart, Amazon, etc. The jar will be solid though, since coconut butter firms up at room temperature, so see my notes on this post how to soften/melt it carefully before using. Or just get the regular coconut flakes to make the coconut butter. Hope this helps clear things up! https://thevegan8.com/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-cupcakes/
Do you think this could be made in muffin tins to make individual servings? I need to bring a dessert to a party and would like to make something that doesn’t need to be cut and served!
Can almond flour be substituted for oat flour in your New York Style Cheesecake?
I’ve never tried it so I don’t know what the result would be. Almond flour is much more moist though, so you’d need probably double and the crust will be wetter.
Brandi, this is genius! I have a hard time with cashews and love cheesecake so using the coconut butter and coconut milk was perfect. I made it for our company’s fall pie contest. While I didn’t win, it was delicious, beautiful and everyone polished it off. It has the pefect texture, not too sweet and the oat crust was so good! I’ll be making this again. 🙂
Sorry I’m just seeing this Wendy, I’m so happy to hear how much it was a hit!!
Do you have a sub for coconut butter? I see your recipes call for it and theres a coconut allergy here.
Hi Karen, unfortunately, Coconut Butter is necessary for this cheesecake to setup. If you are allergic to coconut, make this cheesecake instead.
https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/12/raw-luscious-chocolate-cheesecake/
Thank you so much for this recipe, having scoured the web for a no-freeze raw cheesecake, so happy to find this. And no cashews, added bonus. I’m going to make a coconut crust and attempt a blackcurrant filling with berries from the garden.
Wonderful! I can’t wait to hear what you think! I love the MaraNatha brand for the coconut butter.
I want to make this for Mothers Day tomorrow. My mom, sister, niece and daughter cannot eat dairy or gluten so I’m so excited to try this recipe. What is the coconut cream on top made of?
Hi Paula! It’s just whipped coconut cream from a can 🙂 Let me know how the cake turns out, I hope you all love it!
I love it. I made it for my friends today. I love the flavor of the cinnamon vanilla new york style cheesecake, and I added some dates there, because I really love dates. Thank you so much.
I can’t wait to make this for my son!! Thank you!!!!
Thank you Dianna, let me know what you think!!
Hello Brandi I found this lovely recipe of yours that I would love to try. I have one small issue is there anyway that the sweetener can be substituted by something diabetic friendly?
Hi Shyla! You could try date syrup and that is more diabetic-friendly I believe? It’s just made from dates. Other than that, it needs a liquid sweetener, so I don’t know what else would be diabetic friendly. I’m not familiar with that too much. I recently have been using this date syrup for my daughter and she loves it. It is thicker than maple syrup though, kind of like the texture of honey, and it’s not quite as sweet as maple syrup, but still really delicious. You would probably need a tad more for this recipe, that is a guess, maybe a tablespoon. Here is the link to the one I use! http://amzn.to/2i46qeQ
Shyla, I am Diabetic and I use Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup in my cooking/baking when syrup is called for. It’s a blend of monk fruit and erythritol. It flavors beautifully, without the sugar.
https://www.lakanto.com/collections/syrups-drink-mixes/products/lakanto-maple-flavored-syrup-bottle-13-fl-oz
Total failure!!! 😀
I messed up the base so I had to throw it out. Then I messed up the consistency of the filling, and it wouldn’t set in the fridge.
So I put it in the freezer, and what can I say…. Heaven!!
Cheesecake flavor ice cream. Mind blown.
I will definitely be doing this again, provided I can work out what I did wrong so I can do it again 😀
Haha, oh no! What did you do wrong with the filling? It’s such an easy recipe, just mix it all in a bowl. Are you sure you used actual coconut butter and not a vegan butter? Glad you were able to turn it into ice cream, yum!
Brandi, I finally made this recipe and it was absolutely amazing! I got a little greedy and ate two slices but I regret nothing. Perfect in every way. Thank you! I hope you continue to post more nut-free desserts and meals.
Bianca
I’m so very happy to hear you made and loved it Bianca!! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! And yes, I have an incredibly, delicious cake coming next week that is nut-free! 🙂
I am relieved to have found this recipe. I am a raw foods neophite and was dismayed to discover how fewnut-free recipes there are. Imagine my surprise (and delight!) when I saw this one. I cannot wait to make it. Thank you very much!
Wonderful, so glad you found me Bianca! I hope you love this cheesecake, it is so good and easy to make! Let me know what you think!
Do I have to use low fat lite coconut milk? I prefer to use full fat? Thoughts on that?
Hi Jana! I would not recommend it, it will possibly make these too mushy and thick. It’s a lot more fat than regular. You would do better using soy or storebought cashew milk or possibly even almond milk, for best results. There is already so much fat from the coconut butter and the lighter milk helps to thin out the base and yield a perfect texture in the end. Since almond milk tends to be a little thinner, you may need a tad less. Let me know when you make it, thank you! 🙂
Hey Jana obviously it is Full Fat Coconut Milk in Can but well shaken..not only the Thick part…
If I understand well Brandi said to me…maybe she can confirm here?
Thanks Brandi!
Henri 🙂
Coconutty cinnamony goodness, Brandi! This was just what we needed after the hectic week-before-Christmas craziness. 🙂 Easy, fast, and satisfying. Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe!
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy healthy 2016!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit Colleen! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! Merry Christmas!!
This is the real deal!! You are a kitchen goddess girl!! Your recipes are a work of art and I am so grateful for all the effort you put into perfecting these recipes. I can feed my most precious thing in my life, my family, healthy AND delicious meals!
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback and sharing your beautiful pic on Facebook! Your feedback made my day, thank you!
Hi Brandi. I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe! I plan on making my own coconut butter using your method. I was just wondering if I need to melt it, since it looks like after you make yours in your food processor it is already very liquidy/runny? I figured I’d ask first before trying the recipe. Thanks!
Hi Colleen! No, if you go directly from the blended coconut butter, then you wouldn’t need to melt it first if it’s already liquid 🙂
So I made a version of this omitting the cinnamon and adding blueberries for my thanksgiving meal today. It was amazing! The texture was perfect, and it was really easy to put together which I really appreciated since I’ve been having trouble finding a recipe for a vegan cheesecake dessert that didn’t have a million directions and/or ingredients.
Most of my family thought the coconut flavor was pretty pronounced but I’m thinking that may be because I took out the cinnamon. No one really thought it was a bad thing though.
The best part was that my six year old son, who has disliked most of our vegan meals ever since I went vegan, praised this and ate every single bite.
SO wonderful to hear Emma! SO glad you loved this and thought the texture was perfect! Even better that your 6 year old son loved it too! Oh yes, it’s a Cinnamon Coconut Cheesecake, so you should definitely taste the coconut, but you are right, the cinnamon helps to balance it out, so I would definitely try it with that next time. It’s divine with the cinnamon! Thanks again for the wonderful feedback and sharing your beautiful pic on Instagram!
I just made this after having some difficulty getting the coconut butter texture right. It turned out perfectly! Not heavy on coconut flavor – just rich and creamy and “cinnamony”. Exactly the recipe I need for a nut free vegan cheesecake. Thanks Brandi!
Oh wonderful Alison! I’m so glad you were able to get the coconut butter correctly done and loved this! Thank you so much for making it and leaving feedback! And I agree, I’m not a fan of strong coconut taste, which is why I love this because coconut butter just tastes more sweet to me than anything. Thanks again!
Hello – I like that you use coconut butter instead of oil, but I’m wondering if you can still taste the coconut? I’m not fond of the taste but I cannot find a raw cheesecake recipe that doesn’t use coconut.
Hi Caitlin! You can taste a slight coconut taste, it’s not strong, but it is there, so if you really don’t like coconut, then I would skip this. BUT I have 2 other cheesecake recipes totally coconut-free!
Here is my Cinnamon Spice Cheesecake: https://thevegan8.com/2013/11/22/no-bake-cinnamon-spice-cheesecake/
and my Chocolate Almond Cheesecake: https://thevegan8.com/2013/11/07/no-bake-chocolate-almond-cheesecake/
I cannot believe I waited this long to make your cheesecake!!!! This was beyond amazing! Plates were licked clean and it was fun listening to all the oooohs and aaahhhs! Hands down the best I’ve ever had – I very much doubt I will ever make one with cashews again. Makes me excited for other flavors – Josh said a maple pecan one or a chocolate coconut cheesecake might be delicious….cinnamon though…cinnamon is heaven. Awesome recipe, Brandi!
Mandy, you are so awesome!! I’m thrilled you said this is the best cheesecake you’ve ever had, WOW! You made my day!! I agree that cashews are a bit overrated and in this case, this one is definitely better than cashew-based. I just need to come up with one that is both cashew and coconut-free for those who can’t have coconut either! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
Brandi, thank you so much for the wonderful cinnamon vanilla cheesecake recipe. It was awesome. I made it for my son who is vegan & he told me it was his favorite . I also had a piece and loved it. I am not vegan & neither is my sister but she liked it too. It’s delicious!!! Thank you … Thank you!!!
I’m so happy to hear that Janet!! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! I’m so glad everybody, including your son, loved it so much!
GORGEOUS recipe, can’t wait to try it!! I have a request… I have tons of leftover pumpkin puree from making pumpkin cookies the other day (mmmm) and have to use it up within the next 4 days before it goes bad, is there any way i could make this recipe with pumpkin in it!? THANKS! <3
Hi Leah! Thank you so much! Oh gosh, I just can’t say because I don’t want to ruin the texture of it. If you wanted to sub any of it, you should only do a small amount…otherwise it could dramatically ruin the texture. I would try adding a 1/4 cup to the recipe along with the remaining liquids (don’t change of the ingredients!) and I think that should still work. It will make the cheesecake a little softer than how I wrote it to be traditional firm NY style cheesecake, but it should still setup enough to eat. Just keep it stored in the fridge. Please let me know how it turns out!! You could also add another tablespoon or so of the melted coconut butter to make up for adding the pumpkin.
Also, another option of using pumpkin is in my “Life Changing Pancakes”. I use sweet potato in them but I’m thinking pumpkin would work too..it’s certainly worth a shot. Since pumpkin isn’t sweet though like the sweet potato, then I would add a couple of tablespoons of DRY sweetener to the overall recipe without changing any of the other ingredients. The pancakes have been a HUGE hit, so I think this would work great. let me know!