It's especially useful for Christmas and entertaining because the cheesecake is actually better made ahead. I prefer letting it set overnight so the filling is properly firm and easy to slice the next day.
If you have homemade Irish cream liquor left over, use it in my Baileys tiramisu next, or browse my vegan Christmas desserts for more make-ahead cheesecakes, puddings, cakes, and festive treats.
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Why this recipe works
Proper Baileys flavor. The filling uses an entire up of my homemade dairy-free Irish cream - it takes only 5 minutes to make and tastes incredibly close to the original! Rather than relying on extracts or flavorings, you get whiskey, coffee, vanilla, and chocolate running through the cheesecake.
Creamy but firm enough to slice. Cashews, vegan cream cheese, and cacao butter create a rich cheesecake texture that sets cleanly without gelatin or baking.
Coffee and Baileys are built into every bite. Espresso powder in the chocolate cookie crust complements the coffee notes in the Irish cream without turning this into an overly coffee-flavored cheesecake.
Ideal for making ahead. The cheesecake needs time to chill anyway, so you can make it the day before and have dessert completely taken care of before guests arrive.
Key ingredients
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Vegan Baileys: I use my homemade vegan Baileys, which is thick and creamy with Irish whiskey, espresso, vanilla, and chocolate. You'll need around a quarter batch for the cheesecake, so there's plenty left for serving or another dessert like homemade baileys tiramisu.
Cacao butter: This is what helps the filling set while also adding a subtle white chocolate flavor. I prefer it here to coconut oil because it complements the Irish cream without adding a strong coconut flavor. Don't reduce the amount, as it's important for the structure of the cheesecake. Make sure you're using food-grade cacao butter.
Cashews: Cashews add richness and help give the filling its smooth cheesecake texture. They need to be properly soaked before blending; if you're short on time, cover them with boiling water for around an hour instead of soaking them for four hours.
Vegan cream cheese: I usually use Violife because I find its flavor and consistency close to full-fat cream cheese. A thick vegan cream cheese works best here; you can also use my homemade vegan cream cheese.
Oreos: The chocolate cookie crust works particularly well against the creamy Irish cream filling. A small amount of espresso powder intensifies the chocolate and picks up the coffee notes in the Baileys.
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How to Make Baileys Cheesecake
Here's a visual overview of this cheesecake. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
For the crust, blitz the cookies until they're very finely ground, then add the vegan butter until the crumbs hold together when pressed. Compact it firmly into the pan using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. A properly packed base is much easier to slice cleanly once chilled.
The most important part of the filling comes from getting the cashews completely smooth. They need to be thoroughly softened before blending. I use a high-speed blender and let it run for several minutes rather than stopping as soon as the ingredients look combined; you're looking for a completely silky filling with no graininess.
Make sure the cacao butter is fully melted and liquid before it goes into the blender so it disperses evenly through the filling.
Once blended, pour the filling straight onto the crust and smooth the top. Although the cheesecake will set after around 5 hours, I prefer to chill it overnight. The texture is firmer, it releases from the pan more cleanly, and it's much easier to cut into neat slices.
Keep the cheesecake cold until you're ready to decorate and serve. A hot, damp sharp knife gives the cleanest slices - wipe it between each cut rather than dragging crumbs and filling through the next slice.
Christina's recipe tips
Line both the base and sides of the pan. This makes releasing a no-bake cheesecake much easier and protects the smooth edges.
Use a 7 or 8-inch removable-base pan. A 7-inch pan gives you a taller cheesecake, while an 8-inch pan produces a slightly shallower one.
Use properly softened cashews. If they still feel firm after soaking, give them longer. Undersoaked cashews are one of the quickest ways to end up with a grainy filling.
Don't reduce the cacao butter. It isn't only there for flavor - it's a key part of how the filling firms up in the refrigerator.
Decorate once the cheesecake is set. I add the whipped cream, cocoa, and chocolate after chilling so the finish stays neat.
Make-ahead and storage
This is one of my favorite types of dessert to make ahead because the chilling time does most of the work for you.
For Christmas or a dinner party, make the cheesecake the day before, let it set overnight, then decorate it shortly before serving. You can also make it 1-2 days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze the cheesecake undecorated for up to 2 months. I find it easiest to remove it from the pan while frozen, then transfer it to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Add the whipped cream and other toppings once defrosted.
You can also freeze individual slices with parchment between them if you want to defrost them as needed.
More Baileys & Christmas Desserts
You can also browse my collection of vegan Christmas desserts for more make-ahead cheesecakes, festive drinks, cakes, cookies, and puddings.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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📖 Recipe
Baileys Cheesecake (No-Bake & Vegan)
Ingredients
Crust
- 160 g (5.6 oz) vegan oreos or oreo-style/bourbon
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 50 g (¼ cup) vegan butter
Filling
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegan baileys (quarter of the recipe)
- 200 g (1 ½ cups) cashews soaked *see notes
- 400 g (1 ¾ cups) vegan cream cheese I use homemade or Violife
- 60 g (¼ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt or coconut yogurt
- 90 ml (⅓ cup) pure maple syrup
- 100 g (⅖ cup) cacao butter melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Toppings (optional)
- ½ batch vegan whipped cream
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- chocolate curls
Instructions
- Prepare: Soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse and drain. You can also quick-soak your cashews by soaking them in boiling water for one hour.Make vegan baileys (you need a ¼ batch for this recipe).
- Make the crust: Line the bottom of a 7" or 8" cake tin (with a removable base) with some parchment paper.Add the cookies, espresso powder, and salt to your food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds until evenly finely ground. Add in the vegan butter and blend again until evenly combined and the mixture sticks together between your fingers. Press the cookie mixture into the base of the cake tin, and smooth it out with the back of a spoon, making sure it is compact. Set aside in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: Add all of the filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz for several minutes until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and place it back in the fridge to set for a minimum of 5 hours (or overnight if preferred).
- Serving: Once set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the cake tin by lifting the bottom of the pan (see notes).Top with vegan whipped cream, dust with cocoa powder, and decorate with chocolate curls or shavings.Use a hot wet sharp knife to slice the cheesecake into portions before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to a couple of months.I recommend first slicing the cheesecake into individual portions so that you can defrost them as needed. Then just allow them to sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.
Notes
- Soaked cashews: Soak them in water for 4 hours, rinse and drain. You can also quickly soak them by soaking them in boiling water for one hour.
- If the cake is sticking to the sides of the pan, carefully wipe the outside of the pan with a damp cloth.
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*This recipe was originally published in April 2019. The recipe has since been improved and updated to simplify the instructions.
do you have a link for a good cocao butter?
Hi Kate,
I usually use a brand called Iswari, but you can go for any food grade raw cacao butter 🙂
If I were to use a ‘store bought’ vegan Baileys, what would be the equivalent amount I would need to add to the mixture please? Hoping to make for Christmas Day
Hi Victoria,
I would go with the same amount, but you can start at 200ml and give it a taste to see if that's enough for you.
Recipe! Please
Hi Jerry, the printable recipe card is just above your comment, or you can reach it easily by hitting the "jump to recipe" button at the top of the page.
What a beast in the dessert aisle. Loving these vegan recipes which put most desserts to debate. This lady plays no games.
You are too kind, thank you!
Can you use the pre made almond milk baileys that you can buy at the store?
Hi Gabrielle,
Absolutely!
Could I use tofu instead of cream cheese?
Hi Stephanie,
I don't think tofu will work well in this recipe. Vegan cream cheese is a lot thicker, helps set the cake, and gives it flavor.