This carrot cheesecake is the perfect combination of moist carrot cake and decadent no-bake cheesecake. So you won't have to choose between the two, or even turn on the oven!
Note: I have updated my original recipe with a simplified method, and a taller creamy cheesecake filling made without coconut oil!
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🧾 Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this no-bake carrot cake:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Shredded Coconut: Unsweetened shredded coconut (desiccated coconut) or toasted coconut flakes.
- Cashews: They add structure and a tangy cheesecake flavor to the filling. They are also in the crust, which you can swap in pecans or walnuts.
- Dates: They sweeten and bind the carrot cake base. Medjool dates are best for their soft texture and caramelized flavor.
- Shredded Carrots: Grate whole carrots rather than buying pre-shredded carrots for the best flavor and freshness.
- Spices and Orange Zest: Ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg create that classic carrot cake flavor while orange zest brings the flavor to the next level.
- Vanilla: You can use an entire vanilla pod, or substitute with vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract.
- Almond or Coconut Flour: This helps bind the base and counter the high water content of the fresh carrots.
- Vegan Cream Cheese: I use violife, or homemade cream cheese. If your cream cheese is very soft, you will need to add coconut oil for the cheesecake to set properly.
- Vegan Yogurt: Greek-style is best here for thickness. If you can't find it, you can use regular soy or coconut yogurt, or even vegan sour cream at a reduced amount (see the notes in the recipe card for quantities).
- Granulated Sugar: This is used to make a simple syrup for the carrot garnish, but you can skip this step to keep the recipe refined sugar-free.
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🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images to help guide you through the visuals. When you're ready to make the recipe please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
Step 1: In a food processor, blitz the coconut, cashews, spices, pitted dates, and orange zest until roughly ground. Then mix in the grated carrots, and coconut or almond flour until combined.
Step 2: Press the carrot cake bottom into the base of a springform pan lined with parchment paper. Use a flat-bottomed glass or spoon to smooth it out.
Step 3: Blend all the filling ingredients (cashews, dairy-free cream cheese, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, and lemon juice) in a high-speed blender until completely smooth.
Step 4: Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the carrot cake layer and transfer it to the fridge to set overnight.
Candied Carrot Garnish
This is how to make those pretty carrot swirls to use as a festive decoration for your cake:
Use a vegetable peeler to cut the carrots into long thin strips
Make a sugar syrup of 1 part granulated sugar to 2 parts water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the carrots for 2 minutes to soften them slightly.
Blanch the carrots in an ice water bath to prevent them from cooking further.
Roll them up and secure them on a toothpick or skewer while they dry.
Decorate the top of the cheesecake with chopped walnuts or pecans, candied carrots, and fresh mint leaves.
💭 Recipe Tips
Line your pan: Line both the base and sides of a springform pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides. You can use a little nonstick spray to hold the parchment in place if needed.
Blend the cheesecake center properly. First blend on medium-low speed, the mixture will appear split at first, but it will eventually become more viscous and smooth at which stage you can turn it up to high speed. Don't stop blending until you have a completely smooth cheesecake mixture without any visible lumps.
Quick freeze your cheesecake for 30 minutes before decorating. This is a trick I use to help keep the structure sturdier. You can pop the cheesecake in the freezer while you make the candied carrot garnish.
🥕 Variations
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars: Make them in an 8-inch square pan, or you can half the recipe and make a small batch in a 1 pound loaf pan. Once set, use a sharp knife to slice the cake into individual bars.
- Carrot Cake Bites: Skip the cream cheese filling and roll the carrot cake dough into bite-sized balls. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a wholesome snack or portable breakfast option.
- Baked Carrot Cake: Use this regular carrot cake as the base (half the recipe in an 8-inch pan).
- Cream Cheese Free Option: You can use coconut cream in its place, just add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to get that tangy flavor!
- Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecake: Make mini cheesecakes in muffin liners using a muffin pan.
- Cookie Decoration: You could decorate the top or the edges of the cheesecake with these gorgeous carrot cake cookies from my friend Anthea at Rainbow Nourishments.
💬 FAQs
Yes, keep it in an airtight container or on a plate covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Absolutely. You can freeze any leftover cheesecake and defrost it at room temperature for an hour or in the fridge overnight. I'd recommend removing the carrot and mint garnish first as they do not freeze well.
Another tip, rather than freezing the whole cake you can slice it into servings so that you only need to defrost a single cheesecake portion when needed.
🍰 More Vegan Cheesecake Recipes
📖 Recipe
No-Bake Carrot Cake Cheesecake (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Base
- 85 g (1 cup) shredded coconut (desiccated coconut) or toasted coconut flakes
- 130 g (1 cup) cashews
- 150 g (≈ 8) medjool dates pitted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 128 g (1 cup) freshly grated carrots
- 60 g (½ cup) almond flour or coconut flour
Cheesecake Filling
- 200 g (1 ½ cups) cashews soaked ahead of time *note 2
- 500 g (17.6 oz) vegan cream cheese *note 3
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan greek-style yogurt *note 4
- 120 ml (½ cup) pure maple syrup
- 1 vanilla pod *note 5
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Carrot Garnish (Optional)
- 2 medium carrots
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
- fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Note: I've made some minor tweaks to my original recipe for a taller cheesecake filling made without coconut oil! The original measurements are in the recipe notes section below. *see note 1
- Make the base: In a food processor, blitz the coconut, cashews, spices, pitted dates, and orange zest until roughly ground. Add the grated carrots, and coconut or almond flour and blitz again until combined.
- Press the crust into the base of the pan and smooth it down with a flat-bottomed glass or spoon - make sure it is compact. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Filling: Add the soaked cashews, cream cheese, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla pod, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice to a high-speed blender. Blend on low speed first, then increase the speed to high and blend until completely smooth. Pour the filling into the pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (overnight is recommended) until set. Tip: I like to place the cheesecake in the freezer for 30 mins before decorating, you can do this while you make the garnish.
- Candied carrots: Thinly slice long strips of carrot using a vegetable peeler. Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add in the carrot strips. Simmer for 2 minutes, then carefully use a slotted spoon to lift them into an ice water bath for about a minute. Roll the carrots up and secure them with a cocktail stick until ready to use.
- Garnish: Top with chopped walnuts, candied carrots, and fresh mint leaves.
Notes
- Original Recipe Quantities: 7oz (200g) vegan cream cheese, ⅔ cup (180g) vegan greek-style yogurt plus ¼ cup (55g) coconut oil.
- Soaked Cashews: soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse, and drain, or quick-soak your cashews by simmering for 30 minutes.
- Vegan Cream Cheese: I use violife, if your cheese is very soft, please use coconut oil and measurements shown in note 1 above.
- Greek-Style Yogurt: Sub with silken tofu, vegan sour cream, thick coconut yogurt, or 90g regular soy yogurt.
- Vanilla Pod: You can use the entire pod or sub 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp vanilla extract.
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