This easy Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is the silkiest, chocolatiest, most decadent vegan cheesecake you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating. Made with just 10 easy-to-find ingredients in just 7 simple steps, this vegan nut-free cheesecake is the ideal finish to any celebratory meal.
Prepare: Line the bottom and sides of a 7" or 8" cake tin (with a removable base) with some parchment paper.
Make the crust: Add the cookies and sea salt to your food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds until evenly finely ground (see note 3). 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 a ¼ cup measure or flat-bottomed glass, making sure it is compact. Set aside in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Melt the chocolate: Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie (double boiler), stir until smooth, and set it aside for 15-20 minutes to cool.
Make the filling: Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and whisk using an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Then mix in the yogurt and whisk until smooth.Whisk in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt until combined.
Lastly, alternate between adding the melted chocolate and maple syrup in 3 increments each, whisking each time to incorporate them into the cream cheese mixture. (one part chocolate and whisk, one part maple syrup whisk again, etc..)
Set the cake: Transfer the filling into the cake tin using a spatula to smooth out the top. Place in the fridge to set for 4 hours (or overnight if preferred). Once set, carefully remove the cake from the tin.
Garnish: Make half a batch of vegan ganache and allow it to cool slightly for 10-20 minutes. Give the ganache a good whisk so it is smooth and then pour it over the top of the cake, using a spatula to spread it out. Decorate with chocolate shavings or see note 4 on how to make chocolate curls.
Storage: Place it in an airtight container in the fridge and consume it within 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze any unused slices and defrost them as needed
Notes
To make it gluten-free simply swap the cookies in the crust for vegan, gluten-free cookies of your choice.
This cheesecake is nut-free. However, be sure to check the ingredients of separate ingredients, in particular the vegan cream cheese. I use violife, which is free from nuts.
If you don't have a food processor, throw the cookies in a ziplock bag and bash them into a crumb consistency using a rolling pin. Add melted vegan butter and stir it through the crushed cookies before pressing it into the bottom of the pan.
To make chocolate curls, melt the chocolate and pour it into a small plastic container lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, then remove the block of chocolate from the container and use a potato peeler to create chocolate curls in long movements while applying pressure. I recommend wearing latex gloves for this step as the heat from your hands will melt the chocolate. If the chocolate gets too soft, return it to the freezer for 10 minutes and repeat.