This Lemon Raspberry Vegan Cheesecake is the perfect no-bake summer dessert. Made with cashews, coconut cream, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup, it’s a decadent treat that everyone will love. Customize with your favorite seasonal fruit to make this dessert any time of the year.
It’s finally summer! My favorite season of the year. I love the outdoor weather and running outside, but most of all I love summer cooking. This recipe is one of my go-to warm weather desserts from my cookbook, Running on Veggies.
When it comes to making desserts in the warm weather months, I’d prefer to never turn my oven on and make no-bake treats that are still packed with flavor. This Lemon Raspberry Vegan Cheesecake is just that, a walnut and date crust is filled with a decadent and creamy lemon coconut cream filling that’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup. To top off this pie, I add fruit-sweetened raspberry jam, fresh raspberries, and some more lemon zest for a tangy finish to each bite.
Now a cheesecake always sounds complicated to make, but let me reassure you that this vegan cheesecake recipe takes just 20 minutes to prepare. All you need is your food processor and a 9-inch pie plate and you’ll have this delicious make-ahead dessert made in no time!
I couldn’t make this sweet treat without my favorite pantry staple ingredients from Now© Foods. Their nuts, coconut oil, and maple syrup are essential in making this recipe perfect.
If you want to order from Now© Foods, use my discount code, RUNNINGONVEGGIES for 20% off your order! If you want to try some other delicious dessert recipes try my Super Seed Cookies, Maple Sesame Peach Crisp, and Coconut Water Fruit Pops.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Vegan Cheesecake that’s Still Creamy. This vegan cheesecake is made with coconut cream and cashews that are blended until silky smooth in texture just like a regular cheesecake.
- No-Bake Dessert. Perfect for the summer, you don’t need your oven to make this delicious dessert!
- Customize with Your Favorite Fruit. We are using raspberry and lemon here, but use whichever fruit is in season or you prefer. Blueberry, strawberry, fig, or cherry are all great choices!
Ingredients
Crust:
- Medjool dates: The dates are the key ingredient here, they naturally sweeten the crust and also bind everything together to keep this crust no-bake.
- Oat flour: A soft and delicate flour made by just blending oats in a high-speed blender until the texture of regular flour. It’s gluten-free and great for baking.
- Now© Foods Organic Raw & Unsalted Walnuts: Adds great texture as well as rich flavor to the crust.
- Now© Foods Organic Virgin Coconut Cooking Oil: My go-to fat for baking since it’s neutral in flavor and even gives a hint of coconut sweetness to baked goods.
Filling:
- Now© Foods Organic Whole, Raw Cashews: Adds that rich and creamy flavor to each bite. Since cashews are more neutral in flavor they are able to take on the sweetness of a cheesecake filling nicely.
- Coconut cream: Essential to getting that signature creamy cheesecake texture. The coconut cream has a hint of topical flavor but also takes on the flavor of the lemon and raspberry nicely. It’s essentially a thicker version of coconut milk with less water.
- Now© Foods Organic Virgin Coconut Cooking Oil: Gives that extra bit of creaminess to the filling and hint of sweet coconut flavor.
- Now© Foods Organic Maple Syrup: Naturally-sweetens the filling with a hint of caramel flavor for richness too.
- Lemon: Brights up all of the flavors and pairs so nicely with the fruit.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a classic cheesecake filling flavor to each bite.
Topping:
- Fruit-sweetened raspberry jam: Be sure your jam is fruit-sweetened with juice rather than added sugar! We are using raspberry for this version, but use your favorite flavor and garnish with fresh fruit.
- Lemon: The zest brightens all of the flavors and pairs perfectly with the decadent filling.
Specific ingredient amounts and more instructions are located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Vegan Cheesecake
For the Crust:
- In a small heatproof bowl, cover the dates with hot water and allow to soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and discard the liquid.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the oat flour and walnuts until chopped. Add the softened dates, coconut oil, and salt and puree until a dough forms. Add water, if necessary, to bind. Press evenly into a 9-inch pie plate.
Make the Filling:
- In a small heatproof bowl, cover the cashews with hot water and allow to soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and discard the liquid.
- Wipe out the food processor. Still using the blade attachment, blend the softened cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until very smooth. Taste and add more juice and zest if you desire more pucker. Scrape the filling into the tart crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for 4 freeze, or until the center filling is set.
Assemble the Topping:
- Spread the raspberry jam in the center of the tart and top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days but I recommend storing it in the freezer for the best texture, just let it thaw for 15-20 minutes before serving. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
Expert Tips for Recipe Success
- Be sure to soak the dates and cashews. Soaking these ingredients in hot water is essential to achieving the right texture and flavor with the dessert.
- Make your own oat flour. If you don’t have any oat flour, no worries! It’s so easy to make using oats that are probably already in your pantry. Just blend the oats in a high-speed blender until the consistency of flour.
- Use your favorite fruit and jam. Try different flavors easily by just swapping the raspberry jam for a different flavor like strawberry, cherry, or peach.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
This is a great make-ahead dessert recipe. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 month. Just thaw the vegan cheesecake in the fridge overnight before topping with jam and fresh berries before serving.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Super Seed Cookies
- Gluten-Free Fudgy Brownies
- Maple Sesame Peach Crisp
- Flourless Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Lemon Raspberry Vegan Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3/4 cup pitted Medjool dates
- Hot water to cover
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup Now Foods Organic Whole, Raw Walnuts
- 2 tablespoons Now Foods Organic Virgin Coconut Cooking Oil melted
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water optional
Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups Now Foods Organic Whole, Raw Cashews
- Hot water to cover the cashews
- 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons Now Foods Organic Virgin Coconut Cooking Oil
- 1/4 cup Now Foods Organic Maple Syrup
- 1 lemon zested, plus more to taste
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Topping
- 1/3 cup fruit-sweetened raspberry jam
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 lemon zested
Instructions
For the Crust:
- In a small heatproof bowl, cover the dates with hot water and allow to soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and discard the liquid.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the oat flour and walnuts until chopped. Add the softened dates, coconut oil, and salt and puree until a dough forms. Add water, if necessary, to bind. Press evenly into a 9-inch pie plate.
For the Filling:
- In a small heatproof bowl, cover the cashews with hot water and allow to soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and discard the liquid.
- Wipe out the food processor. Still using the blade attachment, blend the softened cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until very smooth. Taste and add more juice and zest if you desire more pucker. Scrape the filling into the tart crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for 4 freeze, or until the center filling is set.
For the Topping:
- Spread the raspberry jam in the center of the tart and top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or it can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. If making the pie ahead of time and freezing add fruit and toppings right before serving.