This cheesecake is light, creamy, and smooth and paired with a graham cracker crust lightly spiced with ground cinnamon. This dairy and egg-free cheesecake recipe is easy to make, and no water bath is needed. You can add any topping desired. 

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Honestly, it has been YEARS since I have had a cheesecake. After developing an egg allergy, cheesecake was one dessert I would miss deeply. However, the vegan world is constantly changing, and there are new brands with new ingredients. So, I researched and found a new way to make a cheesecake without dairy and eggs! I genuinely think this vegan cheesecake is delicious and prefer it to regular cheesecake!

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INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN CHEESECAKE

Cheesecake:

Dairy-free cream cheese (Kite Hill): Bring your cream cheese to room temperature to ensure it mixes smoothly, and no lumps form. You could try any brand of dairy-free cream cheese, but I prefer Kite Hill for the best taste. 

Granulated sugar: You will slowly add this with the cream cheese to mix in entirely for added sweetness. 

Cornstarch/Tapioca/Arrowroot: You can use any of these interchangeably and have the same outcome. Using these will help hold your cheesecake intact. 

Dairy-free milk: You can use any dairy-free milk. I have used both oat milk and almond milk. Dairy-free milk adds extra flavor and creaminess to your cheesecake. 

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed: I prefer to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, but you could use bottled lemon juice. Using lemon juice helps react with the cream cheese and helps give a slight tang, but you won't taste lemon!

Vanilla extract: As always, vanilla extract enhances the flavors in your cheesecake. 

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Graham Cracker Crust:

Graham crackers: You can use a food processor to bring your graham crackers to a fine crumb. 

Dairy-free butter: You will melt the butter before mixing it in the food processor with the graham cracker crumbs. 

Granulated sugar: I like to add a little bit of added sugar for sweetness to the crust. 

Ground cinnamon: This is optional, but I love a good cinnamon taste to a cheesecake crust! 

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHEESECAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil. 
2. Prepare Graham Cracker Crust & Parbake: Crush the graham crackers into crumbs in a food processor. Add melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix for about a minute. Press into the prepared 9-inch springform pan and slightly go up the sides. Prebake your crust in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
3. Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Using a mixer, whip the room temperature cream cheese for about 3 minutes or until smooth. While continuing mixing, slowly add the granulated sugar. Then add the cornstarch/tapioca/arrowroot and continue mixing on low. Add the dairy-free milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing for about 2-3 more minutes. The mixture will be very creamy and smooth. 
4. Bake Cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared and prebaked crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes. The center will still be jiggly. Turn the oven off and sit inside the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
5. Cool & Refrigerate: Cool cheesecake entirely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours or overnight for the cheesecake to set.
6. Top and serve with any toppings desired. You can top with any toppings such as strawberry sauce, dairy-free chocolate, dairy-free whipped cream, caramel sauce, etc. 

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STORING YOUR CHEESECAKE

Store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator in a sealable container. Refrigerated cheesecake will keep well for up to 7 days. 

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GLUTEN-FREE OPTION

This cheesecake recipe happens to be already gluten-free since we are using cornstarch/tapioca/arrowroot. However, you will need to be sure you use gluten-free graham crackers. 

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If you like this cheesecake recipe but want smaller portions and a quicker bake, try these Cheesecake Cupcakes! 

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