This Chocolate Chip Cookie Vegan Cheesecake is so creamy even without dairy! It’s a tofu cheesecake filling in a chocolate chip cookie crust.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Vegan Cheesecake
Even though I consider myself a savory > sweet girl any day, I love making desserts. There’s something about making a homemade dessert that just feels special. I mean, what better way to let someone know you love them than by baking them their favorite treat?
I love cake and cookies and brownies, but what’s my favorite dessert, you wonder? (okay fine I know you don’t wonder about these things, and either way you can probably guess). CHEESECAKE. Hands down. I was always a fan of cheese in every way, shape, or form and cheesecake was no exception. I’d take a slice of cheesecake – plain, plz, because I’m basic – over a piece of chocolate cake any day.
I’ve had one piece of cheesecake since I went vegan at a bakery in Baton Rouge that has fabulous vegan desserts. That glorious slice tasted exactly like the real thing, I kid you not. You bet I licked my plate clean. And since I can’t always just have a slice of their vegan cheesecake on demand, I decided I needed to make my own!
Not to pat my own back, but this recipe got rave reviews from my non-vegan friends. Score for Team Plants! Luring people to the plant side one slice of vegan cheesecake at a time.
Ingredients for this Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Recipe
This is a tofu cheesecake recipe – don’t dismiss it yet! I know it seems strange to put tofu in your cheesecake, but it’s truly the key to getting a thick and creamy tasting vegan cheesecake.
Including the silken tofu, here’s everything you need to make this vegan cheesecake:
- Flax meal. Like many vegan recipes, we’re using a flax egg to bind our chocolate chip cookie crust.
- Oat flour. I love using oat flour because it’s fiber and protein packed.
- Almond flour. If you have a nut allergy, you can try using all oat flour instead.
- Tapioca starch. You could also sub in another starch such as cornstarch.
- Baking soda. While we don’t want a super fluffy crust, we also don’t want a dense one! A little bit of baking soda will give us a chocolate chip cookie crust with the perfect texture.
- Salt. Always add a pinch of salt to your baked goods to balance out the sweetness.
- Coconut sugar. You know that deep, rich sweetness of a chocolate chip cookie? Coconut sugar gives us some of that toasted sweetness we’re looking for!
- Coconut oil. Vegan butter also works well.
- Applesauce. This will add just the right amount of moisture to our cookie crust.
- Vanilla extract. Always!
- Dark chocolate chips. Can’t make a chocolate chip cookie cheesecake without chocolate chips!
- Silken tofu. There are lots of ways to make a vegan cheesecake, but this is a take on a tofu cheesecake! Don’t judge it until you try it!
- Maple syrup. If you prefer another liquid sweetener like agave, you could also use that instead.
- Lemon juice. A bit of lemon juice adds the slight tartness and acidity you would expect in a cheesecake.
- Almond butter. Feel free to use sunflower seed butter instead if you’re allergic to nuts.
How to Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust
I’ve always been a fan of plain flavors (vanilla girl all the way) so I wanted to keep this vegan cheesecake somewhat simple, but definitely wanted to put a fun twist on it. And what’s better than a chocolate chip cookie? Nothing! So we’re making a chocolate chip cookie crust for our cheesecake.
Here’s how to make the cookie crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly spray the inside of a springform pan with non-stick spray.
- Make a flax egg by mixing flax meal and 2 1/2 tablespoons water and letting it congeal for 5-10 minutes.
- Combine dry ingredients including oat flour, almond meal, tapioca starch, baking soda and salt and stir until fully mixed.
- Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl, including the flax egg, sugar, melted oil, applesauce and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring and mix until all ingredients come together into a dough. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Gently press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. The dough should be 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick on the bottom.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. It will look puffy – that’s okay!
How to Make Vegan Cheesecake
While your crust is baking, you can start preparing the tofu cheesecake filling! We’re using silken tofu in the mixture for the cheesecake and it makes it so creamy and velvety. I promise the tofu doesn’t really lend any flavor to the filling!
Here’s how to make the vegan cheesecake filling and assemble the whole cheesecake:
- In a food processor or large blender, add silken tofu, maple syrup, sugar, lemon juice, oat flour, almond butter, tapioca starch, vanilla and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into your cookie crust once it’s completely cooled.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top of the cake is lightly browned.
- Let cool for at least an hour. You can let it cool in the fridge overnight, also.
- Top with optional melted chocolate or extra chocolate chips.
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Cheesecake
This vegan cheesecake is pretty simple to make! The filling comes together entirely in the blender and the crust is fairly straightforward. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure your vegan cheesecake comes out just how you want it!
- Try making your own oat flour. No need to buy a fancy flour from the store! Simply add some oats to a blender and pulse until they form a fine powder!
- Use a springform pan. A springform pan allows you to release the sides of the pan in order to remove the cheesecake. If you don’t have one, you can totally use a standard pie plate, but you won’t be able to remove the cheesecake from the pan as a whole.
- Place a cookie sheet underneath your springform pan. This makes the springform pan way easier to pull out of the oven and adds a layer of protection just in case your cheesecake leaks through the springform pan.
- Let the cheesecake cool. This is critical. I know an hour is a long time to wait, but if you don’t let your vegan cheesecake cool, it will not be set and it won’t hold its shape. It’ll be worth the wait!
More Vegan Cheesecake Recipes
I love vegan cheesecake, so I’ve got a handful of recipes on my blog! If chocolate chip cookie vegan cheesecake isn’t your vibe (how could it not be though), then try out some of these other flavors!
- Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake with Oat Flour Pie Crust
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
- No Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Vegan Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Vegan Cheesecake
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Vegan Cheesecake is so creamy even without dairy! It’s a tofu cheesecake filling in a chocolate chip cookie crust
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 tablespoon flax meal + 2 1/2 tablespoons water
- 2 1/4 cups oat flour*
- 1 cup almond meal/flour
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Filling:
- 2 12-ounce packages silken tofu*, drained
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons oat flour*
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, melted, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray the inside of a springform pan* with non-stick spray.
- In a small bowl, add flax meal and 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add oat flour, almond meal, tapioca starch, baking soda and salt. Stir until fully mixed together.
- In a medium bowl, add flax meal mixture, sugar, melted oil, applesauce and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring. Stir until all ingredients are mixed and a dough forms. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
- Gently press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. The dough should be 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick on the bottom.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. It will look puffy – that’s okay.
- In a food processor or large blender, add silken tofu, maple syrup, sugar, lemon juice, oat flour, almond butter, tapioca starch, vanilla and salt. Blend until completely smooth and no chunks of tofu remain. Once crust is cooled, pour filling into the springform pan. Smooth the top of the filling.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top of the cake is lightly browned. Remove from the oven; let cool for at least an hour. You can let it cool in the fridge overnight, also.
- Top with optional melted chocolate and/or extra chocolate chips. Store leftovers (if you have any) in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
*To make your own oat flour, simply place rolled oats in a blender or food processor and blend until it becomes a fine flour.
*I used Mori-Nu Silken Soft Tofu.
*I used a 9-inch springform pan; however, you may also be able to use a pie pan.
