This healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!
I didn’t always love cheesecake. Most I tried were too dry, dense, and/or sweet. Therefore, in developing this cheesecake I made sure it was light, almost fluffy, and perfectly sweet! And it wouldn’t be a SDHB recipe if I didn’t make it healthier too. I took the best cheesecake recipes I could find, substituted a few simple ingredients, and voilà this better-for-you cheesecake recipe was born!
Ingredients such as vegan cream cheese, vegan yogurt, and a touch of maple syrup make for a more nutritient dense recipe. I wish I had recorded the look on my boyfriend’s face when I told him this cheesecake was SO healthy he could, in fact, eat it for breakfast! Once he processed the near too-good-to-be-true news, he excitedly inhaled a massive slice of this vegan and gluten-free treat.
What You Need To Make Healthy Cheesecake
Gluten-Free Graham Crackers – I used my own recipe for gluten-free graham crackers, though you can use your favorite store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead. To turn them into graham cracker crumbs you can either seal them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin or heavy object, or add them to a food processor and give them a few pulses. Once all crackers have been ground into crumbs and no large pieces remain, you’re ready to use them in this recipe!
Vegan Cream Cheese – I used and love the Kite Hill Plain Vegan Cream Cheese in this recipe! Though feel free to use your favorite vegan cream cheese instead. If not vegan, you can use regular cream cheese. However, be sure to avoid flavored cream cheeses, plain is necessary for this healthy cheesecake recipe.
Vegan Yogurt – Similar to the vegan cream cheese, make sure your vegan yogurt is plain and unsweetened. Any added flavors or sugar would completely throw off the balance of this recipe. I used plain coconut yogurt and had great results, though any non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt will work!
Corn Starch – Most cheesecakes contain eggs to help bind the filling once baked. However, this cheesecake recipe is both healthy and vegan with the use of corn starch instead. Corn starch is imperative in getting this cheesecake to firm up and set to its perfectly light and soft consistency. If you don’t have corn starch, you can use arrowroot starch instead.
Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet
- Add Dairy: Use regular butter, cream cheese, and yogurt in this recipe if not vegan or dairy-free.
- Make it Paleo: Use paleo graham crackers, coconut oil instead of vegan butter, and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch to turn this into a healthy paleo cheesecake recipe!
Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate8
servings10
minutes30
minutes8
hoursThis healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!
Ingredients
- For the graham cracker crust:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, see Notes
5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
- For the cheesecake filling:
16 ounces plain vegan cream cheese
2 cups plain unsweetened vegan yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons corn starch, see Notes
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Add all graham cracker crust ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.
- Transfer crust to the springform pan, flatten into an even layer across the bottom, then bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Beat all cheesecake filling ingredients together in a large bowl then transfer to the pan and smooth over the crust.
- Fill a pan with 1-inch of water and transfer it to the oven on the lower rack.
- Place the cheesecake on the upper rack, above the water and bake for 30-35 minutes. Crack the oven door and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours before slicing and eating.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs: I made my vegan and gluten-free graham crackers, then turned them into crumbs by pulsing them in a food processor. However, you can use store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead if you’d like.
- Corn Starch: Feel free to use arrowroot starch instead!
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