Name: No Bake Vegan Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe
Prep time: PT-491240H46M4S
Total time: PT-491240H46M4S
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 120 g (4 ¼ oz) vegan cookies (biscoff recommended); 100 g (3 ½ oz) vegan gingerbread cookies or extra biscoff cookies; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; 70 g (5 tablespoons) vegan butter; 200 g (1 ½ cups) cashews, soaked; 500 g (17.6 oz) vegan cream cheese; 120 g (½ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt; 120 ml (½ cup) pure maple syrup; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste; 1 tablespoon ground ginger; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves; 1 teaspoon orange zest (without pith); ½ batch vegan whipped cream; Fresh pomegranate; Mint leaves or rosemary sprigs; Pecans; Vegan gingerbread cookies

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Introduction

This no bake gingerbread cheesecake is a festive and creamy vegan dessert that’s perfect for the holiday season. With a spiced gingerbread crust and a smooth, flavorful filling, it’s sure to impress your guests without any oven time. Easy to make ahead and beautifully garnished, this cheesecake combines seasonal spices with a luscious texture.

A round cake with two visible layers sits on a white plate against a white marbled texture. The base layer is a thick, crumbly brown crust, topped by a thick layer of smooth, light beige cream. Around the outer edge of the cream layer, there are dollops of white whipped cream decorated with whole pecans, bright red pomegranate seeds, fresh green mint leaves, and small gingerbread cookies shaped like gingerbread men and stars, some stars iced white on top. Crushed crumbs are sprinkled over the whipped cream, creating a border around the top center of the cake. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

For the crust:

120 g (4 ¼ oz) vegan cookies (such as biscoff)
100 g (3 ½ oz) vegan gingerbread cookies (or extra biscoff cookies to substitute)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
70 g (5 tablespoons) vegan butter

For the filling:

200 g (1 ½ cups) cashews, soaked ahead of time
500 g (17.6 oz) vegan cream cheese
120 g (½ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt
120 ml (½ cup) pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves
1 teaspoon orange zest (without the pith)

Optional garnish:

Vegan whipped cream
Fresh pomegranate seeds
Mint leaves or rosemary sprigs
Pecans
Vegan gingerbread cookies

Instructions

Step 1: Pre-soak the cashews in water for 4 hours or quick-soak them by pouring boiled water over and soaking for 30 minutes. Then rinse and drain. Line the base and sides of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a food processor, combine the vegan cookies, gingerbread cookies, sea salt, and vegan butter. Blitz for a few minutes until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
Step 3: Press the crust mixture evenly into the base of the prepared pan using your fingers or the back of a spoon, ensuring it is compact. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
Step 4: Add all the filling ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Step 5: Pour the filling over the chilled crust in the pan. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight, until fully set.
Step 6: Remove the springform pan carefully and peel away the parchment paper from the sides. If needed, tidy the edges with a cake scraper.
Step 7: Decorate the top with vegan whipped cream, fresh pomegranate, mint or rosemary, pecans, and extra gingerbread cookies as desired before serving.

Tips & Variations

Use gluten-free vegan cookies if you need a gluten-free crust.
For a lighter filling, reduce the vegan cream cheese to 300g and add 55g coconut oil.
Substitute the vegan Greek-style yogurt with vegan sour cream, vegan skyr, firm silken tofu, or very thick coconut yogurt.
To quick-soak cashews, pour boiling water over them and let sit for 30 minutes before draining.
Freeze the cheesecake for about 4 hours to speed up setting; thaw at room temperature for one hour before serving.

Storage

Store the cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If frozen, keep it well wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 1 month. To serve from frozen, let it sit at room temperature for about one hour to soften before slicing.

How to Serve

A single slice of creamy light beige cheesecake with tiny specks is placed on a white round plate, showing its thick smooth filling and a firm medium brown crumb crust at the bottom and side. Beside the cheesecake slice, on the plate's left edge, sits a small gingerbread man cookie with white icing for facial features and buttons. Behind the cookie, there is a dollop of white whipped cream topped with a bright red berry and green fresh mint leaves, adding festive color. The background features soft-focus elements like another slice of cheesecake on a white dish and some green pine branches on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cheesecake nut-free?

This recipe relies on soaked cashews for creaminess, so it’s not suitable for a nut-free diet. You might try experimenting with silken tofu or a blended seed mixture, but results will vary.

Do I have to use vegan cream cheese?

Yes, vegan cream cheese helps achieve the classic cheesecake texture and tang. However, you can reduce the amount and balance with coconut oil if you prefer a lighter filling.