Vegan Peanut Butter Cheesecake
I made this cheesecake for my brother’s birthday the other day. I thought it would be a nice change from a regular birthday cake, plus he likes peanut butter and chocolate and I thought that combo would go so much better in the form of a cheesecake!
This cheesecake is vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
This vegan peanut butter cheesecake has a secret ingredient. Care to guess what it is? Well as the title suggests, there is no ‘cheese’ in this recipe, or any type of dairy for that matter. To make it vegan, I used tofu (yes, TOFU!) instead of cream cheese. I’ve been loving using tofu recently. I try to avoid dairy products as much as I can and since the hubby and I have started reducing our meat intake, tofu has become an essential ingredient in my kitchen. It’s so versatile! I’ve been using it in main meals as a source of protein, in desserts and in baking instead of, or to reduce the amount of oil I use.
To some, tofu may sound like an exotic ingredient that will be almost impossible to get hold of, but in reality, most supermarkets now stock it. You can find it either in the ‘free-from’ section where you usually find the Quorn products or in the international isle where you find Asian foods. I live in the city centre and our main supermarket is tiny and I was still able to find it.
I wanted this vegan peanut butter cheesecake to have a chocolate base, because let’s face it, one of the best things to pair with peanut butter (apart from jam, of course!) is chocolate! Literally all I did was pulse peanuts, dates and cocoa in the food processor with a little bit of coconut oil to help the mixture hold together.
The same with the ‘cheese’ topping, again in the food processor I blended tofu, peanut butter, creamed coconut and sweetener and boom, you have the most gorgeous, rich peanut butter cheesecake topping!
This vegan peanut butter cheesecake is by no means low in calories and it’s definitely not low in fat, however all the ingredients are unprocessed and good for you! It’s full of healthy fats, the kind that you NEED in your diet and to make it lower in carbs I’m using stevia instead of sugar. Of course if you don’t like stevia you can use any other sweetener you prefer!
- 1 cup (140g) peanuts (I used unsalted)
- 1/2 cup (70g) dates
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pack (396g) tofu (I used Cauldron Original Tofu)
- 1/2 cup (125g/6 tbsp) smooth natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (115g/6 tbsp) creamed coconut (coconut butter), melted
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) stevia
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsweetened almond milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
- Add your peanuts to a food processor and blend until you have a flour like consistency.
- Add in your dates then blitz again until the dates and nuts are combined.
- Now add in the coconut oil, cocoa and salt and give it one final blitz.
- Transfer the mixture into an 8" springform pan lined with parchment paper.
- Press the mixture down using your hands or the back of a spoon.
- Place in the freezer for around 30 minutes to set.
- Melt the creamed coconut/coconut butter using the double boiler method - Place your creamed coconut in a heat proof bowl. Bring some water to a gentle simmer in a small pan then place the bowl with the creamed coconut on top (make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl). Stir the creamed coconut until completely melted. Take off the heat and leave to cool down slightly.
- Depending on how firm the tofu you're using is, you may need to drain it first to achieve a firmer cheesecake - using a tea towel or a nut milk bag, squeeze out as much of the excess tofu liquid as possible.
- Place the tofu in the food processor along with the cooled creamed coconut, peanut butter, sweetener, vanilla paste and salt.
- Blend for a few minutes until everything is well combined and you're left with a smooth mixture.
- If the mixture is too thick and sticky, add a tbsp of milk at a time to thin the mixture out. I used around 4 tbsp.
- Take the base out of the freezer then transfer the cheese filling on top. Smooth down using a spatula then place back in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. If you can't wait that long, place it in the freezer for a couple of hours instead. Just make sure you take it out about 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Decorate with some melted chocolate, peanut butter and crushed peanuts.
- Enjoy!
- Nutritional Information (estimated per slice)
- Calories: 306 calories
- Protein: 12.3g
- Carbs: 15.6g
- Fat: 24g
If you liked this recipe you may also like my Raw Strawberry Cheesecake
I’ve never used tofu in my vegan cheesecakes but I think I’ll give this a try!
Tofu is an amazing and versatile ingredient! I particularly love using it in desserts and baking 🙂
Wow, wow, wow!Tofu in a cheesecake is so new to me, but sounds and looks extremely intriguing! 🙂 I will have to make it SOON! 🙂
It sounds odd but it really does work! You can’t taste the tofu but it gives the cheesecake a smooth and velvety texture 🙂
this looks delicious!
Thank you Roz 🙂
Amazing you used tofu! That’s new to me and like you I’ve really been getting into tofu recently. Fabulous recipe, looks divine!
Tofu is amazing, isn’t it!! 😀 It works so well in sweet recipes, especially cheesecake and mousses. Thank you Sarah 🙂
Wow this looks incredible! Can’t believe that’s tofu instead of cheese, what a great idea! Yum.
Thank you Kate 🙂 It really does work so well as a substitute in cheesecake recipes!
Hey just wondering what kind of tofu you used? I’ve been too nervous to try tofu and it turns out there are different types/textures! This looks incredible so I might see if it can bring me out of my tofu phobia…
My gosh, Nadia, this cheesecake looks SO good! LOVE that you lightened it up with tofu!!
I would eat that entire cheesecake–no doubt about it! You used all of my favorite foods to make one big raw and yummy treat! It looks beautiful too!
Wow this looks amazing! I’ve never tried tofu in my raw cakes before, although I must say it looks like it works quite well! I usually just use tons of cashews but I might give this a go and see how it all works out 🙂 x
This would be a huge hit at our home! I am saving this for the special occasion. Is the tofu you used firm or soft?
Beautiful cheesecake, Nadine! I have a peanut butter cheesecake recipe to share soon as well, but mine is quite different. I love that you used tofu in yours — it looks beautiful and delicious <3 Plus it's peanut butter — can't go wrong with that 😛
I am wondering if anyone has actually made this yet … I just made it and the filling tastes terrible. Like so bad I don’t even know if there is any way to save it. I think it is because of the stevia.
This looks utterly, truly incredible. I haven’t had any luck with tofu cheesecakes as yet so will try this one.
I had tried tofu cheesecakes before but without draining the tofu first. It makes such a big difference draining the excess water for a firmer texture 🙂
Can you use coconut oil instead of coconut butter?
I haven’t tried coconut oil myself so I can’t promise it will work. I imagine the texture will be a lot softer. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out 🙂
Can veg oil be used instead of creamed coconut?
Thank you
Should I use normal tofu (hard) or silken tofu (super soft)?
As for the sweetener – should I use maple together with stevia or just one of them?
Thanks