Author: So pretty, so swirly, so creamy, so decadent, so surprisingly easy to make. These vegan red velvet cheesecake bites look fancy pantsy, and while they do have a few steps to make them, I assure you that each and every step is easy to do. These make the perfect Valentine's day gift or special occasion treat.
The buttery chocolate cookie crumb crust is topped with swirls of lemon vegan cheesecake and rich red velvet vegan cheesecake. It's so cool how these bites have the same texture as classic cheesecake but the base is made simply from raw cashews and coconut milk. No weird ingredients!
Make these ahead of time, let them set in the fridge and then serve when ready. Be prepared for applause and to take a bow!
To make vegan red velvet cheesecake bites: crumble the chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor, blender, or by placing them in a sealable bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
In a medium bowl mix together the cookie crumbs with the melted vegan butter. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners then use your spoon or the bottom glass to firmly pack the crumbs down. Bake for 5 minutes then remove from the oven.
Add the softened cashews, coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Divide the cheesecake base evenly among two bowls.
For the lemon swirl: in one bowl add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
For the red velvet swirl: add the cocoa powder and red food colouring to the remaining bowl and mix well. You may need more or less food colouring depending on the intensity of your food colouring, and the desired colour.
To assemble the cheesecake bites: spoon some of the lemon swirl onto the chocolate crusts. Follow with a spoonful of the red velvet swirl. Alternate between the two colours until the cupcake liner is almost full, dividing the cheesecake among all the liners evenly.
For the final touch, use a toothpick to swirl the top layers of colours together in any design you like.
To bake the cheesecakes: bake for 23 - 26 minutes until the cheesecakes are puffy and may have cracked a little. Let cool at room temperature- they will fall a bit as they cool. Finish by letting them cool completely in the fridge to set, minimum 30 minutes.
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Vegan Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites
Servings: cheesecake bites
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Ingredients
For the chocolate crust:
- 1 ½ cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies, (check to make sure they are vegan)
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
For the vegan cheesecake base:
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, softened (see below)
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the lemon swirl:
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
For the red velvet swirl:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vegan red food colouring, (adjust as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin baking pan with 12 cupcake liners or lightly grease it.
- Prepare the Chocolate Crust: Crush the chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor, blender, or by placing them in a sealable bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, mix the cookie crumbs with the melted vegan butter. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners and use a spoon or the bottom of a glass to firmly pack the crumbs down. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Soften the Cashews: Soften the cashews by either boiling or soaking them. (I recommend softening them even if you have a high-powered blender, to ensure that the cheesecake is extra smooth and creamy.)Boil Method: Add cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until tender.Soak Method: Soak cashews in water for 4 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews before using.
- Prepare the Vegan Cheesecake Base: Blend the softened cashews, coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and salt in a blender until smooth. Divide the cheesecake base evenly between two bowls.
- Make the Lemon and Red Velvet Swirls:For the lemon swirl: Mix lemon zest and lemon juice into one bowl of the cheesecake base.For the red velvet swirl: Mix cocoa powder and red food coloring into the other bowl until combined. Adjust the food coloring as needed for the desired color.
- Assemble the Cheesecake Bites: Spoon a layer of the lemon mixture onto the crust in each cupcake liner. Follow with a spoonful of the red velvet mixture. Alternate between the two colors until each liner is nearly full.
- Swirl: Use a toothpick to swirl the top layers into a design of your choice.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 23–26 minutes, until the cheesecakes are puffy and may have slight cracks. Let them cool at room temperature—they will deflate a bit. Once at room temperature, refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes to set completely.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Dawn says
Sam - can you make this as a large cheesecake? what do you think? dawn
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We think you could make it as one large cheesecake, but the baking times would increase. We suggest using the baking times from the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe.
Carrie Xie says
Hi Sam! I saw that you have a sunflower seed cheese recipe. Would I be able to make the cheesecake base with sunflower seeds instead of cashews? TIA!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
I know many of my readers have used raw sunflower seeds in recipes similar to this one, but the recipe hasn't been tested with them. Nothing will be exactly the same as cashews as alternatives will all have slightly different textures and flavours, but it should still be delicious! Enjoy!
John says
Made these for my SB LVII party and everyone loved them. Most were baffled that they were dairy free. I made them low carb also by substituting in monk fruit sweetener and SF wafers. 10/10 will make again!
KatP says
Hi, is the coconut milk the carton one or the tinned one? Thanks
Nancy Cole says
Looks so Yummm! I love Vegan Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites and trying different recipes with red velvet now I will try this. Thanks, for sharing the recipe 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
You're welcome 🙂
Karen says
Can you freeze these?
Caroline says
Hi there! I just made these the other day and tried freezing them! They turned out beautifully after being thawed. Flavour and texture remained the same, and I dare say they even looked a bit prettier than before. I thawed them by putting them in the fridge though, not directly to room temp. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Lea says
I don't know if I've ever tried red velvet! But these little cheesecakes are so pretty I think I'll have to try 🙂
Robin M Foster says
I love vegan cheesecake that is made without baking. I've determined that I'll use a no-bake recipe next time (freezing for "baking" and coconut oil for solidifying) and most of the ingredients and techniques that I learned through tihs recipe. I've tried all kinds of crusts, fillings, etc. The best was the no-bake version that I stuck in the freezer for a few hours and then let thaw. That was made with cashews, also.
These cupcakes are very beautiful and look good aesthetically, I just found them rubbery....and kind of greasy. Maybe I used too much butter or didn't proportion my ingredients properly.
Susan Pearson says
Made these yesterday for my sister, mum and me as a treat with a cup of tea. They were delicious. We nearly finished the whole batch of in one sitting!!
Courtney says
I’m a nurse in Australia who is vegan and I made mini ones for my colleagues... well I’ve never had such a reaction to my baking before!!! Thanks for this awesome recipe. To my fellow Aussies, use a packet of Choc Ripple biscuits with a little extra salted butter for the base x
Kate says
Hi Courtney I am in Australia too! Thanks for the biscuits tip! 🙂
Lixia says
Can I use unsweetened almond milk?
Sue Ali says
Hi Sam, Your cake looks delicious. I am planning work 'bake off!'. I am going to share your velvet cheesecake recipe. Where you have cup measurements, how do I know what size cup to use or do you have gram measurements. As you can tell I am not a baker.
Please advise.
Melody says
These look delicious! Have you ever tried it using beets for the colour?
Holly-Kate says
I used beet powder for the food colouring and it worked great! I mixed it with some water first. Had to use quite a bit to get the colour, but it didn’t affect the taste.
Kelly T. says
What kind or chocolate wafer cookies did you use? Did you use Oreos or something else?
Sam Turnbull says
I used Mr. Christie's brand but any brand will work fine.
Francine says
Delish, made them tonight with my 8 year old.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!
Carin says
Is there a substitute for the coconut? My mom is allergic to dairy and coconuts. My dad is allergic to soy, so am trying to find alternative food options that they can both enjoy
Sam Turnbull says
You could substitute a high-fat non-dairy milk or use homemade cashew cream like in this recipe, but omit the sugar and flavourings. 🙂
Cynthia says
I am very interested in your recipe. I was looking for a baked vegan chocolate vanilla swirl "cheesecake," so I have a few questions. If I eliminate the lemon juice and zest from the lemon layer, does it taste good as a vanilla layer? I presume I can simply eliminate the food coloring for a regular chocolate-colored (and flavored) layer. I was also interested in making a full size cheesecake. Does this recipe do well baked in a full sized pan, or should I stick with mini-cheesecakes? I would like at least a moderately tall cheesecake if I go with the full size pan. So, I was wondering if this recipe works well in that application, and what would be the modified baking times?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Cynthia, I would recommend using my plain or classically flavour full-sized cheesecake recipe that is in my cookbook. Hope that helps!
Kat says
Hey, Sam! Could I use blanched almonds instead of cashews? If so, would I prepare them the same way?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Kat, yes and yes. They might need a little longer boiling time to soften. ENjoy!
Paola says
hello, I love a lot of your recipes, but I run into a problem: I can't have cashews or peanuts due to gout. What can I do ? Can I substitute other nuts or grains or? And still have the same results?
Please help.
I really like your dedications when you say you answer ALL QUESTIONS !
Thank you so much Paola
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Paola! You can use blanched almonds or macadamia nuts, either of those will work pretty well. Other than that, I know many of my readers have used raw sunflower seeds in recipes similar to this one. You can see my sunflower seed cheese recipe as an example. Nothing will be exactly the same as cashews as they all have slightly different textures and flavours, but they should still be delicious! Enjoy 🙂
Ariyana says
Hey Sam.. I love using your recipes as a go to because everything always turns out so great! I want to try this recipe but unfortunately, I do not have a blender, what else could I do/use to smooth the cashew mixture? Thanks in advance!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Ariyana! Do you have a food processor? That should work ok. If you don't have any kind of blending device I'm afriad it might be pretty difficult to recreate this recipe. Sorry I can't be more help!
Ariyana says
One more question, Sam. If I make this cheesecake base but instead of doing red velvet could it be plain?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes you can omit the cocoa and food colouring if you prefer. I do have a classic plain cheesecake recipe in my cookbook if that's what you're looking for. Enjoy!
Ariyana says
I finally made this recipe since I now have a blender lol, they turned out great but now that I reread the recipe, Did you mean confectioners sugar or regular sugar when you said white sugar? I used regular..
Sam Turnbull says
Granulated or "regular" sugar. Enjoy!
Yulca says
I'm too lazy to clean my blender, so ever since I read in a comment (I think it was on your nacho cheese?) that someone used natural cashew butter from a jar, that's what I've been doing. I simply use half of what the recipe asks for (e.g. 1 cup cashews => 0.5 cup cashew butter). Works fine for me!
Yulca says
Then I use my immersion blender or combine everything by hand, depending on the recipe.
Claire says
Hi Sam!
Love your recipes and your sparkly, inspiring cheeriness and passion!
I live in England and I don't think we have wafer cookies here (our version of wafers is different!). Do you think Oreos without the cream centre would work?
Ta very muchly!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Claire! Yes, those would work perfectly as I believe the chocolate part of an oreo are exactly the same as wafers! Save the oreo filling and stir it into ice cream, yum! 🙂