Easy Vegan Basque Cheesecake Recipe (Gluten-Free)
Mar 24, 2024 • Updated Apr 10, 2024
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An easy, creamy, and delicious Vegan Basque Cheesecake made with 8 simple ingredients, a blender, and a springform pan. Unique, and beautiful, with a burnt top, creamy texture, and caramel-y throughout. Also vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and high in protein!
What is Basque Cheesecake
Traditional Basque cheesecakes, or “burnt cheesecake,” are a type of cheesecake from the Basque region of Spain. It has a caramelized exterior and a creamy, custard-like interior.
Unlike traditional cheesecakes, the batter is not mixed thoroughly, resulting in an uneven texture with pockets of air. It’s baked at a high temperature, which caramelizes the sugars and creates a rich, creamy dessert with a unique flavor.
Today, we’re recreating this amazing dessert with a vegan twist! The traditional ingredients are not vegan, however, they’re easy to replace in this recipe. The same creamy delicious flavors, but completely dairy-free, gluten free, and vegan! With a few simple ingredients, this dessert is a true homage to the original!
What Makes This Recipe Great
The EASIEST cheesecake recipe you will ever make, this creamy Vegan Basque Cheesecake Recipe will delight you both in taste and simplicity! In many ways, “basque” or “burnt” cheesecake is kind of like an artsy, throw-it-all-together, the more flawed the better kind of thing. Whereas traditional cheesecake can be quite persnickety, this version is not!
All you need is a blender and a springform pan and voila! Simply blend your ingredients, add to your pan, and bake! Burnt on top? Yep. Crinkly sides? Yep! No need for fussy, smooth, perfectly intact cheesecake here. Just a delicious and beautiful cake, where imperfections are its glamour! Plus, it’s a crustless cheesecake, making the baking time much quicker! (And there’s no water bath!).
If you love vegan cheesecake recipes try this Key Lime Cheesecake Recipe or these Vegan Cheesecake Bars!
Ingredient Notes
- vegan cream cheese of choice
- silken tofu: I opted for silken tofu instead of full-fat coconut milk, coconut cream, or vegan double cream because I love that it gives this cheesecake more protein and amazing texture!
- organic cane sugar
- maple syrup
- fresh lemon juice
- vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- tapioca starch or cornstarch: Note, that tapioca starch is also called tapioca flour. They’re the same thing so don’t worry if you have one with a different name!
- pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and line a springform pan with parchment paper. For a rustic look, don’t worry about any wrinkles or creases in the paper. It adds texture to the exterior of the cake.
- In a blender, combine cream cheese, tofu, sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, tapioca, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. If the quantity is too large for your blender, blend in parts and fold together. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer, but I find that the blender makes the cheesecake super smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baking pan, using a spatula to flatten the surface. Drop the pan onto a counter a few times to get rid of any potential air bubbles then bake at 400F for 50-60 minutes. The top of the cheesecake will start to look burnt, but don’t worry! That’s part of the process (hence, burnt basque cheesecake!).
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool until the pan is cool to the touch, about 3 hours. Then, transfer to the fridge overnight to chill completely to set.
- When ready to serve, slice and enjoy!
Secrets to Success
- If you don’t have a blender, you can try using a food processor, electric mixer, or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. The blender is best for a smooth texture, but any method should work fine.
Serving Tips
To serve, let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, and slice with a warm knife (for easier slicing!).
Enjoy as is or with toppings like fresh blueberries, whipped cream, fruit sauces like strawberry sauce, or a little bit of vegan caramel/chocolate sauce.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Recipe FAQs
Basque cheesecake has a burnt, caramelized exterior and a creamy, custardy middle, while regular cheesecake is smooth and dense throughout.
Basque cheesecake uses less flour and usually includes classic ingredients like heavy cream or sour cream. It’s baked at a high temperature for a shorter time, creating a rustic, cracked appearance and deep caramel color. The flavor is slightly bitter and caramel-like. Regular cheesecake is sweeter, with a more cream cheese flavor, although both will satisfy a sweet tooth!
More Vegan Desserts
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Vegan Basque Cheesecake
Equipment
- high power blender or use a stand mixer
- springform pan 6-8"
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 24 oz vegan cream cheese of choice room temp, I like tofutti or monty's
- 250g silken tofu
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup optional, see notes
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp tapioca or cornstarch
- pinch salt kosher
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and line a springform pan with parchment paper. For a rustic look, don't worry about any wrinkles or creases in the paper. It adds texture to the exterior of the cake.
- In a blender, combine cream cheese, tofu, sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, tapioca and salt. Blend until completely smooth. If the quantity is too large for your blender, blend in parts and fold together.
- Transfer the mixture into the lined baking pan, using a spatula to flatten the surface. Drop the pan onto a counter a few times to get rid of any potential air bubbles then bake at 400F for 50-60 minutes. The top will start to look burnt, but don't worry! That's part of the process.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool until the pan is cool to the touch, about 3 hours. Then, transfer to the fridge overnight to chill completely to set.
- When ready to serve, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Secrets to Success
- If you don’t have a blender, you can try using a food processor, electric mixer, or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. The blender is best for a smooth texture, but any method should work fine.
Serving Tips
To serve, let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, and slice with a warm knife (for easier slicing!). Enjoy as is or with toppings like fresh blueberries, whipped cream, fruit sauces like strawberry sauce, or a little bit of vegan caramel/chocolate sauce.Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
