This bright, lemony, creamy cheesecake is prepared without both dairy ingredients or eggs! That's right: it's a cheeseless cheesecake! Perfect for vegans, those allergic to dairy or eggs, and anyone that loves a good cheesecake, this cake is always a crowd-pleaser. Meyer lemons, which are sweeter than regular lemons, can be found in most supermarkets among the other citrus fruits.

If dairy-free graham crackers are not available, feel free to make a homemade crust like the one in this vegan cheesecake recipe.

See Also

Plain Vegan Cheesecake

Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake

Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

• For the Crust:
• 1 1/4 cup finely ground dairy-free graham cracker crumbs (from either store-bought or homemade graham crackers)
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 5 T. melted dairy-free soy margarine
• For the Filling:
• 4 8-ounce packages dairy-free cream cheese, such as Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
• 1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• Egg Replacer for 4 eggs (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 1/3 cup dairy-free sour cream, such as Tofutti Sour Supreme
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice, from 1 Meyer lemon
• 1 T. fresh grated Meyer lemon peel
• 1 t. lemon extract
• For the Topping:
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 t. fresh Meyer lemon juice
• 1 cup dairy-free sour cream, such as Tofutti Sour Supreme
• 2 Meyer lemons, sliced into 1/4" thick slices
• Vegan Whipped Cream, for serving (optional)

• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes

• Total Time: 120 minutes
• Yield: 1 9" vegan cheesecake

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9" spring-form pan well with dairy-free soy margarine. Set aside.

2. Make the crust. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and white granulated sugar until well combined. Add the melted dairy-free soy margarine and mix until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up 2" of the sides of the prepared pan. Place in the oven for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack while preparing the filling.

3. Make the filling. Using a standing mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the dairy-free cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to mix until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add the Egg Replacer, beating until well combined, followed by the dairy-free sour cream, fresh lemon juice, grated lemon peel, and lemon extract, beating well with each addition and scraping down the sides periodically to ensure even mixing. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for 1-2 hours.

4. Make the topping. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small mixing bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, fresh lemon juice, and dairy-free sour cream, beating until smooth. Spread the topping evenly over the surface of the cooled cake. Place the lemon slices decoratively on top of the cake.

Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for 2 hours to cool completely. Serve the cake cold with Vegan Whipped Cream if desired.