Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

Blueberry Lime Cheesecake (Vegan & Paleo)

June 9, 2016 /

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The viral sensation: BLUEBERRY LIME ‘Cheesecake’! Amazingly creamy and delicious without cream cheese, dairy or eggs. 

6 years and hundreds of reviews later, it’s still one of the most popular recipes on my site!  (No-Bake, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo & Vegan)Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

Purple Desserts: So Pretty!

Isn’t it AMAZING? This gorgeous shade of lavender? And it’s 100% natural. Colored with fruit! 

It’s no secret I am a little bit OBSESSED with purple. (I even named my daughter Violet 😉 After witnessing the MAGIC of this blueberry whipped cream (OMG it’s GORGEOUS) I had to try more blueberry recipes. Enter: the prettiest purple CHEESECAKE.

This is NOT a conventional cheesecake filled with refined sugar, bleached flour and dairy. So much healthier! Cheesecake that’s secretly good for you. YES.

I love eating these dairy-free cheesecakes because they make me feel GOOD afterward– not like I just ate a sugar bomb. Ya know what I mean? This cheesecake is full of PROTEIN, FIBER, and NUTRIENTS. And hello, healthy fats! My body rejoices instead of rebels. 🙂 Love it.

And that in a nutshell (no pun intended!) is the meaning in Pretty Pies – pretty on the outside, pretty for your insides.

Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

The No-Bake Crust

The crust is one of my absolute favorites. It tastes like a chewy cookie!

It’s made with a mix of nuts and dates and it literally takes less than 5 minutes to make. Awesome!

Simply pulse together your choice of nuts and pitted dates until sticky crumbles form (careful not to over-process) in a food processor. Then press it into a pan lined with parchment for easy removal. 

That’s it – no baking! No cooking. You can set it in the fridge while you make the filling.

The Dairy-Free Blueberry Filling

The cheesecake layers are SO decadent and CREAMY. I promise you won’t miss the dairy.

I actually like vegan cheesecakes better than conventional ones. Plus, you don’t have to bake the filling either! Woohoo!

It’s made with the magic of CASHEWS – the ultimate dairy/cream cheese replacer. 

Cashews have a neutral flavor and buttery taste, and can actually be blended with water into a rich creamy dessert!

How to Make Vegan Cheesecake 

To make the filling, you’ll need to soak your cashews in a bowl of filtered water for a minimum of 8 hours. Then drain, rinse and shake dry. Soaking helps soften and plump up the cashews as they absorb water. 

The next part is super simple – blend! You’ll need a food processor (I use this one) Or a really good blender.

Blend until the cashews are completely smooth with no lumps, then scoop out 1/2 of the mixture onto your crust. 

Add blueberries to the mixture and blend again. And smooth over the white layer.

The filling needs to chill to set – about 4-6 hours or until it feels firm to the touch. Then it’s ready! So simple!

Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

Epic Flavor Pairing

Blueberry and lime are one of my favorite pairings. They’re so complementary and enhance each other’s flavor.

You can add in as much zest as you want to really make the lime flavor shine. Taste and adjust as you go.. (part of the fun of making them.)

If you haven’t tried this flavor combo before, add some lime zest the next time you make blueberry muffins. Sooo good. (Lemon works, too!) Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

The Viral Sensation

UPDATE: I had no idea that over 22 MILLION people across the globe would see this video and MILLIONS would visit my website. And now 6 years later, it’s STILL one of my most raved about recipes. 

Thank you for stopping by Pretty Pies! And thank you to Goodful for creating a video of this recipe! 

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! Tag me on Insta @emily.likes.food or leave a comment and or rating below!

Blueberry Lime Vegan Cheesecake | Pretty Pies

Blueberry Lime Cheesecake {Vegan, GF, Paleo}

Tangy, creamy, berrylicious no-bake cheesecake you won't believe is healthy!
4.16 from 25 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Emily

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Crust:

  • 3/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1 cup medjool dates
  • 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans - or extract
  • Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
  • Splash of water - if needed to help blend

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:

Instructions

To make the crust:

  • Pulse ingredients in food processor until sticky crumbles form. Add a splash of water at the end if it needs help sticking. Press crust into a parchment-lined 7" springform pan.

To make the lime cheesecake layer:

  • The night before, soak cashews in a bowl of water. The next day, drain and rinse. Place cashews in food processor and blend for several minutes until smooth. Scrape down sides and add lime juice, 1/4 cup sweetener, zest, & vanilla & blend again. Stream in the melted coconut oil & blend until well combined. Taste and add more sweetener, if needed.
  • Scoop out enough of the cheesecake filling to cover the crust with about 1/2 to 1 inch of the white layer. Then set in freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.

To make the blueberry cheesecake layer:

  • Add 1 cup blueberries to the remaining cheesecake in your food processor and blend until smooth. If your blueberries are tart, you may need a couple more tsp sweetener.
  • Spread the blueberry layer on top of lime layer and decorate with fresh blueberries and lime zest.
  • Cover with foil and set in the freezer for about 3 hours to firm up and then transfer to the fridge for a couple more hours.

Notes

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small percentage at no additional cost to you.
I used a 7" springform pan to make this cheesecake tall and pretty. If you use a larger pan, your layers and cake will be flatter/shorter.
Frozen fruit has a different water content and I'm not sure how it would work in this recipe. But if you do use frozen, thaw it first.
It should last about a week refrigerated and a month frozen. If frozen, set out at room temp for about 30 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Tag @emily.likes.food #prettypies!

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269 Comments

  • Shannon

    July 4, 2016 at 9:51 pm Reply

    I am confused. It says you can’t cut it when it’s refrigerated, only frozen? How do you serve it? Cut it into slices once frozen and then refrigerate the already cut pieces

    • Emily

      July 4, 2016 at 9:55 pm Reply

      I recommend cutting it after has thawed in the fridge for a few hours. It’s difficult to slice if it’s frozen solid 🙂 sorry for the confusion

  • Camryn

    December 31, 2016 at 10:23 pm Reply

    Make me laugh MAO. Since when did cheesecakes
    ever have meat in them. They were ALWAYS vegan.
    Same with gluten free when products NEVER had gluten in them at all.

    • Tina B

      January 23, 2017 at 5:25 am Reply

      If you use biscuits to make the cheese cake base, it would have gluten in it : )

      I have made a cheese cake like that once and it was a-mazing. I took it to neighbours, but just in case they didn’t like it, I also took a shop bought dessert. Everybody loved the cheese cake so much, that the shop bought dessert wasn’t even touched and I was asked to make the cheese cake again soon!

    • Olivia

      May 6, 2017 at 11:43 am Reply

      Making ME LMAO!! Vegan means no animal products at all. So, in essence, no true *cheese* cake can be vegan.

      I just popped my finished product into the freezer. Used pistachios instead of almonds, and pecans for the walnuts, because I was out. Taste tested the crust- awesome!

      Thanks for the recipe!

      • Sondra

        June 20, 2018 at 11:29 am Reply

        Why are people nit-picking? Mock meats and cheeses are a way for vegan people to enjoy the taste and texture without sacrificing their beliefs. So yes, a cheese can be vegan if it’s made without dairy.

  • Jennifer

    February 8, 2017 at 7:36 am Reply

    I love this recipe, it’s better than I thought it would be. My first time making a vegan cheesecake and was pleasantly surprised. I am wondering about neutritional facts tho. Do you know them? Thanks for the great recipe!

    • Emily

      February 8, 2017 at 7:56 am Reply

      I’m so glad you love it, Jennifer! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m glad when I can concert a skeptic, lol.

      I don’t have the nutritional data but you can go to MyFitnessPal.com and it will analyze it for you.

    • Linda

      May 17, 2017 at 8:06 pm Reply

      I think based on a quick calculation of the recipe as written, and based on 12 slices per cake, each slice is approximately 328 calories. I think.

  • Sarah Brianni

    March 24, 2017 at 8:32 am Reply

    Hello my name is Sarah Brianni
    I live in Adelaide / South Australia
    Any way I made this cake tonight ( 24 – 3 – 2017 ) for my family and they loved it.

    I can’t believe how yummy it is.
    I loved it too. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ If you have any other vegan cake OR any other vegan things that would be great

  • Karin

    March 26, 2017 at 7:13 pm Reply

    This cheesecake looks amazing! I’m allergic to cashews and coconut. I was wondering if I could substitute them for almonds and another oil?

  • Vrinda

    March 27, 2017 at 9:13 am Reply

    I made this yesterday – served today and I’m reeling from how delicious it was. The best vegan dessert I’ve made. The best vegan dessert I’ve eaten.

    • Emily

      March 27, 2017 at 3:13 pm Reply

      For the crust, you could try oats or coconut shreds if he tolerates those. I don’t have a good replacement for the cashews, although some have made vegan cheesecakes using silken tofu or dayia cream cheese. I’ve never tried those products myself, so I can’t say for sure if they would work the same.. but maybe!

  • Linda

    April 12, 2017 at 12:58 am Reply

    Made it and loved it! I did put a lot more lime zest in the top layer as I wanted it to be more tangy. In fact I just put in the whole half of lime with the peel on in addition to juice. I posted a photo of this cake on my social media and everyone is asking for a recipe, so I am spreading the word 🙂 Thank you for a great recipe, will definitely be making this again.
    https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154694724054514&id=733689513&set=a.10151370455779514.1073741825.733689513

    • Emily

      April 12, 2017 at 7:11 am Reply

      So glad you loved it!! ☺️ your idea about the lime sounds great! Yum! Did you use a vitamix to blend it?
      I can’t seem to get your photo to open, but thanks for sharing! You can tag my fb page Pretty Pies

    • Rachel

      September 2, 2019 at 1:34 am Reply

      I’m happy I was reading through the comments before asking my question which was if I can use the whole lime instead of juicing and zesting it.

    • JoAnna

      January 22, 2020 at 12:53 am Reply

      5 stars
      I absolutely love this recipe. It is stunning, simple to make and a huge success. I follow it just as written. A favorite go to for a delicious, gorgeous, vegan dessert

  • Dawn

    April 13, 2017 at 8:12 am Reply

    I’m not a vegan myself, but I believe honey as an ingredient would be considered a vegan sin! This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.

  • Alan

    April 18, 2017 at 10:23 pm Reply

    Made it with frozen blueberries and came out fine and yummy. Very rich but healthy at the same time. I like the 3 different textures and taste.

  • Christina

    April 25, 2017 at 5:43 pm Reply

    I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it out today. I can’t believe it looks as good as it does! Can’t wait to try the other cakes with avocado that also look amazing. Thanks for the recipes 🙂

    • Emily

      May 4, 2017 at 7:10 am Reply

      Kim, coconut oil solidifies below 76 degrees. You must live someplace warm 😉 My oil is always like a firm butter consistency, so I have to melt it into liquid

  • Ashila

    June 4, 2017 at 5:23 pm Reply

    This cake looks really good, but please stop using cups and give me grams! I’m a perfectionist and a chemist, so I can’t work with “cups”.. that is not accurate enough.

    So do you happen to have the recipe in grams for me?

  • Helen

    June 4, 2017 at 6:03 pm Reply

    This tastes as good as it looks. Delicious with the lime keeping it fresh and summery. I am not vegan but I do like to indulge in a healthy dessert – though will confess that I had it with a dollop of cream and it was heavenly.

  • Brianna

    June 4, 2017 at 9:22 pm Reply

    Do you think I could sub strawberries for blueberries and lemon for lime? This looks fantastic and strawberries are in season here.

    • Emily

      June 6, 2017 at 12:27 pm Reply

      Absolutely! I have done that many times 🙂 you can make them in a muffin pan or mini springform pans. I recommend using parchment cake wrappers so they’re easy to pop out.

  • Bonnie MacEvoy

    June 6, 2017 at 4:51 pm Reply

    Nutrition Facts
    Servings: 12
    Per Serving % Daily Value*
    Calories 353
    Total Fat 24.7g 32%
    Saturated Fat 8g 40%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Cholesterol 0mg 0%
    Sodium 5mg 0%
    Potassium 331mg 7%
    Total Carb 31.3g 10%
    Dietary Fiber 3.4g 12%
    Sugars 20.3g
    Protein 7.2g
    Vitamin A 0% · Vitamin C 6%
    Calcium 3% · Iron 13%
    *Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
    Recipe analyzed by

    • Andrea

      June 9, 2017 at 12:03 pm Reply

      Thank you Bonnie, very useful! This information is highly requested now days, a lot of people, like me, use the “macros” for daily basis in order to choose and plan the food they eat for the days, for me is very high in fats (total for the day 40gr) so I will make it for my fam

  • Eve

    June 7, 2017 at 10:24 am Reply

    Hello
    I’m from Finland and I try to change your cups to milligrams. Is it your cup 240 ml or 280ml? The cake looks so good 🙂

  • trinka

    June 10, 2017 at 10:25 am Reply

    I made this and brought it into work for them to try. Most liked it. Said it had a unique taste and textures. I thought it was really good. Would like to know the calories. I will be making it again next week for a rehearsal dinner party. Might try and make 2 of them and see how the blackberries taste. It turned out just like your photo. GREAT RECIPE!!!

    • Emily

      June 10, 2017 at 10:31 am Reply

      I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback! Please let me know how the blackberries turn out! Yum

      One tip on the blackberries.. I would blend those separately in a small blender and strain out the seeds so the texture is smoother.

      For the nutrition facts, Bonnie commented with them the other day. 353 calories I think? Scroll through and you should see it 🙂

  • Erika Tucker

    June 10, 2017 at 11:24 am Reply

    Best dessert ever… thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. Substituted pecans for the walnuts (didn’t have them in stock) for the crust and they worked well too.

    Excited to try out your other recipes – cheers to excellent ingredients that contribute to good health.

    • Emily

      June 10, 2017 at 11:26 am Reply

      Thanks Erika! So happy to hear you liked it!

      Yes, any nut can be substituted! Pecans sound amazing. I must try that next time.

      Hope you enjoy the recipes

    • Emily

      June 10, 2017 at 1:16 pm Reply

      Oh no! I would think a vitamix would handle it no problem. I use a basic cuisinart food processor.

      You did soak the cashews first, right? It’s not exactly nut butter, but nut… cream? Lol

      I’m glad you thought it was delicious! ☺️

  • Camille

    June 12, 2017 at 10:40 am Reply

    I made this today – it’s in the final freezer stage! My backyard garden is overflowing with strawberries and herbs, so I swapped the blueberry-lime for strawberry-Meyer lemon and added fresh basil. I don’t have a final product yet, but the mix was delicious. I happened to have some incredible vanilla from a recent trip to Mexico and the combo of high-quality vanilla with the creamy Meyer lemon is unreal. The basil was a gamble, but it totally paid off. Thank you for this excellent, super easy recipe!

    • Emily

      June 12, 2017 at 10:44 am Reply

      Wow that sounds amazing!! Jealous of your Meyer lemons! And basil and Mexican vanilla! Yum!! Please let me know how it turns out post a pic on my facebook page so I can see

  • Lindsay

    June 12, 2017 at 12:17 pm Reply

    I am making this to take as my birthday “cake” to a family celebration tomorrow! I am really excited to see how it turns out! I love that you mentioned how this is a MUCH healthier option than buying or making something with lots of sugar and loads of processed ingredients. That is why I am making it! Just a couple quick questions—How long do the cashews have to actually soak? At least 8 hours? Also, I don’t have a food processor yet. Can I use my blender perhaps? Thanks so much!

    • Emily

      June 12, 2017 at 12:22 pm Reply

      Hey Lindsay! Some people say they soak only 4 or 6 hours, but I do mine overnight just to be sure. 8 hours is probably plenty.

      If you have a powerful blender that will definitely work for the filling. For the crust, it might work, too! Maybe do short pulses so it doesn’t turn into almond butter, ha.

      Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! And Happy Birthday!!

  • sandi

    June 12, 2017 at 1:18 pm Reply

    Haahahaaa Why would anyone allergic to nuts etc even look at this recipe and try substituting??? just look for another recipe!! Well done for taking time to invent this. I’m not vegan, but just LOVE nuts and good things…I am going to try this just for the great ideas with nuts and dates and creaming cashews…I’m pretty sure I can convert into other tasty things……..

    • Cara Ziegel

      June 14, 2018 at 4:45 pm Reply

      Agree with sandi – as someone cooking for a family with easily 20 different food allergies and sensitivities, I have no idea why people with nut allergies would ask for a way to make this without nuts when the bulk of the recipe is nuts!

      I made this last year (tho I used a different crust recipe), and my boys and I loved it – but hubby did not. He doesnt like creamy things in general, tho, – not even ice cream! I’m planning to make it again tomorrow, anyways, now that blueberries are back in season!

  • Satu

    June 12, 2017 at 10:48 pm Reply

    Hi Finnish Eve,

    If you managed to do the measurements in grams, pls share. Would greatly appreciate!
    Will defo try the cake. Sounds delicious thank you!!
    Satu from Finland

  • Cara Ziegel

    June 15, 2017 at 7:44 pm Reply

    This showed up on facebook recently – probably why there are so many new posts here. I made it today – i was pretty sure I was going to hate it, but I didnt, I loved it! Everyone in the family ate it!

    I made a few changes because I’m just not that health-oriented lol. I subbed 2 tb coconut oil and 4 tb sugar in place of the dates, and baked the crust for 5 minutes. I added a dash of sweet sherry and a pinch of salt to the filling because I felt like it was missing something. And i threw in an unmeasured amount of sugar (probably 2 tb?) with the blueberries. Oh, and no decorative toppings!

    Thank you!!

    • Emily

      June 16, 2017 at 10:36 am Reply

      Possibly… depends on your blender. If it’s a good one, I think it would work just fine.

      However, a standard blender may not get the filling as smooth, and might struggle to blend the nuts/dates for the crust.

      If you try with a blender, let me know how it goes! 🙂

  • Afton

    June 16, 2017 at 3:27 pm Reply

    I’ve got my cashews soaking right now! Making this for my own little Birthday get together I’m having tomorrow. Question for you: would/could one substitute the maple syrup/honey for agave? I’m using maple this time, and we don’t eat honey, but I’m just curious to know if it may also work. I think agave tends to be a little more sweet.
    Thanks for sharing this recipe! Excited to try it!

    • Emily

      June 16, 2017 at 3:44 pm Reply

      Yay! Enjoy! 🙂
      Yes, agave can be subbed, but I’m not sure of the exact amount. You may need a little less. Taste and adjust, & then add some milk (almond/cashew/etc) to make up for the missing liquid.

  • Aarika

    June 19, 2017 at 8:13 pm Reply

    I’m allergic to dairy and soy, so I was excited when I saw this recipe. All I can say is WOW!! I am blown away by the flavor palette of this vegan cheesecake! I just made it tonight and have only taste tested each layer. OH.EM.GEE!! Seeing I’m, also, allergic to almonds I used more walnuts and added about 5-6 figs (stems removed). I did almost double the zest, did 1 & 1/2 cup blueberries and did a blend of raw honey and Pure Vermont Maple Syrup (a requirement since I’m a Vermonter). I can’t wait to sample a piece with the layers together!!

  • Isabelle

    June 20, 2017 at 3:22 am Reply

    Hi Emily !
    I cooked this “blueberry lime cheesecake” the last week and I really fall in love with your cake !
    It is amazing, tasty and lovely !
    My family (who is not casein, gluten and egg intolerant like me) also like it. It’s a real success and I’m impatient to try an other cake (I salivate at the prospect of trying all your recipes 🙂 ) .
    Thank you very much to share your recipes ! It is so nice to find desserts I can eat and I can really appreciate.

    (I’m sorry if my english is not perfect, I’m from France and I am not used to write in english)

  • Vyshali

    June 20, 2017 at 1:14 pm Reply

    Hi emily this is my first cake and i want to make it tomorrow for my hubby birthday i want to know the measurement in grms in previous comments somewhere u told 110grms and in another u told its 240grms . Can u tell me excat in grms ?

    • Emily

      June 20, 2017 at 2:19 pm Reply

      Hi there! I’m sorry I’m not sure of the grams. All I know is my liquid measuring cup says 250ml=1 cup. Maybe google can convert it for you?

  • Sarah

    June 23, 2017 at 12:20 am Reply

    Hi Emily,
    I have just made this and its in the fridge as I type (freezer too full to place it in there). I am not a vegan, however I do like experiementing with foods for gut health. For those who are wondering – I made this in individual serves using silicon cupcake moulds and it made 12 perfectly. I used my Ninja Smoothie maker which was very fiddly and required alot of starting, stopping and scraping – but I got there in the end. (may have to invest in a proper foodprocessor). Looking forward to tasting them tonight.

    Thanks for the blog – very interesting to see your combinations for the bases on the different ‘cheesecakes’ you make.

    • Emily

      June 23, 2017 at 8:01 am Reply

      Hey Sarah, Thank you for the info! Good to know! I bet they look really cute in individual servings. Share a picture over at facebook.com/emilysprettypies ! I hope you enjoy them ☺️

  • JoEllen

    June 27, 2017 at 7:55 pm Reply

    I made this for my contribution to a potluck. I was rather embarrassed by the bland flavor of the filling. It looked like the picture but the flavor was overwhelmed by the coconut oil and honey. It never got smooth in my Kitchen-Aid food processor. If eaten in the dark, one could identify a little lime but that was it. I may take those 2 flavors and try another recipe using them.

    • Emily

      June 27, 2017 at 8:00 pm Reply

      Sorry it didn’t work for you. 🙁
      If you use honey, that can have a strong flavor. A very light wildflower honey might work well. I prefer maple syrup for that very reason- not a fan of the strong flavor of honey.
      I’m not sure what happened with the lime. With plenty of zest, there is quite a bit of lime flavor. Maybe the honey covered it up?

  • Andrea

    June 27, 2017 at 9:10 pm Reply

    Thank you for this fabulous recipe! Loved the flavor, texture, everything! However, I must invest in a food processor Blender didn’t work, ended up using a stick blender as well as the mini-chopper attachment that came with it. Took a long time to make but we’ll worth it!

  • Ella

    June 29, 2017 at 5:55 pm Reply

    Hi Emily:

    I just finished making your delicious looking vegan blueberry cheesecake. I’m happy to see you answer comments so -at the risk of sounding like an idiot- the recipe called for lining the pan with parchment, whereas the video didn’t seem to show that. Now that the cake is in the freezer for the next 3 hours, I’m wondering what happens to the paper lining the pan when you serve the cake? Can you remove it before serving?

    • Emily

      June 29, 2017 at 5:58 pm Reply

      I use the parchment to lift the cake and gently slide it off onto a cake stand/plate. OR sometimes I leave the parchment under there and trim off the excess. Either way works 🙂
      I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it turns out.

  • Linda

    June 30, 2017 at 8:45 am Reply

    Hi Emily! I just finished making this recipe. . .and so far. . .so good! My question is. . .do you think it is ok to leave it in the freezer for a couple of days. . .and then place in fridge before serving? I needed to make ahead. Thank you so much for your help!

  • Andreia

    July 9, 2017 at 10:46 am Reply

    Thank you so much for this beautiful work Emily. I’m a dessert lover but always try to be healthy. I just made this amazing cheesecake and it was simply fantastic! I fully recommend, it is quite easy to make. The recipe is very well explained, I followed and now I have a delicious cake exactly like the one in the picture. I will never eat the real and unhealthy cheesecake again. I’m looking forward to try another recipe from you. thanks a lot dear.

  • Levi

    July 11, 2017 at 12:52 am Reply

    My sister in law is vegan and Id like to make this for her birthday that’s coming up. Is there a substitute for dates in the crust? They have too much sugar in them and some of the family won’t be able to eat them due to health reasons. Thanks! This does looks absolutely delicious!

    • Emily

      July 11, 2017 at 7:12 am Reply

      Yes there is a sub: 1 Tbs coconut oil. I just made it the other day. I used 2 cups of pecans. Blend up the nuts and coconut oil in your food processor and add a splash of water at the end. Don’t forget the salt–makes a big difference 🙂 Hope that helps!

  • Mmybaird

    July 24, 2017 at 10:47 pm Reply

    What kind of food processor do you use? I had to make the crust in several batches using a small electric chopper and a vitamix to make the filling-kind of a pain.
    I am in the middle of making this now and I keep nibbling on the crust!! So good!

    • Emily

      July 24, 2017 at 10:53 pm Reply

      It’s a cuisinart. Has held up really well. I link to my exact model at prettypies.com/shop
      Oh yes, that crust. I LOVE the crust. I make it just to eat on its own. Press it into a loaf pan lined with parchment, chill and then you can easily cut it into bars. Also delish with coconut and or chocolate chips
      Hope you enjoy the cheesecake!

    • Emily

      July 28, 2017 at 4:14 pm Reply

      Hi Rachel! Usually about 6 hours is good. They should be plump and very soft.
      You can also soak them in hot water for 2 hours to speed up the process ☺️ I heat mine in a kettle and pour it over the cashews when it reaches a boil. Then leave it to soak.

  • Sitara

    August 31, 2017 at 2:59 pm Reply

    Just popped one in freezer. I made with frozen strawberries. Didn’t find fresh ones. Really hoping it will be good. As I know frozen strawberries has different water content. Finger crossed. Thanks for the recipe. Cheers.

  • Maggy

    September 15, 2017 at 2:55 pm Reply

    Hi there! I was wondering if you could soak the cashews in boiling water for a few hours instead of overnight? I saw that in a recipe somewhere and thought it was from the Goodful video about this one but apparently not. I was thinking about making this tonight.

    • Emily

      September 15, 2017 at 2:57 pm Reply

      Yes!! You absolutely can. I discovered that a few months ago. Definite time saver. Bring a pot of water to boil, turn off the heat & add the cashews. Soak for about 2 hours, until they are softened. Hope you enjoy the cheesecake!

  • Avia

    September 19, 2017 at 9:59 am Reply

    Hello! I wanna make this cheese cake and I really dislike coconut. I saw you said it cant be replaced but I wondered may it be replaced by a vegan butter?
    Thanks, its looks reallllly good!

    • Emily

      September 19, 2017 at 10:03 am Reply

      Hi Avia! I’m not certain about vegan butter since I’ve never used it before. You would need something that hardens when chilled. You could try palm oil, or what about refined coconut oil (no coconut flavor)

  • Jennifer

    September 20, 2017 at 11:36 am Reply

    Hello! I want to try it but I don’t have vanilla extract. What do you think? And would it be still tasty if I use lemon zest instead of lime? (Can’t find any at the grocery!!) Thx a lot!!

  • Ida

    September 21, 2017 at 8:19 pm Reply

    I made this pie two days ago for a dinner party. It was delicious and everyone loved it. There was only one problem. When I put it in the freezer, it was beautifully purple, and when I took it out, it had turned a brownish color. Any idea why this happened and how I can avoid it in the future?

    • Emily

      September 21, 2017 at 9:21 pm Reply

      Oh ok. Well below is the email I sent. Was the inside still purple? I’ve never heard of the color turning brown and have never experienced that myself. Just the color fading a little bit. :/ I’m sorry.
      __
      Hi Ida!

      I’m sorry that happened. My initial thought is that the color will return when it thaws. The cake will be lighter after it sets because the coconut oil solidifies. Also freezing can dull the color little bit sometimes, but it shouldn’t be brown.

      Have you transferred it to the fridge after the initial couple of hours in the freezer for it to thaw some?

      Or was it frozen a long time? Was it wrapped tightly in foil? Were there any changes to the recipe, such as using frozen blueberries?

      After it’s thawed in the fridge, take another peek and see how the color looks.

      Another thing is that the top of the cake might have dulled, but the inside should still be a pretty purple.

      I hope it’s still pretty for your party! But at least it should still taste good 🙂

      Let me know how it turns out!

      Emily Spain
      PrettyPies.com

  • Ida

    September 21, 2017 at 9:37 pm Reply

    I forgot to put foil on and only remembered after it had been in the freezer about an hour and a half. Maybe that’s what happened. The pie was lavender/brown, closer to brown, through and through.I like purple too, so I was disappointed. But no one seemed to notice but me. I also had a lot of lime zest and three circular rows of berries on top, so they obscured the color. I will still make it again because it was so good! Four of my guests were vegan, so they were very appreciative, and the non-vegans loved it too. I served it with fresh whipped coconut milk.

    • Emily

      September 21, 2017 at 10:04 pm Reply

      Maybe that was it! I’m sorry about the color. Would be disappointed, too. But I’m glad you and your guests enjoyed the taste. It sounds like you made it look beautiful with the garnishes

      I had some ideas to make it more purple next time:
      – Make sure to use raw cashews, since they are lighter than roasted ones.
      – Make the vanilla layer larger, so there is a higher concentration of blueberries on the top layer.
      – Use clear vanilla extract
      – Keep tightly covered at all times.

      The color also may depend on the type of blueberries you use. I’ve seen a wide variety of shades of purple all from the same recipe. Adding in some blackberries will make a beautiful magenta/purple color, too!

      Hope that helps! Good luck

  • Susan

    October 9, 2017 at 11:20 am Reply

    I just made this, and judging from the batter I licked off the spatula, it’s gonna be goooooooood.

    I realized after I had popped it in the freezer that I completely forgot to add the coconut oil, though. I’m guessing that just means it won’t gel as well once it cools.

    • Emily

      October 9, 2017 at 11:28 am Reply

      Yeah it’s going to be more like blueberry pudding! The coconut oil is what holds it together. Hope you still enjoy it though. Maybe serve it in a bowl with the crust crumbled on top

  • Marfha

    October 21, 2017 at 8:12 pm Reply

    Is it really vegan if you use honey? I want to give it a go for a party where there will be a few vegans but I’m concerned about the honey. Is there a good substitute for the honey?

      • Kp

        November 12, 2017 at 3:19 pm Reply

        To be honest, I did not soak the raw cashews since everyone says that if you use a vitamix, then that step isn’t necessary… maybe it was?! They are raw cashews and I haven’t added the blueberries yet since I didn’t think it looked right… they are fresh blueberries 🙂

    • Emily

      November 17, 2017 at 6:41 am Reply

      No food coloring. I’m sorry the color didn’t turn out the way you wanted. It seems that everyone’s cakes are a little different, maybe because of different varieties of blueberries. ?
      Did you cover it tightly in foil before freezing? Follow the recipe exactly? Was your maple syrup the dark kind? Those factors can affect the color. Hope you still enjoy the taste! 🙂

  • Elise

    December 9, 2017 at 6:59 am Reply

    I’m looking to make this as a gift for the trainers at the gym I go too, I was thinking of making the same amount but In muffin trays to make mini individual ones (mainly so I can steal a few slices haha), would this work? If so what other flavours can you recommend apart from the blueberries so I can do a mixture of flavours 🙂 Elise x

    • Emily

      December 9, 2017 at 7:15 am Reply

      Yes a muffin tin works great! I have done that many times. I use a silicone muffin pan for easy removal.

      A great swap for blueberry is strawberry, but I would reduce the lime juice by 1 Tbs, since they have more juice than blueberries. You could also do mango or cherry! Or leave it as key lime and add more lime zest. It’s fun to decorate with berries or pomegranate on top, or even a chocolate drizzle. Get creative 😉 Hope you all enjoy!

  • Melinda

    December 19, 2017 at 10:56 am Reply

    i made this last weekend and it came out great. I replaced strawberries for the blueberries and it still came out great. Also, I recommend serving the pie the next day as the flavors really do marinate and come through over the night. I am going to try the key lime cheesecake for XMAS! Love the recipes and the website. Thanks!

  • Melinda

    December 19, 2017 at 10:57 am Reply

    i made this last weekend and it came out great. I replaced strawberries for the blueberries. Also, I recommend serving the pie the next day as the flavors really do marinate and taste better the next day. I am going to try the key lime cheesecake for XMAS! Love the recipes and the website. Thanks!

  • Emma

    December 23, 2017 at 10:09 am Reply

    Hi Emily,

    Thanks so much for this recipe! I just prepared it for my family for our Christmas dinner dessert, and it is now chilling in the Freezer! I think it turned out well!!

    Just a word of wisdom to anyone out there who might be dreaming of making this with a high power BLENDER instead of a food processor (as I did). It is kind of possible, but it takes FOREVER, with a lot of tamping and pulsing, and it is difficult to get the smooth texture you really should have for this recipe. I added in a little extra lime juice, sweetener and coconut oil to help it blend. I would also recommend next time starting with ground almonds for the base, not whole almonds (just for the Blender folk!!)
    Bottom line, if you could possibly buy, borrow or steal a food processor, you will do a lot better and save yourself a lot of hassle!

    Emma
    (Who is dreaming of owning a food processor!)

    • Emily

      December 23, 2017 at 12:00 pm Reply

      Hi Emma! Thanks for sharing all your tips! Those will be helpful for the blender folks Yeah a good processor makes it really quick and easy. Glad you got it to work though.

      Hope you and your family enjoy it!! Merry Christmas ❤️

  • Daphne

    December 24, 2017 at 2:22 am Reply

    Hi Emily,

    First, thanks so much for this beautiful cake recipe. I made it last night as our Xmas cake and it turns out perfect. Just wonder which kind coconut oil you using for this cake, I’m using extra virgin coconut oil and the coconut aroma is strong. Thanks.

    Merry Christmas to you & your family! ❤️

    • Emily

      December 24, 2017 at 6:51 am Reply

      Hi Daphne! You are so welcome! 🙂

      I use Nutiva brand virgin coconut oil. You can see the exact products I use on my Shop page (prettypies.com/shop)

      Some brands have a stronger taste than others. Buy if you’re not a fan of coconut flavor, you can use refined coconut oil, which has no aroma or taste.

      Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas to you 🙂

  • Rachel

    December 25, 2017 at 4:49 am Reply

    Not just an easy-to-make recipe – with ingredients I managed to have at hand! – but it’s also so beautiful to look at, and so fresh and yummy! I really particularly loved the crust – my friend was astonished it held together without any sort of butter or water. A massive hit at the party I took this to!

  • Yana

    December 27, 2017 at 5:59 am Reply

    I made this for Christmas and honestly it was alright. All of my non-vegan family ate it, but none of them though it was really good. You can tell when someone takes a bite and it takes them a while to say anything regarding the taste and then they end up being nice and try to sugar coat that they liked it. I got asked if I put yogurt in it. I don’t think it’s the recipe that is the problem as I have made a similar ‘cheesecake’ before but with cacao powder and peanut butter layers and everyone really liked it (no yogurt resemblance there). I guess I will stay away from putting fruit into these kind of cakes. All in all it’s not a bad tasting cake, just not something I would make for an occasion as a crowd pleaser.

    • Emily

      December 27, 2017 at 7:25 am Reply

      I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you hoped. 🙁

      Sometimes the flavor is affected by the blueberries– there is natural variance in sweetness and flavor. Really good blueberries make a big difference in the outcome.

      I’m not sure about the yogurt taste. Were the cashews “off” maybe? That has happened to me before. I keep my cashews in the freezer so they stay fresh longer.

      One other tip– always taste and adjust as you go 🙂 Add more maple, vanilla, lime juice and zest for more flavor. Add a dash of pink salt to balance & enhance the sweetness.

      Lastly, keep in mind you can’t please everyone, especially people who eat a standard American diet where desserts are sickly sweet. Their taste buds are not used to these tastes. 🙂

  • Maurita

    January 23, 2018 at 3:22 pm Reply

    It was my son’s birthday and he eats a mostly raw diet So I saw your recipe and made this for him It looks like yours and it was yummy You are right it doesn’t make you feel heavy afterwards like a Cheesecake would. I think I needed to leave out longer than 30 minutes from freezer but we couldn’t wait to try Thanks for sharing your recipe

    • Emily

      January 23, 2018 at 4:06 pm Reply

      So glad you enjoyed it! Isn’t it great to not have that heavy feeling?
      Tip- After the initial setting up period in the freezer of about four hours, you can move it to the fridge. Then you won’t have to wait for it to thaw next time you want a slice.
      Thanks for taking the time to comment

  • Eirini

    February 11, 2018 at 3:00 pm Reply

    I made this today ! I couldn’t find any blueberries so I used some frozen strawberries I had in the freezer ! And lemon juice !
    I also changed the crust a bit and put more almonds and Brazil nuts , because I am not a fan of walnuts !
    It turned out amazing ! Great recipe 🙂

  • Charmaine

    May 16, 2018 at 7:36 am Reply

    Hello Emily,

    Thanks for this amazing recipe. I made it last Sunday for Mother’s Day and both my mum and my mum in law as well as the rest of the family were impressed. They couldn’t believe that the soft fluffy blueberry cream was not dairy cream but cashew nuts. Its almost dangerous….too good that makes you go for a second helping.

    • Emily

      May 16, 2018 at 7:54 am Reply

      Aww you are so welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Makes me so happy to hear you and your family liked it. Aren’t cashews amazing? 🙂

  • Juliano

    May 22, 2018 at 8:53 pm Reply

    I’ve just made this recipe and WOW! It’s really hard to stop eating after the first (or 2nd. Or 3rd) piece! I’m brazilian and here in my country cashew nuts are easy to find, although they’re sometimes expensive and quite difficult to find them raw – most groceries and markets sell them roasted. Do you know if this amazing pie would work with roasted cashew? Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    • Emily

      May 22, 2018 at 10:14 pm Reply

      So glad to hear you’re enjoying it! 🙂

      I’m not sure about roasted cashews, since roasting dries them out. It may not be as creamy and smooth.

      But if you try it, please report back how it goes!

  • Corina

    May 26, 2018 at 11:57 pm Reply

    Thanks for sharing your recipe. I made this yesterday for my daughter’s birthday and the cheesecake was to die for! Best ever
    I will definitely be making this again and again

  • Michelle

    June 21, 2018 at 10:56 pm Reply

    First of all.. I love your site and recipes. So far I haven’t found anything we don’t like. We made this one last year and used cherries instead of blueberries…. it was amazing! Keep those great recipes coming! A few days ago I made the key lime blueberry pie (low carb)
    Yum!

  • Michele

    July 13, 2018 at 5:52 pm Reply

    Made this today for my daughter’s 20th birthday. It was a hit. I have a 9.5″ springform pan so I made 1.5 times the recipe.

  • Stephanie

    August 11, 2018 at 10:05 am Reply

    Omg, this recipe looks so easy to make! I am not a vegan, but I have most of these items as staples in my kitchen. I plan on making this for a potluck I an attending which will have A LOT of vegans present. 🙂 I hope we enjoy it.

  • Christel

    September 11, 2018 at 4:27 am Reply

    Hi Emily, I love this recipe and made it for the first time at the weekend. However the texture turned out to be watery – even though it held itself together and looked exactly as your photos. For every mouthful, we could feel water in the mixture. How could I prevent this? Thanks a lot.

  • Stephanie

    December 28, 2018 at 12:51 am Reply

    Hi Emily, this is lovely. I am a beginner at cooking and I will secretly try to make this and bring it to a house-warming party if successful 🙂

    I just have two questions.
    1) Is it an absolute must to put in the freezer for 3 hours before putting it in the fridge? The goodful video only chills the cake for 3 hours (at the last step, step no.3 on your written recipe). Would this be sufficient?
    2) If I want to make a serving for 8 slices, how many inches of springform pan would you suggest?
    3) I input “8” into the box at the top of your written recipe to find out the ingredient amount for 8 slices, is it a correct way?

    Thank you!

    • Emily

      December 28, 2018 at 9:06 am Reply

      Hi there! 🙂
      If you skip the freezer, you’ll need to chill it even longer. Freezing it speeds up the process. How long it takes to set depends on the temp of your refrigerator. I like to freeze mine solid (a few hours or even overnight) and then remove the springform. It makes it easier to remove. Then I move it to the fridge for a few hours until it’s time to eat it.

      Use a small springform- about 7 inches. The one I have linked above is what I recommend. Otherwise your cake will be very thin and flat.

      I wouldn’t change anything if you want 8 slices. It already will serve 8 just fine.
      Good luck 🙂

      • Stephanie

        January 4, 2019 at 12:39 am Reply

        Hi Emily, thank for you recipe. It worked out well! The only thing is my cake looked rather flat. I wonder if I should reduce my pressure when covering with the two cheesecake layers.

        If I wish the cake the be slightly sweeter. Would you recommend adding more Maple Syrup or Vanilla Extract?

        Also, do you think using “roasted” walnut (bought from supemarket, brownish colour) would make the bottom layer taste different?

        Thank you Emily.

        • Emily

          January 4, 2019 at 9:15 am Reply

          Hi Stephanie! You are welcome!

          I use a small springform pan to achieve a “tall” cake appearance. I linked it in the recipe notes. A standard size pan will spread the filling out thin resulting in a flat cake.

          Because blueberries vary so much in flavor/sweetness I always recommend tasting the filling as you go. You can add a little more maple syrup (but if it needs more than ~1 Tbs, I would then add powdered coconut sugar, so it doesn’t get soupy)

          Yes, roasted nuts do taste a little different than raw. They have a more distinct flavor. But they still work in the crust. You can use whatever nuts or seeds you like 🙂

          Hope that helps!

  • Ann

    March 3, 2019 at 8:33 am Reply

    Hello! Can I use brown sugar instead of maple syrup? I don’t think I would use maple syrup anywhere else so I wouldn’t want it to go to waste. Should it be the same amount of sugar?

    • Emily

      March 3, 2019 at 8:39 am Reply

      That should work if you blend it into a powder first so it’s not gritty. You need roughly twice as much sugar to achieve the same sweetness.

      also don’t forget to replace the maple with another liquid to get the right consistency (I would use canned coconut milk or cashew milk)

      If you try it, let me know how it goes

  • Bora

    March 3, 2019 at 11:23 am Reply

    I made the cheesecake yesterday and it turned out great. It is light and not too sweet yet delicious. Everyone really liked it even though my friends aren’t vegan.
    Couple of notes based on other people’s comments or questions. I used frozen wild blueberries but let them thaw a little bit before using and it wasn’t an issue. I don’t have a blender but a small chopper (Ninja) so I did the cashews in 2 batches, splitting the other ingredients minus the blueberries equally. I tried using my Nutribullet but it couldn’t handle the cashews. The Ninja chopper worked quite well. Overall an excellent recipe that I will be doing again in the future.

  • Bamboo

    April 7, 2020 at 1:29 am Reply

    5 stars
    Hi Emily,

    I made this cake today. It’s in the freezer now and I can’t wait to try it tomorrow. I forgot to buy the blueberry but raspberry was on sale so I substituted it. I bought a jar of osmanthus honey in my trip to China and used it as the sweetener. I also sprinkled dried osmanthus on top instead of lemon zest. It’s pretty. Too bad I cannot attach a picture here.

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