This deliciously creamy vegan burnt Basque cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake ever and perfect for beginner bakers and seasoned pros alike! Topped with fresh blueberries, you won’t believe this Basque cheesecake is dairy free and gluten free!
Why this is the easiest vegan cheesecake you’ll ever make!
If baking a cheesecake intimidates you, then I want you to try out this Basque cheesecake. It’s probably the easiest traditional-style cheesecake you’ll ever make (aside from no-bake cheesecakes) with a texture that is ultra rich and creamy.
The beauty of a Basque cheesecake? It’s entirely crustless (so no need to pre-bake a crust) and it lends itself to being naturally gluten free as well (though traditional Basque cheesecakes use flour as a thickener, we’re using cornstarch! And then it replaces the eggs as well 🙂 ).
What’s more, this is an entirely dairy free and vegan Basque cheesecake- yep, no dairy whatsoever, yet the texture and flavor is that of the classic: super decadent and lush with a beautifully sweet tang. And, this cheesecake is also eggless, so no need to worry about properly incorporating eggs into your cheesecake batter.
This is quite literally the easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make: simply make the batter and bake! you don’t even need a water bath. (Which is why I used this recipe as the base recipe for my vegan cannoli cheesecake! I wanted it to be super simple!).
Of course, I wanted to add a bit of a twist, so I topped mine with fresh blueberries- a lovely treat going into spring and summer time.
But if you want a classic burnt Basque cheesecake sans dairy and eggs, simply omit! Then once you realize how easy cheesecakes are, you can move onto the more fun versions, like this baked chocolate cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake, and cookie dough cheesecake!
What is burnt Basque cheesecake?
If you’ve never heard of a Basque cheesecake, you’re in for a treat. Unlike classic New York-style baked cheesecake, Basque cheesecake originated in Basque Country in Spain, and is an entirely crustless cheesecake.
What’s more, Basque cheesecake is ultra creamy and thick, with a deliberately burnt outer shell, thanks to the higher heat that it bakes at.
What do I need to make Basque cheesecake vegan and gluten free?
Typically, a burnt Basque cheesecake is comprised of cream cheese, heavy cream or milk, eggs, and flour. We’re straying away from the classic ingredients to make this blueberry burnt Basque cheesecake entirely dairy free, eggless, and gluten free.
All while maintaining the creamiest and richest cheesecake flavor!
So here’s what you’ll need:
- Vegan cream cheese: The star of the burnt Basque cheesecake show, I recommend using a store bought cream cheese for this recipe. Homemade cream cheeses are a bit trickier and have more variables (though I am developing a cream cheese that can be used in both frostings and cheesecakes! So stay tuned!). My favorite brands to use here are Tofutti, Kite Hill, and Miyoko’s. The best flavors I find are with Tofutti and Kite Hill.
- Vegan sour cream: If you can’t find vegan sour cream, you can just use dairy free yogurt! I love Forager Project for both vegan sour cream and dairy free yogurt.
- Heavy coconut cream OR vegan heavy cream: I have tested this cheesecake recipe with both heavy coconut cream (specifically Let’s Do Organic! Heavy Coconut Cream) and a vegan heavy cream. Both work wonderfully!
- Granulated sugar: Make sure that the sugar you’re using is certified vegan- I recommend Florida Crystals!
- Vanilla extract & paste: Extra vanilla is key here for a rich and “buttery” flavor.
- Cornstarch: You can also use arrowroot starch here if you have a corn allergy!
- Blueberries: If you want, you can keep this vegan Basque cheesecake traditional, and skip the berries. However, I find they’re really lovely!
Overview: Step by Step How to Make Vegan Basque Cheesecake:
Serving recommendations for your vegan Basque cheesecake:
The beauty of this easy vegan cheesecake is that it’s absolutely delicious on its own. However, you can also serve it with a warm berry sauce or homemade blueberry or strawberry jam.
It’s also lovely if you want to go even richer, and top with a vegan ganache or caramel sauce.
You’re just going to absolutely love this vegan Basque cheesecake! I can’t wait for you to try it!!
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Creamy Vegan Blueberry Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe
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- Author: Britt Berlin
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 70
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This deliciously creamy vegan burnt Basque cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake ever and perfect for beginner bakers and seasoned pros alike! Topped with fresh blueberries, you won’t believe this Basque cheesecake is dairy free and gluten free!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) dairy free yogurt or vegan sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) heavy vegan cream or coconut cream
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (70 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Prep:Preheat the oven to 415F. Place a piece of parchment paper pressed into an 8″ springform pan. Make sure that the parchment paper is lining the walls of the springform pan. Measure out all ingredients.
- Make the batter: In a stand mixer with whisk attachment or large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the vegan cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add in the yogurt and heavy cream and mix again until fluffy. Add in the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and sea salt, and mix again just until combined and fluffy. Make sure to stop to mix the batter with a silicone spatula and scrape the bottom to ensure everything is combined.
- Assemble theBasque cheesecake:Pour the batter into your prepared springform pan, Add the blueberries on top and gently press them into the top of the cheesecake.
- Bake:Place the cheesecake onto a baking sheet and into the oven to bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the top of the cheesecake is slightly burnt. The cheesecake will still wiggle, but the middle of the cheesecake will look set.
- Cool:Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature until it’s no longer hot (around 30 minutes to 1 hour). Then cover the cheesecake and place it into the fridge to set for 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Slice and serve!Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and remove the springform pan. Pull the parchment paper off, and slice and serve your vegan burnt Basque cheesecake. Enjoy!
- Storage:Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Cream cheese:I recommend using either Kite Hill or Tofutti cream cheese here.
Sour cream:The vegan sour cream I LOVE to use in my baking is Forager Project. Dairy free yogurt will work, but sour cream is really a lovely choice!
Heavy cream:I’ve tested this recipe with both heavy coconut cream (Edward & Sons Heavy Coconut Cream) and vegan heavy cream (sometimes called vegan double cream- look for Plant Crock or Silk!).
Refined sugar free:You can use maple sugar if you’d like. NOT maple syrup.
Don’t want berries in your burntBasquecheesecake?Not a problem! Skip the berries if you’re making this cheesecake around the winter time, and bake it just as the batter.
