Mint Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake

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This mint chocolate vegan cheesecake is one decadent, showstopper of a dessert. With its chocolate almond crust, creamy mint cashew filling, chocolate swirls, and pile of chocolate curls on top, it’s the ultimate treat for mint chocolate lovers like myself.

Mint chocolate vegan cheesecake on a cake stand and garnished with chocolate curls and mint leaves.

Every year I have a dessert with mint and chocolate for my birthday. It’s a tradition I hold near and dear to my heart (which you can read more about it here). And this year, as I was pondering what to make, I kept thinking of a minty chocolate cheesecake.

If you’ve tried my vegan caramel cheesecake (or vegan berry cheesecake or vegan mango cheesecake), you know I have a thing for vegan cheesecakes. They’re ultra creamy thanks to the cashews and a blank slate for oh, so many different flavors. Whether you’re vegan or not, everyone can enjoy them, especially as they’re gluten-free and dairy-free.

So today, I’m putting a mint chocolate twist on this recipe just in time for birthday, and I’m excited to share this special recipe with the Downshiftology community.

What’s A Vegan Cheesecake Made Of?

When it comes to vegan desserts, cashews are the star ingredient when it comes to mimicking creamy, dairy desserts, like cheesecake. Also, vegan cheesecakes are typically raw and frozen, instead of baked. Here’s the exact breakdown of what you’ll need.

Chocolate Crust Ingredients: 

  • Almonds and Pecans – It’s always best to use raw nuts versus roasted and salted ones, as that will change the flavor of the crust.
  • Medjool Dates – The natural stickiness of the dates helps hold the crust together.
  • Coconut Oil – A little melted coconut oil brings it all together.

Filling Ingredients: 

  • Cashews – Again, make sure to use raw cashews and not roasted and salted ones.
  • Water – When water is blended with soaked cashews, the ultimate in creaminess occurs. More water and you have cashew milk, a little less and you have cashew cream, and even less (blended with a few other ingredients) and you have vegan cheesecake.
  • Maple Syrup or Honey – Choose your favorite sweetener, either works.
  • Coconut Oil – I use virgin coconut oil to give the cheesecake structure and shape, as it firms up when chilled.
  • Lemon Juice – Adds the tanginess of a normal cheesecake.
  • Vanilla Extract & Mint Extract – The key ingredients to give this recipe it’s rich and minty depth of flavor.
  • Chocolate Chips: A drizzle of melted chocolate mixed with coconut oil makes this dessert look extra fancy.

Toppings:

  • Chocolate curls and fresh mint leaves to garnish.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

The cheesecake in a springform pan.

How To Make This Mint Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake

You’d be surprised how easy this cheesecake is to make. Just make sure you soak your cashews the night before. Then, you’re ready to go!

  1. Make the crust. Add the crust ingredients to a food processor and blend for about a minute, until you have the perfect crumbly texture. Transfer the crust mixture to the springform pan and press it down with your fingers to create an even, flat layer.
  2. Blend the filling. Add the filling ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend on high for 2-3 minutes, until it’s thick, creamy, and ultra smooth.
  3. Assemble the cake. Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan to create a smooth, even layer. You can gently tap the pan on the counter to flatten. Or give it a gentle shake to eliminate any air bubbles.
  4. Create the chocolate marble. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave. Then drizzle it over the cheesecake. Use a toothpick or knife to gently swirl the chocolate until you’ve got a beautiful marble effect you love.
  5. Freeze before serving. Pop the cheesecake in the freezer for at least 5-6 hours to let it harden. When you’re ready to serve, remove it from the freezer about 30 minutes before serving to let it thaw.

The mint chocolate vegan cheesecake on a cake stand, without toppings.

A Few Questions Answered

  • If your crust is crumbly, try adding another date, a teaspoon or two of water, or a little more coconut oil to keep it together.
  • Refrain from using granulated sugar, as it won’t seamlessly mix with the uncooked filling ingredients, resulting in a gritty texture.
  • Cashews are ideal for this recipe because of their creamy texture and high-fat content. Unfortunately, other nuts won’t work.

Adding toppings and garnish to the mint chocolate vegan cheesecake.

How Long Can You Store This?

Lucky for you, this cheesecake will stay good for a few weeks in the freezer! Which makes it the perfect make-ahead dessert. Just let it freeze completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent any freezer burn.

When you’re ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge the morning before eating. Once it’s been thawed, it will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.

A slice of cheesecake sitting in front of the larger cheesecake.

More Delicious Vegan Desserts

If you loved this mint chocolate vegan cheesecake, I’ve got tons more vegan desserts that’ll satisfy any sweet cravings.

Previous Mint Chocolate Desserts

And if you’d like to check out my previous mint chocolate birthday desserts, here’s the lineup!

What mint chocolate dessert should I make for my birthday next year?

Mint Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake

4.88 from 16 votes
Prep: 1 hour
Freeze Time: 5 hours
Total: 6 hours
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This mint chocolate vegan cheesecake is a creamy and decadent dessert that's gluten-free and dairy-free. It's one dessert sure to impress!

Ingredients 
 

Crust

Cheesecake

Cheesecake Chocolate Swirl

Toppings

Instructions 

  • Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place all crust ingredients into a food processor and process until it's the texture of coarse sand.
  • Pour the crust mixture into the springform pan and use your fingers to flatten it. You can also use parchment paper to help flatten if your fingers get sticky.
  • To make the cheesecake filling, add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for two to three minutes or until creamy.
  • Pour the cheesecake onto the crust and gently tap to flatten and remove any air bubbles.
  • In a small bowl, microwave one cup of chocolate chips and two tablespoons coconut oil in 20 second increments. Stir until smooth, then drizzle over the cheesecake. Use a toothpick or knife to gently create swirls.
  • Freeze the cheesecake for at least 5-6 hours to harden.
  • To make the chocolate curls, melt one cup of chocolate with one tablespoon of coconut oil in 20 second increments. Stir until smooth, then pour over an upside down sheet pan. Use an offset spatula to move the chocolate around into a thin layer. Freeze the chocolate for 4-5 minutes. It's should be firm, but not too hard. If it's too hard the chocolate will crumble, if it's too soft the chocolate won't roll. Using a metal spatula at a 45 degree angle, scrape the chocolate to create curls. Place them on parchment paper and refrigerate them immediately.
  • When you're ready to eat the cheesecake, take it out of the freezer at least 30 minutes before serving to thaw. Top with the chocolate curls and fresh mint leaves.

Lisa's Tips

  • Video: You can watch me make this recipe on my Vitamix Food Processor video. 
  • Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan while it's still frozen to prevent the sides from sticking to the pan. Then, continue to thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
  • Once the cheesecake is thawed, it's best to keep refrigerated until serving. The cake will stay firm in a cool room, but remember that coconut oil liquifies at 76 degrees. So if it's hot where you're serving this, the cheesecake could definitely go soft. It was 90 degrees the day I photographed this recipe, and you can see in the last photo it definitely softened up.
  • I recommend slicing the cheesecake into individual servings while it's still somewhat chilled and firm.
  • This is the cake stand I used in the photos above. This is a similar one at half the price.

Nutrition

Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mint Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake, vegan cheesecake
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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Recipe Rating




56 Comments

  1. Hi Lisa! I am just wondering would it also work with coffee instead of mint? I am planning to make it for my Husband’s birthday tomorrow and he is not that of a fan of mint. Thanks in advance.

    1. I haven’t tried this without mint, but I’m thinking it could maybe work depending on what type of coffee though. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

  2. I made this dessert for a dinner party and all my guests loved it. Nobody noticed that it was vegan and gluten free. It’s so easy to make and delicious too and it looks amazing. Will definitely be making it again.5 stars

  3. Thank you Lisa for sharing your delicious dairy free gluten-free mint chocolate cheesecake. It was my first time making cheesecake and I cannot believe how incredibly easy this recipe was. In addition of how easy the steps were to follow The cheesecake was amazingly delicious! I made it on Thanksgiving and it was a hit!🤗💕5 stars

  4. On your vegan chocolate/mint cheesecake calories counter is that per slice or for the whole pie because when I look it up 1K calorie = 1000 calories.

  5. Would love to try a dairy free cheesecake but it is just me. Can you make a suggestion for Cheesecake bites? definitely a smaller recipe so without a springform pan/

  6. This was a good recipe & I made it exactly as written in the recipe & used a Vitamix. I have made many vegan & gluten free ‘cheesecakes’ so have experience in making & eating them. I wasn’t a fan of the texture of the base as it was too dense & firm, it also needed a bit of sea salt to balance the flavours better. The cheesecake part was  creamy  but it had a fatty mouthfeel. I prefer vegan cheesecakes that use coconut milk/cream with cashews instead of coconut oil, as the coconut oil made it a bit sickening & heavy on the stomach.3 stars

  7. I love cheesecakes myself. Will try your recipe of it tomorrow and let you know about it. Thanks for sharing though!

  8. Hello. I live the cake 😊

    I am wondering about the nutrition numbers. Are they per serving or per 100 g?

    Be
    Nick

  9. I made this yesterday. Oh. My. Goodness. By far the best cheesecake and maybe the best dessert I have ever made! My only problem is that I found it hard to cut through the chocolate swirls within the cheesecake ( I didn’t put any on top) – maybe I didn’t mix them in enough? Tips?5 stars

    1. Hi Debbie – I’m so thrilled you loved this recipe! The chocolate swirls do end up a bit firmer than the rest of the cheesecake. So I recommend slicing while the cheesecake portion is still firm as well, as it’s easier to cut through and not squish the cheesecake. Enjoy!

  10. This is the most yummiest vegan cake. The instructions are so easy to follow. Thank you Lisa for the amazing recipe, it was a hit.5 stars

    1. So excited to make this tonight! I have been loving the few recipes I’ve made from your website! They’re amazing. But I have one question, should the cashews be soaked for 8 hours in room temp water or in the fridge? Thank you! 

      1. Hi Tayler – you can do either. I usually soak them on my counter, if it’s not an overly hot day.

  11. Could I use 1/2 quantity of raw cashews and 1/2 quantity of toasted cashews, please? Will the cake be alright? 

    Many thanks

  12. Hi Lisa, We just ate some of this cheesecake and it’s delicious! I made the crust the night before which made it easier and it was the first time my husband or I have had a vegan cheesecake. Can’t believe how good it was!! Can’t wait to try that caramel version. My only issue was spreading the chocolate on top. It basically almost covered the entire surface and didn’t leave much room for swirling. I searched for ages for the video beforehand to remember how you applied the chocolate to get it right and could never find it. I was beginning to think I imagined seeing the video!! Finally I saw the comment where you referred to the vitamix video which I would never have remembered in a million years. Maybe you could at least put a link in the recipe to this video???!
    Anyway, thanks for the great recipe. Your videos are always extremely well done and of the highest quality.5 stars

    1. Hi Sonya – I’m happy you loved this recipe! And that’s a great point about the video. I’ll make sure to link it in the notes right now. :)

  13. Lisa, I love it!! It’s so stunning and looks delicious!!! I have made it yesterday and everyone in my sweet home totally loved it! Thanks for sharing5 stars

  14. Making this was so much easier than I thought it was going to be! I missed the vegan cheesecake from my favorite bakery back in Minnesota, and decided why not try to make one myself? It turned out great!! Thanks for the recipe5 stars

  15. Hello Lysa
    Happy Birthday!!!
     The cake is amazing and delicious.   I don’t know how to create the swirls. How can I do this? I poured the chocolate using a small measuring cup but I did not succeed.5 stars

    1. Hi Sandra! I simply just used a knife to create the swirls. You can watch how I make it in my most recent Youtube video regarding the Vitamix Food Processor!

  16. Hey Lisa
    Happy belated birthday. I’m sure you enjoyed it with such a beautiful cake.

    Quick question about the cashews. Is that 3 + 1/2 cup of cashews or 3 x 1/2 cup.

    If its the former I need more.cashews…!😁

  17. I love it!! It’s so stunning and looks delicious!!! I was waiting for your birthday gift for you and for us, thanks and Happy Birthday!!!!5 stars

  18. Lisa, I cannot believe how stunning this cake is! So well done – can’t wait to make it! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!5 stars

  19. I unfortunately am allergic to coconut in all forms. What other oil could possibly be substituted for coconut oil? I really would love to try these recipes because most other cheesecake recipes I have found include eggs which I am also allergic to eggs.

    1. Hi Denise – unfortunately, I’ve not tried this with any other oil and you’d need an oil that solidifies at a specific temperature, as coconut oil does. Most refined oils won’t solidify.