Super creamy vegan cheesecake made from chickpeas…no added fats, no dairy, no baking time. It’s actually pretty unbelievable.
In my last post on oil-free falafels, I showed you how I separated the chickpea pulp from the chickpea “milk” before adding in the spices and cooking them up. As I was waiting for the falafels to grill, I actually went to work right away experimenting with a dessert using the chickpea milk. I am so stoked about how it turned out!
Ingredients for the cheesecake portion:
- Chickpea milk (click here to see how to make it)
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice (lemon zest also works nicely)
- Sugar, or sweetener of choice
- Salt (optional)
Ingredients for the base of the cheesecake:
- I used milled golden roasted flaxseeds mixed with maple sugar, but crumbled up cookies or granola also worked beautifully. (Or, for something a little more decadent, try blending up some dates with almonds and using that as the base!)
I started by heating the chickpea milk on the stove at medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula to keep it from burning. After about 10 to 15 minutes the chickpea milk will start to get quite thick, like custard. The thicker you can get it, the better.
Once it’s nice and thick, mix in all the ingredients (vanilla, some lemon juice, sugar, and a bit of salt if you like). Then, just lay down your cookie crumbs or roasted flaxseeds at the bottom of some little ramekins, and pour the batter over top. Place the dishes in the fridge to set.
One super important tip — you have to resist the urge to dig in right away! At the very least, let it sit for 24 hours. If you can manage 48 hours, that’s even better. The longer it sits, the creamier and firmer the cake gets. That way, the lemon juice also has the chance to get infused into the batter. It’s absolutely worth the wait!
For the topping, I just made my own cherry sauce by heating together some frozen cherries, sugar and starch. I also tried another batch with blueberry compote, which was also delicious. I found that it was best to put the topping on right away, before letting the cheesecake sit in the fridge for 24-48 hours. This gives the flavors a chance to permeate into the rest of the cake. Enjoy!
Elle's Travels and Eats 
Well done, you succeeded in creating a beautiful dessert! It looks great!
Aw, thank you! I’m really pleased with how it turned out, and I’m excited to experiment with other possibilities. The next thing I’m thinking of is a Japanese style purin hehe. We’ll see how that one goes 😀
I’ll be looking forward to it! 😀
Wow! This looks great. I’ve been looking for a clean dessert. I have to try this. Thanks
Thanks! Most vegan cheesecakes use coconut oil to help them firm up, but this one is one hundred percent oil free, so it’s pretty much as clean as it gets. Just let it sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours and it gets super creamy. If you do try it out sometime, I’d really love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Will do. Thanks
Oog waw, Elle! You mad the perfect dessert! But you have to wait so long,….but it is worth the wait, I bet! Inam so going to make it soon! Waw! Mmmmmmm!
Haha yes you do have to wait a long time! But, just think of it like aging a fine cheese or wine! 😉
yes, yes! 🙂
This is a really interesting idea! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks! I was really surprised at how well it turned out. As a trade off for skipping the usual coconut oil, you do have to be patient and let it sit for a long time (this lets all the excess moisture evaporate), but the result is surprisingly creamy and rich. If you do try it, I’d be thrilled to hear how it turns out! 🙂
I’ll let you know ☺
i am totally going to try making this. elle…does it taste like chickpeas?
Yes, please do try it out! I would love to hear if the recipe works for you! And no, it doesn’t taste like chickpeas at all. Just be sure to add a good amount of vanilla extract, plus either lemon juice or lemon zest. After letting it sit for 24-48 hours in the fridge, the flavors get all infused together. It’s just wonderful! 😀
Will let u know!😬
This looks wonderful 🙂 Always looking for new ways of using chickpeas once I’ve harvested the aquafaba 🙂
Thank you! This was definitely a fun and efficient way of using the chickpeas. Three foods from one batch: aquafaba from the water, falafels from the pulp, and cheesecake from the milk! Just curious, what’s your favorite way to use aquafaba?
Currently I use it to make fluffier muffins and cakes – but really keen to try making vegan mayo and butter 🙂 … and maybe also try a lemon meringue pie … I have a long list 🙂
Ah, I’ve been wanting to try making mayo with it as well! I heard that it can be used to make a fluffier banana nice cream, but haven’t tried it out yet. I would be very curious to see if it works!
If I get the mayo to work, I’ll post it up! As soon as I have perfected how to freeze aloe vera gel into ice cubes (for soothing burns) – mayo is next on the list 🙂
What a great idea! Aloe vera is soothing enough the way it is…how much more so as ice cubes! Sounds like an awesome remedy.
Thanks! I’ve practised a little more and am currently seeing if I can freeze tiny toy soldiers into the cubes to keep my kids interested in holding them … 🙂
Aw, what an adorable idea! I’m sure they’ll love it. 🙂
Great idea 🙂
Thank you! I see that you have used a similar process with soy beans to get soy milk. I’m curious to try that next. Now, I’ll get back to enjoying your blog haha 🙂
Hi Elle! thanks for popping in, and I’m so glad I found your delicious blog and we connected, you have so many good ideas.. 💚
Thank you! And the same to you as well! You have so many beautiful travel photos and fun recipes. I look forward to browsing through more of your posts. 🙂
Damn that looks super legit
Haha! I know, isn’t it insane! Chickpeas are magic 😛
The use of chickpeas is a real surprise, gave me some inspiration to give your recipe a try 😀
Thanks! I hope you do try it out. It is such a fun dish to make, and it comes out wonderfully creamy if you let it sit overnight. 🙂
Looks delicious!
This sounds amazing. Do you by chance know how much water you used? Maybe an appoxomination If you don’t have an exact measurement?
Also when you first start cooking this chickpea milk, its still raw right? Raw but soaked