When I first went vegan I figured cheesecake was a thing of the past, or good cheesecake, at least. It turns out that’s not the case.

This recipe is another winner from Alicia Silverstone‘s fabulous book, The Kind Diet. I made it for dessert on Mother’s Day and it was much enjoyed by all – not to mention a completely gorgeous addition to the table. So pretty!

This definitely isn’t quite as heavy and sweet as a typical dairy cheesecake, but it’s good nonetheless and certainly a whole lot better for you!

Vegan Mixed-Berry Cheesecake
Recipe Courtesy of The Kind Diet

Ingredients

3/4 cup Earth Balance
2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs*
1 (12 oz.) package silken tofu
1 cup nondairy cream cheese
1 tbs safflower oil
1/4 cup (pure) maple syrup plus an
additional 1 to 2 tsp if using a fresh fruit topping
1/4 cup soy milk
2 tsp arrowroot
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon or orange extract (optional)**
Fresh mixed berries for topping
(or frozen mixed berries, thawed)

*To make graham cracker crumbs, place graham cracker squares in a sealed plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin or grind graham cracker squares in a food processor. You’ll need 12 to 13 squares to make 2 cups of crumbs.

**Next time I make this I’ll use a lot more lemon extract, maybe double.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Oil an 8″ or 9″ springform pan (I don’t have a springform pan, so I used a glass pie plate and it was fine)
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan and bake for 5 min. Let cool on a baking rack
• Combine the tofu, cream cheese, oil, 1/4 cup syrup, milk, arrowrrot, vanilla and citrus extract (if using) in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula
• Bake the cheesecake for 45 min to an hour. Let the cheesecake cool to room temp. If using fresh berries, toss them with 1 to 2 tsp syrup to create a slightly glazed effect. Top the cheesecake with the berries and chill until you’re ready to serve

Yield: Serves 8