This creamy, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate strawberry cheesecake is vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and simple to make with just 11 ingredients! Combining the flavors of chocolate and strawberry makes for a moreish, sweet, and rich two-layered chocolate strawberry dessert, perfect for any time of the year!
Creamy Dreamy Chocolate Strawberry Cake
It would probably be fair to say that cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts. They are creamy and rich yet light and melt-in-the-mouth. The best part of all? You really don’t need dairy to make a perfectly creamy cheesecake! I’ll say it once more for the people in the back – Ditch that dairy and have yourself a creamy, dreamy strawberry chocolate cheesecake right now!
Serve this strawberry chocolate cake as a dessert, part of an afternoon tea, for events, or even just go at it with a spoon straight from the fridge – I won’t judge you. People will be blown away with the taste and texture of this chocolate strawberry dessert.
And, once you’ve been convinced by this vegan no bake cheesecake recipe, then you might even want to hop on over to any of the many other vegan, gluten-free cheesecake recipes I have here on the blog. For example, this simple Eggless Cheesecake, Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Lemon Cheesecake Tart, Mango Cheesecake Pie, or Blueberry Cheesecake Pie.
And those are just a few of the vegan cheesecake inspired desserts that I’ve shared on this blog.
Simple, Healthy Ingredients
Traditional cheesecake is usually loaded with dairy, fats, and refined sugars. In comparison, this chocolate strawberry cheesecake is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and has just 11 wholesome ingredients:
For The Cake Crust:
- Nuts – Such as almonds or cashews. Use seeds for a nut-free option
- Dates – Either Medjool date or Deglet Noor dates work well
- Vanilla extract – Or vanilla bean paste
- Cacao Powder – Or cocoa powder. For a sweet chocolatey finish. Add a pinch of salt to further enhance the chocolate flavor
For The Strawberry & Chocolate Cheesecake Layers:
- Strawberries
- Banana
- Agar powder – Agar powder is a plant-based gelatin substitute and can’t be omitted. Just make sure to use agar powder and not flakes, as they don’t work the same way
- Silken Tofu – Or vegan almond cream cheese, for a soy-free version
- Cacao Powder – Or cocoa powder. However, cacao has higher health benefits
- Peanut Butter – or the nut/seed butter of your choice
- Canned coconut milk – It’s best to use full-fat canned coconut for the ultimate ‘creamy’ results. However, you can also use soy or oat cream (not milk)
- Maple syrup – Or liquid sweetener of your choice
These combined ingredients make for a silky-smooth, creamy cheesecake finish, without any of the dairy. Plus, you can make easy swaps for a soy-free or nut-free version, for the ultimate allergen-friendly vegan strawberry cake.
Please read the recipe notes section at the bottom of this post for more ingredient swaps and notes.
How To Make The Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
This layered cheesecake is made in three parts: the crust, the strawberry layer, and finally, the chocolate layer. While it may take a bit of time for each layer to ‘set’ and the entire vegan no bake cheesecake to come together, this recipe is still super simple!
First, the crust:
- Process all the crust ingredients in a food processor until the dough holds together when lightly pressed together.
- Press this mixture into the bottom of a lined of greased 6-inch cheesecake pan (or springform pan) and place it in the fridge to chill.
Next, the no bake strawberry cheesecake layer:
- Add the chopped and hulled strawberries to a saucepan/skillet and stir in the agar powder and maple syrup. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low-medium simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Moving quickly (as the agar will begin ‘setting’), combine this strawberry mixture in a blender or food processor with the silken tofu and vanilla extract and blend till smooth and creamy.
- Pour this layer over the crust and place the pan back in the fridge or freezer to set. You need this layer to be set enough so that when you pour over the chocolate layer, they won’t combine at all – so only begin to make the chocolate layer when it is ready.
Finally, for the no bake chocolate cheesecake layer:
- Add all the ingredients apart from the agar powder and coconut milk to a blender/food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy and then set aside.
- Combine the coconut milk and agar powder in a saucepan/skillet and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then, quickly add this to the mixture in the blender and blend to thoroughly combine.
- Pour the chocolate layer over the strawberry layer and place in the fridge to set for one last time. It’s best to leave the chocolate strawberry cake to set for at least three hours, although preferably overnight. Then, it is ready to serve!
For the full ingredients list, measurements, and nutritional information (calories, etc.) for this strawberry chocolate cheesecake recipe, then please find the printable recipe card below.
How To Serve
You can serve this chocolate strawberry cheesecake alone or along with some coconut whipped cream or ice cream of your choice. You can also top your cheesecake with additional fresh strawberries or berries and chocolate shavings, or a drizzle of Strawberry Sauce.
How To Store
Store any vegan cheesecake leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days (if you manage not to eat it all within the first day!). Otherwise, you can also freeze the strawberry chocolate cake for up to three months.
When removing a slice from the freezer, simply allow it to thaw for around 30 minutes before serving, and you should be good to go!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Make sure to use agar powder, not flakes. The consistency of both is vastly different, and flakes can need up to 3x the amount to work.
- I love maple syrup; however, you can use any liquid sweetener for this chocolate strawberry cheesecake such as agave syrup, date syrup, rice malt syrup, etc.
- For a soy-free version, you can use either almond cream cheese or cashew cream instead of the silken tofu. Keep in mind that the nutritional info will be affected, and the dessert will have a higher fat content.
- You can use regular tofu instead of silken, however, the flavor is more potent and it is not as creamy. Make sure not to use firm tofu though, as this won’t taste great.
- For the crust, you can use any nuts, i.e., cashews, almonds, walnuts hazelnuts. For a nut-free version, then use seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- You can also customize the crust by using some rolled oats instead of just nuts. Or even your favorite ‘plain’ granola. However, you may need extra dates or nut butter to bind the crust together then. Alternatively, use a simple store-bought crust.
More Tips:
- You can use any reasonably neutral-flavored sticky dried fruit to bind the crust, such as figs. Alternatively, if your dates feel a little dry – soak them in hot water for 30 minutes, and they should soften right up and become more sticky.
- The chocolate strawberry tart crust can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Make mini layered cheesecakes by using small tart pans or muffin tins.
- For a ‘fresher’ chocolate strawberry cake, add a layer of sliced strawberries between the chocolate and strawberry layers. This will reduce the shelf life of the strawberry chocolate cheesecake to 3-4 days but adds lovely additional flavor and texture.
This Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Recipe Is:
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Plant-based
- Gluten-free
- Refined sugar-free
- Oil-free
- Can be made nut-free
- Can be made soy-free
- Melt-in-the-mouth
- Delicious
- Easy to make
If you give this chocolate strawberry cheesecake recipe a try, I’d love a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cake Crust:
- 1/2 cup (80 g) nuts or seeds of choice (*see notes)
- 11 small (80 g) dates pitted (*see notes)
- 1/2 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Layer:
- 7 oz (200 g) strawberries chopped
- 1 1/4 tsp agar powder (*see notes)
- 3 tbsp (60 g) maple syrup (*see notes)
- 6.5 oz (185 g) silken tofu or vegan cream cheese (*see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Layer:
- 1 tsp agar powder
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut milk canned or soy cream/oat cream
- 1/4 cup (60 g) peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
- 1 small (70 g) banana
- 3 tbsp (20 g) cacao powder or cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp (70 g) maple syrup
- 5.3 oz (150 g) silken tofu or vegan cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
- Process all cake crust ingredients in a food processor until the dough holds together when you press it between your fingers. Press the mixture into the bottom of a lined/greased 6-inch (15 cm) springform. Put the pan in the refrigerator until you finish making the cream layers.
Strawberry Layer:
- Add chopped and hulled strawberries to a saucepan or skillet. Stir in agar powder and maple syrup. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes on low to medium heat. Then quickly add the mixture to a blender or food processor.
- Add the silken tofu and vanilla extract to the same blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Pour the strawberry layer over the crust and put the pan in the fridge or freezer to set (about 15 minutes).
Chocolate Layer:
- To make the chocolate layer, add all ingredients except the agar powder and coconut milk to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Combine coconut milk and agar powder in a saucepan or skillet and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Quickly add the mixture to the blender (that already contains the chocolate cream) and blend again.
- Pour the chocolate cream over the strawberry layer and put the pan in the fridge to set, for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Enjoy! Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze the cake in slices for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Nuts: You can use any nuts like cashews, almonds, etc. or seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Dates: Any dried fruit such as figs can be used instead of dates.
- Agar: Make sure to use agar powder, not flakes.
- Maple syrup: You can use any liquid sweetener of choice.
- Silken tofu: Use almond cream cheese for a soy-free version or cashew cream.
- Recipe makes a 6-inch (15 cm) cake. The nutrition facts are for one slice if you cut the cake into 8 slices.
- The total time doesn't include chill time.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Hi Ella! This looks amazing! Can I completely omit the nut butter part
Hello Tiffany, you could omit it, but then it won’t taste as creamy and delicious. 🙂
Can be frozen strawberries?
I think it should work. 🙂
Hi,
I was wondering if i could omit/substitute the banana?
Hi, you can simply increase the amount of silken tofu by 70 grams.
Hi do u have any recipe for cream cheese? I would love to follow what ever u use since I don’t get any silken tofu here I only get regular tofu. Can u use regular tofu itself?
Hello! You can use regular soft tofu. Please don’t use firm tofu or extra firm tofu because that wouldn’t taste good. 🙂
Hi Ela, this recipe looks so, so good! Does it matter what strength of silken tofu.I use? Is it soft, firm, or extra-firm? Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Hi Barbara, I used firm silken tofu. 🙂
Hi, I don’t have agar powder. Was wondering if I could substitute it with Psyllium husk powder instead? Thanks!
Hello Pankti, I think psyllium husk won’t work. Kappa carrageenan would be a good substitute for agar powder but it’s hard to get, whereas agar powder is available in most health food stores or online. 🙂
I used this no- bake chocolate cheese cake recipe with a crust from one of your other no-bake cheese cake recipes andy turned out so well!! I have never worked with silken tofu or agar with coconut milk before, but this recipe was very easy to follow and tastes amazing!! The flavor is luxurious and the mouth watering flavors make you forget it’s a vegan no-bake cheesecake! I have a very hard time finding dairy free desserts I can enjoy because of my severe lactose intolerance and I’m so glad I found your blog and recipes !! Bless you for this ????????????
That makes me so happy, Maliha! Thanks for your wonderful feedback, I am glad you enjoyed the cake. 🙂