6-ingredient lemon cheesecake tart with a granola crust! This tart is delicious and a perfect dessert for the summer. It’s light, creamy, fresh, sweet, and sour. The recipe is vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), gluten-free, easy to make, and can be made soy-free!
Vegan Cheesecake Tart With Granola Crust
Do you love cheesecakes? If yes, you might love this vegan lemon cheesecake tart. It’s super easy to make and contains just a few ingredients! Give it a try because it is:
- A light summer dessert which isn’t too heavy.
- Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and can be made nut-free.
- Creamy, fresh, sweet and sour.
How To Make The Best Cheesecake Tart?
Check the easy step-by-step photos below:
- First, process the granola in a food processor, add the other two ingredients and process again until the mixture slightly sticks together.
- Transfer the mixture into an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Press the crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
- Set aside while you prepare the cream filling.
- Process all cream ingredients in a food processor or blender until very creamy.
- Transfer the cream onto the crust.
- Spread out the cream evenly.
- Bake in the oven, let cool completely and slice.
Granola Crust
The granola crust contains only a few ingredients:
- Granola
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Butter
You can use store-bought granola or try out my homemade granola recipe which is nut-free.
I prefer maple syrup, however, you can use any other liquid sweetener such as agave syrup, rice malt syrup, etc.
I used coconut butter (not coconut oil). You could use cashew butter or almond butter instead of coconut butter though. I really love the lemon coconut combination, that’s why I prefer using coconut butter.
Please note that the crust is a little crumbly because it contains granola. Be prepared that it will crumble when you cut the tart into slices. You could add one flax egg (or chia egg) to the crust as a binder which should make it less crumbly. I haven’t tried it out because I don’t mind a crumbly crust. 🙂
To make a flax egg simply whisk together one tablespoon ground flax seeds with 2 tablespoons water and set aside for 5 minutes. Then process the flax egg with the other ingredients. I would suggest using only 3 tablespoons maple syrup instead of 4, otherwise, the crust will be too wet.
Cheesecake Ingredients
This lemon cheesecake tart contains only a few simple ingredients which are available in most supermarkets:
- Silken tofu
- Maple syrup
- Coconut butter
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch
- Zest of one lemon
I prefer silken tofu because the texture is very smooth, creamy, and it doesn’t taste very much like tofu. You could use regular tofu but the tofu taste is definitely more noticeable. Please check the recipe notes for a soy-free alternative!
As mentioned before, you can use any other liquid sweetener instead of maple syrup.
I once made the cream with cashew butter and it turned out equally delicious. Almond butter should be fine too. I wouldn’t recommend peanut butter though because I don’t like the combo peanut butter and lemon very much. But you can experiment if you like. 🙂
How To Store?
Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 6 days. The tart still tasted great after 6 days! 🙂
This Tasty Lemon Cheesecake Tart is:
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free
- Creamy
- Light
- Sweet
- Sour
- Perfect for summer
Should you recreate this creamy vegan cheesecake, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes!
If you love vegan cheesecakes, definitely also check out the following recipes:
- Raw Blueberry Cheesecake
- Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake Bars
- Fruity Cheesecake
- Baked Cheesecake
- Vegan Key Lime Pie
Lemon Cheesecake Tart
Ingredients
Granola Crust:
- 2 cups (240 g) granola (see notes)
- 4 tbsp (80 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
- 3 tbsp coconut butter (see notes)
Cream Layer:
- 1 (12.3 oz) package (350 g) silken tofu firm (see notes for a soy-free version)
- 1/3 cup (80 g) coconut butter
- 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
- 4 tbsp (40 ml) lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tbsp (20 g) cornstarch
- Zest of one lemon
Instructions
- I recommend using a kitchen scale for this recipe. You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.
Granola Crust
- Process the granola in a food processor until crumbly. Add maple syrup and coconut butter and mix again until the mixture slightly sticks together when you press it between your fingers.
- Press the crust evenly into the bottom of a greased 8-inch (20 cm) tart pan (with removable bottom) and about 2 inches (5 cm) up to the sides. Set aside.
Cream Layer
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. Pour the cream onto the granola crust and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Depending on your oven it might take a few minutes less or more.
- Turn off the oven and let the tart cool at room temperature until it isn't hot to the touch anymore. Then put it into the fridge to set. Decorate with your favorite fruits and/or whipped coconut cream. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 6 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used homemade granola but you can use your favorite store-bought granola instead.
- You can use any nut/seed butter of choice, for example, cashew butter, almond butter, etc (if not nut-free) instead of coconut butter.
- Please note that the crust will crumble somewhat when you cut the tart into slices. Read the blog post to find out how to make it less crumbly.
SOY-FREE Cream Layer:
- 320 ml (1 1/3 cup) coconut milk, canned
- 30-40 ml (3-4 tbsp) lemon juice
- 32 g (4 tbsp) cornstarch
- 80 g (7 tbsp) light granulated sweetener (e.g. xylitol, erythritol, white sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 112 g (3/4 cup) cashews (soaked) (*see below)
- Zest of one lemon
- Soak cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes until soft.
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth and creamy.
- Follow the other steps of the recipe.
- Recipe makes an 8-inch tart. Nutrition facts are for one slice if you cut the tart into 10 slices. Made with my homemade granola recipe.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Equipment
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
This was so great! I made some soymilk yogurt, so I used that instead of silken tofu and it was great. I also added in a chia egg to the crust because I am tired of crumbly crusts and it worked really well.
Hi Lucas, I am so glad you liked the tart! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Absolutely delicious!
My spouse and I devoured half of the cheesecake in less than ten minutes!(lol!)
There’s some nice gluten free vegan websites on the internet but I have to say that every time I want to be sure a dish will turn out great I check yours and I’m never disappointed. Your recipes and tips are always spot-on and there was never a time something didn’t turn out delicious! I really want to thank you for your hard work and for giving me the inspiration and confidence to try new recipes and techniques in this amazing vegan world! ☺️
Aww, that’s awesome! I am so glad it turned out delicious. Thanks for your kind comment! 🙂
I made this to take to a party and apart from the host who had specifically requested a healthy dessert, nobody guessed this was not normal cheesecake! I used my own homemade granola and cashew butter and added about half a lemon’s more juice and a little extra honey to the filling because I felt it needed it when I tasted it before baking. It came out so great I can’t wait to make it again and actually I had no issue with the crust being crumbly! Thanks for another winning recipe Ela!
That’s wonderful dear Emma! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, I really appreciate it. 🙂
I made this tonight for a family dinner. I usually love lemon deserts but I found this really blank and tasteless.
I wanted a sturdier crust so I added a flax egg as per instructions and used 1 tbsp less maple syrup as directed.
However it wasn’t very tasty, and I think it needed a bit more nappy syrup or some sugar to bring out the lemon flavour. I used cashew butter as per recipe and this was all you could taste. I even added additional lemon zest but still tasted bland. It wasn’t a hit with the family either unfortunately. Such a shame as I’ve made cheesecakes with silken tofu before and they were tasty.
Kelsie, you did change the recipe considerably. First, you changed the crust. If you followed my recipe, the crust would turn out sweet enough because it has the perfect sweetness. Yes, in the blog post I mention: “You could add one flax egg (or chia egg) to the crust as a binder which should make it less crumbly.” However, there is also a disclaimer that I haven’t tried it out because I don’t mind a slight crumbly crust. 🙂
Second, the original recipe calls for coconut butter. You mentioned “I used cashew butter as per recipe” however, cashew butter is just a substitute for coconut butter. 🙂 Every change made to the original recipe will of course, slightly change the outcome of the cheesecake. Other readers commented that cashew butter in place of coconut butter worked really well though.
I am sorry you didn’t like it but I hope you will give it another try and follow the original recipe.
Hi Ela, it sounds amazing ! is it possible to use regular tofu and add extra soy milk ? How much would you recomend?
Yes, that’s possible, but it will taste more like tofu (silken tofu has a more neutral flavor). I would just add a little extra milk until the cream has a similar consistency/thickness to the one in my video. 🙂
Me gustaría hacer esta tarta con la. Leche de coco de lata pero sin los Anacardos, estoy libre de soja y nueces, que cantidad tendría que usar de leche y maicena? También se hornear Iá o sería tarta fría?. Gracias sigo todas sus recetas me encantan
Hello, you need to bake the tart. I would suggest using coconut butter instead of cashew butter. If you don’t have coconut butter, maybe try using 1/4 cup of coconut oil instead of cashews. However, I NEVER tried this version, so I cannot tell you how it will turn out! 🙂
Hey I cant wait to make this but coconut butter is hard to find nowadays so could I use regular vegan butter instead. Thanks
Hi Kate! I would rather recommend using cashew butter instead of coconut butter. I never made this recipe with vegan butter, therefore, I can’t tell you how it will turn out. 🙂
Hola Ela. Amo tus recetas, muchas gracias por compartirlas. Mientras leía esta me pregunté si sería posible una versión sin horno. ¿Podría ser que cuajara el relleno con agar agar?
Hello Carlos, I will reply in English because my Spanish isn’t very good. 😀 I would suggest using 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of pure agar agar powder (instead of the cornstarch). I haven’t tried it but it should work. You will need to dissolve the agar agar in some water (or coconut milk) and cook it for at least one minute in a saucepan on the stove. Then blend it with the other cream ingredients. Please report back if you give it a try. 🙂
I equally enjoyed doing and eating this cake ! it was the first time I try baking a cheesecake and it was so simple and came out exactly like it was supposed to be !! I replaced the granola with rolled oats + coconut oil + almond powder and it worked well !!! I loved the taste and texture of the cream layer and can’t wait to try the soy-free version.
That’s wonderful, Rose! Thanks so much for your lovely comment. Much love, Ela 🙂
I would like to try this cake! Can I use coconut oil stored in the refrigerator, which has the butter-like texture, or they are very different things?
You can try it, it will be different though since coconut oil and coconut butter is not the same. 🙂
Hi Ela!. Is granola the same as muesli? I have muesli with 40% fruits/almonds with no added sugar.
Love your recipes!
Yes, Sarah! It’s basically the same and I am sure you can use yours. 🙂
I tried this recipe today but mine was too watery. I did add a bit more lemon juice and coconut cream instead of butter since I didn’t have it.
Sorry to hear that, Mathilda. This recipe should be made with coconut butter though, I haven’t tested it with coconut cream. Did you add the cornstarch?
I love this recipe! I followed the non soy version, made my own cashew butter and used that instead of coconut butter in the crust. Delicious! I impressed my non vegan family with this recipe.
That’s awesome, Mary! Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback. 🙂
Love Making simple no bake Tarts ? Yours Looks so delicious ?
I am happy you like it, Bianca! 🙂
Absolutely delicious. Cashew butter in place of coconut butter worked really well.
Thanks for great recipes, Ela.
Cashew butter sounds wonderful! Glad you liked the recipe, Jenny! 🙂
Ela, I made this, it was AWESOME!!! I made a raspberry sauce to go with the two cakes, my guests CHOWED DOWN and loved every single bite.
Thank you!!!!
Misty
Yay, that makes me so happy! Thanks for your lovely feedback, Misty. 🙂
Heaven ?? It was really easy to make it Ánd that taste ??? Thank you Ela!!
Yay! I am so glad you loved the recipe! 🙂
I’ve been looking for a vegan gluten free pie for so long! Wanna make it for my family, but my brother can’t have corn. Is there a replacement for cornstarch? Cheers!
Hi Angela, you could use arrowroot flour instead of cornstarch! 🙂
Hi Ela – I made this last weekend for our new neighbors who are vegan. Had to make my own coconut butter because I couldn’t find any in my little town …and used my own homemade granola for the base. It was a real hit …everyone raved about it even my non vegan guests! Thank you for sharing the recipe?
Wow, that’s awesome, Cathy! Love the fact that you made your own coconut butter! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. 🙂
Ela, can’t wait to make, what is coconut butter?
Hi Misty, coconut butter is the same as coconut manna and it’s made of 100% dried shredded unsweetened coconut (nothing else). Click on the word which says “coconut butter” in the recipe to see how the product looks on Amazon or make a Google search. 🙂
Liebe Ela,
danke mal wieder für dieses geniale Rezept! Da hast du mich gleich gehabt mit dem leckeren Foto auf Instagram ?
Meinst du ich kann anstatt Kokosmus im Boden Mandelmus verwenden und in der Creme (eingeweichte?) Cashews?
Da ich soooo viele verschiedene Nussmuse (ausser Kokos aktuell) da habe, würde ich gerne die erst aufbrauchen (obwohl Kokosmus ja oberlecker ist)!
Sonnige Grüße aus München ?
Miriam ??♀️
Hallo Miriam, schau mal bei den “recipe notes”, dort stehen bereits alle Antworten auf deine Fragen.
Meinen Blog gibt es übrigens auch auf Deutsch und hier findest du das deutsche Rezept: https://elavegan.com/de/zitronen-kaesekuchen-tarte/
Ganz liebe Grüße zurück, Ela
Made this last night and WOW it was good! I used a oil free vanilla almond granola from Whole Foods for the crust and added a bit more lemon cause I like a kick. This is the perfect light sweet and tangy oil free and tasty dessert! Love it
Sounds wonderful, Natalie! Thanks so much for your amazing feedback. 🙂
Can powdered agave or granulated agave be used?
Do you mean in the cream layer? In the crust definitely not but it should work in the cream layer. I would maybe add 2 tbsp of plant-based milk otherwise the cream might be too thick.
This looks amazing! I’m soy and nut free – is there anyway I could make this with a seed other than cashews or not possible?
Hi Holly! Yes, you could use coconut butter instead of the cashews! I would suggest about 1/3 cup. Please report back if you give it a try! 🙂