Valentine’s Day is just weeks away, and this Black Forest vegan cheesecake is the perfect dessert to share with a loved one — or to enjoy by yourself. It features a chocolate cookie crust and a silky chocolate cheesecake filling swirled with bright cherry compote. Finished with extra compote, vegan whipped topping, and dark chocolate shavings, this cheesecake is rich, elegant, and surprisingly simple to make. The filling blends smooth in a blender, pours onto the crust, and bakes to a dreamy texture that sets as it cools.
What You Need For This Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake:
- Chocolate sandwich cookies and vegan butter: crushed cookies plus melted vegan butter form the crust.
- Silken tofu and vegan cream cheese: I used Violife for a creamy base.
- Non-dairy milk, vanilla, agave: the liquid and sweetening components.
- Cane sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and flour: these are blended into the filling for texture and structure.
- Frozen cherries and juice/water: cooked with sugar and cornstarch into a bright cherry compote.
- Vegan whipped topping and dark chocolate: for garnish and added decadence.
Chocolate and cherry are a classic pairing, and this Black Forest vegan cheesecake delivers that flavor combination with beautiful presentation. The vivid red of the cherries makes it an especially festive choice for Valentine’s Day. Despite how impressive it looks, the recipe is very forgiving: blend the filling, bake, and chill. The result is a luscious, dreamy cheesecake that tastes indulgent and will impress anyone.
Why You Should Make This Dessert
- If you didn’t tell anyone it’s vegan, they probably wouldn’t know.
- This cheesecake is one of the easiest you’ll make — the blender does most of the work.
- Chocolate and cherries are a timeless duo.
- It’s a showstopper that will impress guests or a special someone.
- The cookie crust is delicious and simple to prepare.
Black Forest Vegan Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cherry Compote
- 4 cups frozen cherries, thawed
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 4 tablespoons cherry juice or water, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Crust
- 25 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (including filling)
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces vegan cream cheese (Violife recommended)
- 16 ounces silken tofu
- 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (oat milk works well)
- 1/2 cup agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- Vegan whipped topping
- Dark chocolate, for shaving
Instructions
- Make the cherry compote first: combine the thawed cherries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cherry juice or water in a medium saucepan.
- Heat the pan over medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently, until the cherries soften and begin to break down, about 5 minutes. Lightly smash some cherries, leaving texture.
- Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of juice or water with the cornstarch until smooth, then stir the mixture into the saucepan. Continue to simmer 1–2 minutes until the compote thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make the crust: place the chocolate sandwich cookies (including filling) into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Pour in the melted vegan butter and pulse until evenly combined.
- Press the cookie crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan. Bake 5–7 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: in a blender combine the vegan cream cheese, silken tofu, non-dairy milk, agave, vanilla, sugar, cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- Blend on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour half of the cheesecake filling over the pre-baked crust and smooth. Dollop half of the cooled cherry compote over the filling and gently swirl to create a marbled pattern.
- Pour the remaining filling over the cherry swirl and smooth the top. Reserve the remaining compote for the final topping.
- Bake the cheesecake for 50–60 minutes, until the top sets. The center may still look slightly jiggly; it will firm as it cools.
- Cool on the counter about 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture.
- When ready to serve, spread the reserved cherry compote over the top, then garnish with vegan whipped topping and dark chocolate shavings.
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