No-bake Dairy-free Cheesecake
This No-bake Dairy-free Cheesecake is a creamy dessert that comes together without ever turning on the oven. Made with simple, allergy-friendly ingredients, it’s the perfect treat for warmer days, busy holidays, or just because you’re craving something indulgent and easy.
Plus, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and egg-free, so more people at your table can enjoy a slice of this goodness!
The base starts with crushed gluten-free golden Oreos and melted vegan butter, creating that classic cheesecake crust texture with a golden twist. The filling is ultra-smooth and light, thanks to dairy-free cream cheese, vegan heavy cream, and a touch of dairy-free sour cream for that tangy balance. Add a little vanilla, lemon zest, and powdered sugar, and you’ve got a no-fuss, no-bake dessert that tastes like it took way more effort than it did.
And, it’s easy to make this patriotic with the raspberry swirl or just raspberries or strawberries + blueberries. An easy dessert to make red, white, and blue for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day!
The best part? This No-bake Dairy-free Cheesecake sets up beautifully in the fridge—no oven, no water bath, and no cracking to stress over. Whether you’re serving it up plain, topped with fresh berries, or a drizzle of dairy-free chocolate, it’s a crowd-pleaser every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
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✔️ Dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and vegan—safe for most allergies!
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✔️ No-bake and easy—perfect for beginner bakers or hot days
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✔️ Crowd-friendly flavor that mimics traditional cheesecake
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✔️ Simple, store-bought ingredients with minimal prep time
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✔️ Customizable—top it with fruit, chocolate, or cookie crumbles!
Ingredients:
All you need for this no-bake dairy-free cheesecake are a few staple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores:
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Gluten-free golden Oreos – Crushed for that sweet, buttery crust. These are NEW-ish on the gluten-free block and I was thrilled to see them. I find mine at Winco, Target, or Walmart. Yes, they do need to be the golden ones for this recipe. Let me know in the comments if you find any other gluten-free + dairy-free golden Oreo like brand out there!
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Vegan butter – Holds the crust together without the dairy. I love the similar flavor and melt of vegan butter, and prefer it in my dairy-free dishes. Use a vegan butter like this one I love from Walmart.
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Dairy-free cream cheese – The creamy star of the show. I love using Violife, as it’s also nut-free. It does have lentil protein. If you need a cream cheese with Paleo ingredients, use Kitehill Cream Cheese, which is paleo (but is nut-based). Both of these brands have the best flavor, IMO. The Daiya brand I can find at Walmart works as well. I did NOT like the flavor of the Miyokos dairy-free cream cheese.
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Dairy-free sour cream – Adds tang and smooth texture. I find it at Walmart or Smith’s (Kroger).
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Vegan heavy cream – Whipped up for a light, airy filling. Vegan heavy cream has become wonderfully easy to find! Use vegan heavy cream like this one from Target or Walmart, or Trader Joe’s sells one as well!
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Powdered sugar – Adds just the right sweetness. You can also use powdered monk fruit sugar, if you are trying to keep the carbs or sugar content down.
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Vanilla – For warm, cozy depth
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Lemon zest – Brightens it all up and brings balance. Lemon zest is literally just finely grated lemon peel. Grate or zest the lemon until you reach the white part of the lemon. I used to do this with a fine cheese grater, which works. But, I highly recommend getting a zester like this one from Amazon – makes the job SO much easier and isn’t expensive. Yes, you can omit the lemon zest if needed or preferred, but I recommend it for the brighter, more full flavor!
How to Make It:
Even with all its creamy richness, this no-bake dairy-free cheesecake comes together in just a few easy steps:
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Make the crust – Crush the golden Oreos and mix with melted vegan butter. I do this in a food processor. Don’t have a food processor? Put the Oreos in a zip top bag and smash them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin or the bottom of a mug, then mix with the butter in a medium mixing bowl. Press into your pan and chill.
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Whip the cream – Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the vegan heavy cream with the vanilla and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until fluffy.
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Make the filling – Beat together the dairy-free cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Even at room temperature, it takes me beating 1-1 1/2 minutes on high to get this smooth with no chunks.
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Fold it in – Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture until fully combined.
- Make raspberry swirl, if using – In a medium pot, combine raspberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until berries are tender. Combine starch and water and add to the raspberries. Cook 2-3 more minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and strain out the seeds with a mesh strainer.
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Assemble and chill – Spread the filling over the crust. If using swirl, spread 1 teaspoon amounts on top of cheesecake and swirl through with a skewer or double toothpicks. Chill for a few hours or overnight until set.
That’s it! No baking, no complicated steps, and definitely no dairy. Just a smooth, satisfying treat you’ll want to make again and again.
Other Desserts You Will Love:
- Paleo Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes
- No-bake Peanut Butter Pie
- No-bake Chocolate Cream Pie
- No-bake Oreo Cheesecake
- Easy Dairy-free Frosting
- No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
This No-bake Dairy-free Cheesecake fits right in with your favorite gluten-free + dairy-free family-friendly treats. Keep it simple, keep it sweet, and keep it no-bake!
No-bake Dairy-free Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 springform pan if making a full-size cheesecake
- or 2 12-count muffin tin + muffin wrappers if making mini-cheesecakes
- 1 mesh strainer if making raspberry sauce
Ingredients
- 30 cookies Gluten-free Golden Oreos 1 12-ounce package
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter measured then melted
- 2/3 cup heavy vegan cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 16 ounces dairy-free cream cheese **at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegan sour cream see notes
- 1/2 large lemon zest only, optional but highly recommended
Raspberry Swirl (optiona)
- 12 ounces frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or other granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons water divided
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot or potato starch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Make the crust – Crush the golden Oreos and mix with melted vegan butter. I do this in a food processor. Don’t have a food processor? Put the Oreos in a zip top bag and smash them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin or the bottom of a mug. Press into your pan and chill.For mini cheesecakes: Spoon 1.5 tablespoons of the crumb mixture into the bottom of muffin tin cups (silicone) or muffin liners (use if you don't have a silicone pan). I do this with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. Pack down until flat, I use the back of a measuring cup to help with this. Put the muffin tin in the fridge to chill.
- Make raspberry swirl, if using - In a medium pot, combine raspberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until berries are tender. Combine starch and water and add to the raspberries. Cook 2-3 more minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and strain out the seeds with a mesh strainer.
- Whip the cream – Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the vegan heavy cream with the vanilla and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until fluffy.
- Make the filling – Beat together the dairy-free cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Even at room temperature, it takes me beating 1-1 1/2 minutes on high to get this smooth with no chunks.
- Fold it in – Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture until fully combined.
- Assemble and chill – Spread the filling over the crust. If using swirl, spread on top of cheesecake and swirl through with a knife. Chill for 4 hours or overnight until set.For mini cheesecakes: Take muffin tins out of the fridge and add about a 1/3 c of the cream cheese mixture to each muffin cup. Press it down evenly in each cup. I do this by covering the surface with plastic wrap and pressing down until it's spread evenly. If using swirl, spread on top of cheesecake and swirl through with a knife. Chill for 4 hours or overnight until set.
Video
Notes
- For a springform cheesecake pan, I love my $15 pan from Amazon that has removable sides for easy serving.
- For mini cheesecakes, I recommend foil muffin liners like these, to make sure they come off easily.
Nutrition
What dairy free sour cream do you recommend? The highlighted link wasn’t working for me.
Good question! I like and have enjoyed Violife DF Sour Cream, which used to be available at Walmart but sadly is no longer. I also have had good success with the Smith’s store brand (if you’re local to Utah). But, if you can’t find it, leave it out — it still sets up perfectly. Add a squeeze of lemon juice into the filling if you want a little extra tang that sour cream gives this recipe.
Can this cheesecake be made ahead and stored in the freezer?
Yes, absolutely! This cheesecake is very freezer-friendly. You can make it completely ahead of time, let it set fully, then cover and freeze. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it overnight in the fridge and it will be just as delicious.