This no-bake chocolate cheesecake is a perfect combination of dense and chewy crust and rich and fluffy filling. It’s everything you want in a chocolate cheesecake, a perfectly rich and creamy dessert that just melts in your mouth! The recipe is vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar free.

Classic baked cheesecake can be a little intimidating to make. Though the ingredients are simple, you have to worry about the ingredients not mixing properly, water bath leaking into the cake, the surface cracking, over or under-cooking the cheesecake…

When I first started making cheesecakes, I messed up many times – from exploding cheesecake (we won’t talk about that) to having the top of the cheesecake cracked. There’s just so much that can go wrong when baking cheesecake! I have since learned how to make classic cheesecake, but if I have the option, I go with no-bake cheesecake every time.

No-bake cheesecake is a bit of a misnomer. It is neither cheese, nor is it cake, but it is creamy, rich, and decadent just like the original. There is no mixing, no water baths, no baking… instead, the recipe is much simpler and more forgiving with remarkably few ingredients. So, it’s not at all surprising that no-bake cheesecakes are taking over, from restaurants and cafes to Pinterest and popular food blogs. 

Tips for Making Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients

Looking at the ingredients, you wouldn’t believe how impressive this chocolate cheesecake is. Even better, the ingredients are easily accessible. 

Cheesecake Crust

• Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds: the crust of this chocolate cheesecake is made with seeds rather than nuts. I used both sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, but sunflower seeds alone work great too. They have a mild, neutral flavor and a firm yet tender texture. If you prefer nuts over seeds, go ahead and use nuts.
• Dates: a cornerstone in many raw desserts – Medjool dates – bind all the seeds together and impart a sweet, complex flavor. Medjool dates are the best – soft and juicy – but other types of dates work too. Just be sure to soak them first, so they soften up and are easy to blend.

Cheesecake Filling

• Coconut cream: since this cheesecake is no-bake and dairy-free, I used coconut cream instead of traditional cream cheese and sour cream. If you’re worried about the coconut taste, don’t be. Because of the other strong flavors, the chocolate cheesecake does not taste like coconut at all. If anything the coconut cream makes the cheesecake filling rich and creamy. Another great thing about coconut cream is that unlike nut-based creams, it solidifies when refrigerated, mimicking the consistency of cream cheese.
• Dates: Medjool dates don’t make the cheesecake filling just sweet; they make it extra thick and rich. While it doesn’t really matter what type of dates you use for the crust, the filling does benefit from the soft texture of Medjool dates.
• Cocoa powder: Dutch-process or natural? I prefer Dutch-process because it is darker in color, mellow in flavor, and dissolves easily into liquids. Natural cocoa powder is fine if you don’t have Dutch-process, but it is acidic and more bitter. 
• Coconut sugar: any granulated or powdered sweetener works here. Avoid liquid sweeteners as they would make the cheesecake filling too runny.
• Cacao butter: raw cheesecakes typically contain coconut oil to help the filling set more firmly. In this case, cacao butter works even better because it has a higher melting point than coconut oil. It also has a wonderful chocolaty aroma, which pairs beautifully with the cocoa powder. If you don’t have cacao butter, feel free to substitute it for coconut oil.

How to Make Chocolate Cheesecake

The hardest part about making no-bake cheesecake is the wait. Everything else is a piece of cake.

1. Process the cheesecake crust ingredients. Add the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds into a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until the seeds are coarsely ground. Be careful not to over-process the seeds; they should retain some texture. Then add the dates and pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. The mixture should be tender and slightly crumbly at first, but it should be sticky enough to hold together when you press it between your fingers. If the mixture it too dry, pulse it a little bit more.
2. Press the crust into a springform pan. Transfer the crust mixture into a springform pan (this particular recipe calls for a 6-inch/15-cm springform pan) and press it firmly into an even base layer and edging. I like to have the crust a little bit higher up the wall sides to create a rustic effect, but it’s totally optional. You can simply press the entire mixture down evenly along the base for a classic flat cheesecake crust.
3. Prepare the filling. Add all the cheesecake filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
4. Assemble the cake. Transfer the filling into the springform pan on top of the crust and spread it out evenly, smoothing out the top. Tap out any air bubbles.
5. Chill. Cover the springform pan with a piece of paper towel (to trap any condensation) and then double-wrap the entire springform pan with plastic wrap for the best chance of preserving the cake’s taste and texture. Transfer the wrapped cake into the freezer for about 6 hours, but ideally overnight. The more frozen the cake, the easier and cleaner the removal from the pan.

How to Serve Chocolate Cheesecake

Once the cheesecake is properly chilled (it needs to be very firm), release the clamp and remove the band. You can either lift out the round base or place the springform pan on a wide jar and drop down the band. The cheesecake should have a smooth, clean-sided finish. You can keep it on the base or transfer it to a platter. 

If you let the cheesecake freeze fully, it will be very firm straight out of the freezer. So, let it thaw briefly (about 10 minutes) before slicing. Top the cheesecake with some shaved chocolate or chocolate ribbons right before serving.

How to Store No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

• Refrigerating: transfer the chocolate cheesecake into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Freezing: transfer the chocolate cheesecake into an airtight container and freeze  for up to 1 month. 

More Raw Cheesecake Recipes

If you’d like to try more no-bake cheesecakes, here are a couple of recipes to get your started:

• Raw lime cheesecake: light, mellow, citrus-y, and refreshing… It’s one of the most popular recipes on the blog and for a good reason.
• Raw strawberry cheesecake: this cheesecake is the perfect balance of rich, buttery macadamia nuts and tangy, fruity strawberries. It’s magically decadent yet light.

If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Chocolate Cheesecake

This no-bake chocolate cheesecake is a perfect combination of dense and chewy crust and rich and fluffy filling. It's everything you want in a chocolate cheesecake, a perfectly rich and creamy dessert that just melts in your mouth! The recipe is vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar free.

Prep Time30 mins

Total Time6 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

Cheesecake Crust

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup Medjool dates , pitted
• pinch sea salt

Filling

• 2 (14-oz) cans full-fat coconut milk , chilled*
• 3/4 cup Medjool dates , pitted
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup cacao butter , melted
• pinch sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Process the cheesecake crust ingredients. Add the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds into a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until the seeds are coarsely ground. Add the dates and pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. The mixture should be tender and slightly crumbly at first, but it should be sticky enough to hold together when you press it between your fingers. If the mixture it too dry, pulse it a little bit more.
• Press the crust into a springform pan. Transfer the crust mixture into a springform pan (this particular recipe calls for a 6-inch/15-cm springform pan) and press it firmly into an even base layer and edging. I like to have the crust a little bit higher up the wall sides to create a rustic effect, but it's totally optional. You can simply press the entire mixture down evenly along the base for a classic flat cheesecake crust.
• Prepare the filling. Add all the cheesecake filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
• Assemble the cake. Transfer the filling into the springform pan on top of the crust and spread it out evenly, smoothing out the top. Tap out any air bubbles.
• Chill. Cover the springform pan with a piece of paper towel (to trap any condensation) and then double-wrap the entire springform pan with plastic wrap for the best chance of preserving the cake's taste and texture. Transfer the wrapped cake into the freezer for about 6 hours, but ideally overnight. The more frozen the cake, the easier and cleaner the removal from the pan.
• Serve. Once set, remove the strawberry cheesecake from the springform pan. Let thaw briefly (for about 10 minutes) before slicing.
• Store. Leftover chocolate cheesecake keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month (ideal).

Equipment

food processor

blender

springform pan

measuring 1 cup

measuring cups

Recipe Notes

*Place the cans of coconut milk in the coldest part of the refrigerator overnight. Make sure not to shake or tip the cans to encourage separation of the cream and liquid. Once chilled, remove the cans of coconut milk from the refrigerator. Scoop the coconut cream that has risen to the top of the cans and leave the liquid at the bottom behind.

**Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please, feel free to make your own calculations.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving (1 of 12)

Calories 190 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 3g6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.