This No-bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake is to die for, nobody would ever know it’s gluten, dairy, and refined sugar-free! A crunchy cookie base sits beneath the creamiest cheesecake, topped with gooey salted caramel!
First and foremost, don’t mind these photos. This recipe deserves a re-shoot but I HAD to get it up for you guys!
Making my own birthday cake has become one of my favorite traditions. I usually go for something like a Snickers or tiramisu cheesecake, but this year all I wanted was salted caramel. So naturally, I turned it into a healthier cheesecake. It’s incredibly creamy, rich, and indulgent, with a velvety date-sweetened filling and a refined sugar-free caramel sauce that takes it over the top. The best part? No baking required.
Why you’ll love this salted caramel cheesecake
- No oven required, no-fuss, fool-proof!
- Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly
- Naturally sweetened & Refined sugar-free
- Rich, creamy, decadent! You won’t miss the dairy 😉
recipe video
Ingredients you’ll need
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions! Unlike traditional cheesecakes that rely on cream cheese, heavy cream, and refined sugar, this version gets its creamy texture from wholesome ingredients while still delivering that classic cheesecake experience.
- Raw Cashews: These are the stars, and they’re what give us an ultra-luxurious creamy cheesecake filling!
- Full-fat Canned Coconut Milk: for extra creaminess and to help everything blend smoothly.
- Refined coconut Oil: refined coconut oil has no coconut flavor and won’t affect the flavor of the cheesecake. Be sure to not substitute this with another oil as the solidifying properties of coconut oil help the cheesecake hold its shape!
- Dates & maple syrup: dates give an amazing caramel-like flavor!
- Lemon Juice: adds a little tang!
- Vanilla Extract & sea salt
- Simple Mills cookies or sweet thins: these create the easiest no-bake, no-fuss crust and adds the perfect crunch!
- Coconut sugar: this is the base of the caramel topping.
Steps to make no-bake salted caramel cheesecake
This cheesecake takes a bit of time to set up, but the steps themselves are SO easy! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions!
Step 1: Prepare the Crust
Add the cookies or sweet thins and coconut oil to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles sticky crumbs. Press firmly into the bottom of a lined springform pan or loaf pan and place in the freezer while preparing the filling.
Step 2: Make the cheesecake Filling
Blend the soaked cashews along with the remaining ingredients in a high-powered bender until completely smooth and creamy. The filling should be silky with no visible bits of cashew remaining! Pour it over the base, spreading it out evenly. Then, place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours, until the top is firm.
Step 3: Make the caramel sauce.
Add the coconut sugar and water to a deep pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Then add in the coconut cream, vanilla, and sea salt. Bring to a bubble, then reduce to low. Cook for 5 or so minutes until it thickens and darkens in color. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Chill
Once the cake is firm on top, pour the slightly cooled caramel over top, spreading it out. Place back in the freezer for another two hours or so, before removing from the pan. Before serving, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes to achieve the perfect creamy texture.
Storing leftover no-bake cheesecake
This cheesecake will last in the freezer for up to 5 months! When eating, you can leave the cake out on the counter for a bit to soften it!
Tips for the best no-bake cheesecakes
- Use a spring form pan for easy removal and to keep nice, smooth edges!
- Blend the filling longer than you think you need to! We don’t want any clumps!
- Use soaked cashews – don’t skip this! Soaking the cashews in hot water softens them and makes the blending process so much easier!
- Use full-fat coconut cream for maximum creaminess.
- Let the cheesecake soften slightly before slicing. Use a sharp knife cleaned between slices for picture-perfect pieces!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this cheesecake ahead of time? Absolutely! Being it needs quite a bit of chilling time, making it ahead of time is perfect!
- Do I have to soak the cashews? Yes! Soaking helps create the smooth, creamy texture that makes vegan cheesecake so delicious.
- Can I use store-bought caramel? Totally!! My homemade caramel recipe just keeps the recipe paleo-friendly and refined sugar-free.
- Is this cheesecake gluten-free? Yes. The crust is naturally gluten-free and grain-free.
More healthy recipes to try
- Tiramisu cheesecake
- Snickers cheesecake
- S’mores brownies
- Baked Apple cheesecake
- Caramel pecan cookie skillet
- Gluten-free apple crisp
- Mini pumpkin cheesecake jars
No-Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Ingredients
Base
- 1 box simple mills sweet thins
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
Cheesecake filling
- 2 cups cashews
- 1/2 cup thick greek or coconut yogurt
- 1/3 cup coconut cream (solid part from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup pitted, medjool dates, packed
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pinch of sea salt
Salted caramel topping
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/3 cup coconut cream (the solid part from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- sea salt
Instructions
- Start by soaking the cashews. Fill a pot with water and add the cashews. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let the cashews soak for 15 minutes. Drain them and then use in the recipe!
Caramel
- In a medium sauce pan, add in the sugar and water and mix well. Turn the heat to medium and stir frequently until the sugar is bubbling and darker in color.
- Then turn the heat to low and add in the room temperature coconut oil, and whisk again until it's mixed in.
- Take the pot off the heat for a moment, while you add in the coconut cream. Stir constantly until the heavy cream is incorporated. If your cream isn’t integrating into the caramel, bring the pot back to heat and keep stirring until it mixes in. Then stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Bring the caramel back to medium-low heat, and allow the mixture to bubble for 1 minute without touching the caramel. Then remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe jar for storage.
Cheesecake
- Add the cookies or sweet thins and coconut oil to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles sticky crumbs. Press firmly into the bottom of a lined springform pan or loaf pan and place in the freezer while preparing the filling.
- To a blender, add the soaked cashews along with the remaining ingredients and blend for a few minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until completely smooth and creamy. The filling should be silky with no visible bits of cashew remaining! Pour it over the base, spreading it out evenly. Then, place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours, until the top is firm.
- Once the cake is firm on top, pour the slightly cooled caramel over top, spreading it out. Place back in the freezer for another two hours or so, before removing from the pan. I like to top mine with flakey sea salt!
- Before serving, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes to achieve the perfect creamy texture.
