Thick and creamy with a butter cookie crust, this Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe is packed with nutty flavor. Made with real pistachios and a blend of coconut cream and cream cheese, it’s a light but indulgent dessert you’ll make over and over again.
Traditional cheesecake just got better. I’ve made this vegan pistachio cheesecake so many times that it’s now requested because everyone loves it so much. With a pop of bright green color and a rich, creamy filling, it’s a recipe that everyone gravitates to.
Just like my vegan pistachio ice cream, this cheesecake is a blend of nutty deliciousness in every bite. Made with a typical water bath to ensure the best texture, this is a dessert that no one will believe doesn’t contain dairy, kind of like my coffee mousse.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Best Flavor: The nuttiness of pistachios really shines through in this recipe for pistachio cheesecake. It’s bold but sweet with a slight tang of classic cheesecake taste.
- Cream Texture: A unique blend of coconut milk and vegan cream cheese makes the filling both thick and creamy, but light enough that each bite feels elegant. I use a similar cheesecake base in my ube cheesecake recipe.
- Versatile: Pistachio cheesecake pairs well with everything and can be easily dressed up for any occasion, kind of like my vegan vanilla cupcakes recipe.
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Ingredients
- Vegan cookies: Your favorite plain cookies work for the base of the cheesecake. If you want to switch it up, flavored cookies can be delicious as well.
- Coconut cream: This is the thick, white part at the top of the can. To ensure you only get the solid, full-fat cream, pop the can into the fridge overnight so that you can easily drain the water.
- Pistachios: Save yourself time and effort and get shelled pistachios. You’ll need some to make the pistachio paste as well as for garnishing.
- Matcha: Totally optional, but it gives a brighter green color to the cheesecake and a hint of bright energy.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Toppings: Top the vegan cheesecake with extra pistachios, white chocolate ganache, or vegan caramel dip for extra indulgence.
- Graham cracker crust: Use vegan graham crackers for a classic taste or chocolate cookies for a slightly different flavor combination.
- Additional flavor: A tiny bit of almond extract brings an extra nutty taste, whereas lemon extract bursts with refreshing flavor.
How to Make the Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe
You need to soak the pistachios overnight to make a smooth paste. If you have the time in advance, you could also get a step up on removing the skins before you’re ready to start the recipe.
Step 1: Make and Press the Crust. Add the vegan cookies to a food processor and pulse to crumble. Add the butter and pulse again. Place the crust mixture into a lined springform pan and press it down.
Step 2: Chop the Pistachios. Add the pistachios to a food processor and blend until a paste forms. You may need to stop and scrape the sides down a few times.
Step 3: Prep the Filling. Add the pistachio paste and the filling ingredients to a large bowl, then use an electric mixer to combine.
Step 4: Pour the Filling. Pour the cheesecake filling over the pressed pie crust and wrap the bottom of the pan with foil.
Step 5: Water Bath. Place the pan on a larger baking tray, add 1 cup of water to the tray, and bake for 50-ish minutes.
Step 6: Cool and Decorate. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool fully before placing it in the fridge for 4-5 hours to set. Garnish it with whipped cream and chopped pistachios before serving.
Expert Tips
- Soaking the Pistachios: If you weren’t able to soak the nuts overnight, place them in boiling water for one hour before rinsing and peeling the skins. This will make the paste smoother.
- Prep your Pan: You want to both line your pan with parchment paper as well as grease the parchment paper so that your cheesecake removes easily.
- Pistachio Paste: Know that making the paste takes time (roughly 5-7 minutes). As the food processor blends, a powder will form first before the texture turns into a thick paste.
- Filling texture: Continue to mix the final cheesecake filling until it is ultra-smooth. You’ll want to scrape down the sides frequently so that everything is incorporated.
- Storing: If you have leftovers, wrap the cheesecake in a cake carrier or a double layer of plastic wrap. You can use toothpicks to prop it up. Place it in the fridge, where it will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions
Since pistachios are such a deliciously rich flavor, this cheesecake pairs well with almost everything.
- Enjoy it as part of a larger dessert table, right beside dark chocolate pecan turtles.
- It makes tasty dessert after dinner of these delicious vegan lasagna rolls.
- Indulge in a midday slice paired with a Dalgona matcha latte.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use store-bought pistachio paste. However, make sure that there are minimal ingredients, ideally just pistachios. Some spreads add more ingredients, which can alter the texture of the cheesecake or may make the paste non-vegan.
Yes, you can make cheesecake ahead of time. Since the cheesecake needs a minimum of four hours to set and firm up, you can make it the night before you need it. If you’re prepping it in advance, make sure not to top it with any garnishes until you’re ready to serve it.
Vegan cheesecakes can become too soft when light coconut milk is used in place of full-fat coconut cream, or it hasn’t chilled long enough. If you find your cheesecake a bit soft, let it sit in the fridge for a few more hours to firm up.
Yes, you can freeze vegan cheesecake for up to 3 months when wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap. When you’re ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 150 g vegan plain cookies
- 3 ½ tablespoon vegan butter 50g
Filling
- 1 cup coconut cream 220g
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup pistachios 175g*
- 1 teaspoon matcha optional, for color
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ lemon juice & zest
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Optional toppings
- vegan whipped cream
- pistachios
- edible rose petals
- pistachio butter
Instructions
- To make the crust, add the cookies to a food processor and pulse until they are crushed. Add the melted butter and pulse until well combined.
- Line a springform pan (I used a 9") with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Transfer the crust to the pan and pack it in, making sure to bring it up to the sides of the pan. Set aside.
- To a food processor, add the pistachios and blend until a smooth paste forms. This will take at least 5-7 minutes. First, a powder will form, and then, after a lot more blending, a thick paste will form.
- In a large bowl, add the pistachio paste, coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, salt, and matcha powder. Use an electric mixer to create an extra smooth consistency.
- Time Saving Tip: To skip a few steps and make this faster, you can add all of the cheesecake ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth instead of blending the pistachios separately!
- Pour the filling on top of the crust.
- Now it's time to make our water bath. Wrap the bottom of the cheesecake with foil. This is to make sure no water gets into the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake inside a larger baking tray. Add about 1 cup of water to the tray and bake the cheesecake in the oven for 50-55 minutes at 350F/175°C. Try not to open the door while the cheesecake is baking!
- Once the cheesecake has finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to fully cool. Once the cake has cooled, place it in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours to fully set.
- Once the cake is ready, add vegan whipped cream, chopped pistachios, edible roses, or pistachio cream on top and dig in!
Notes
- Time Saver: If you’re short on time, you can add all of the cheesecake ingredients to the food processor at once and blend them until smooth. It will take a bit, but it saves a step.
- Baking. Try not to open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking, or it will bake unevenly and produce cracks as the steam escapes.
- Matcha. The matcha powder is completely optional, but it brings a brighter green color to the cheesecake as well as a little dose of refreshing energy.
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