Ultra Creamy Easy Cannoli Cheesecake (No Eggs, Dairy Free, Gluten Free!)
This lush and creamy cannoli cheesecake tastes like cannoli- yet somehow better! With a crispy oat crust and easy creamy “mascarpone” cheesecake filling, you won’t believe that this cheesecake is vegan, dairy free, contains no eggs, and is gluten free. You’ll fall in love with this spin on a classic Italian dessert!
The Best of Cannoli and Cheesecake combined!
If you love cannoli and you love cheesecake, then let me introduce you to the perfect marriage of the two.
Yep, this cannoli cheesecake is it. It’s so creamy, lush and legit tastes like a cannoli in cheesecake form. And if you’re as obsessed with Italian desserts as I am, then you also need to try my vegan tiramisu cheesecake and vegan pistachio cheesecake!
This recipe is so delicious and easy, that went into my first cookbook. You don’t even need a water bath to keep the cheesecake moist. It’s THAT good.
We have a crispy and thick sweet crust that’s buttery and delicious, and filled with a light yet decadent and rich cheesecake filling that is reminiscent of ricotta thanks to one easy trick! And of course, it’s speckled with chocolate chips and a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
My Italian grandma, who just loves making cannoli (and tiramisù – it’s how I developed my vegan tiramisù!), was the one who actually suggested I try making our favorite dessert into cheesecake form. And she is just as OBSESSED as I am.
Oh, and not to mention, this cannoli cheesecake is entirely dairy free, no eggs, vegan, and gluten free- yet you’d absolutely never know 😉
Cannoli Cheesecake Ingredients
- Vegan cream cheese: If you’re not vegan, you might be wondering what vegan cream cheese brand to use. I recommend using Tofutti or Kite Hill. It will give you the best taste and texture!
- Vegan heavy cream: I like using Silk or Country Plant Crock. You can also sub in coconut cream!
- Dairy free sour cream: You can also use dairy free yogurt. For sour cream, try Forager Project- it’s amazing! The tanginess will be neutralized by the baking
- soda so that it tastes more like ricotta cheese, yet the creaminess of the yogurt will help yield that lush texture.
- Granulated sugar: Make sure your sugar is vegan!
- Cornstarch: This replaces our eggs in vegan baking, especially in cheesecakes. You can also sub in arrowroot starch.
- Baking soda: This is my secret trick to making this cheesecake taste like a cannoli! Baking soda neutralizes acidity, making it more basic and creating that super pleasant slightly sweet flavor found in both ricotta and mascarpone cheese.
- Vanilla bean paste: And vanilla extract!
- Chocolate chips: I recommend using vegan mini chocolate chips, like Enjoy Life!
- Oats: Use certified gluten free, like One Degree Organics, if you’re in need of gluten free! You can also substitute in graham crackers if you’d like more of a classic cheesecake flavor.
- Vegan butter: To help hold our cannoli cheesecake crust together.
- Cinnamon: For flavor in the crust!
Do I need a stand mixer? Not necessarily! You can make the cannoli filling simply with a large bowl and a hand mixer or electric mixer. However, I find a stand mixer with whisk attachment (instead of a paddle attachment) is really easy.
Overview: How to make Cannoli Cheesecake (vegan and gluten free!)
Can I make this a no bake vegan cheesecake?
You can definitely make this a no bake cannoli cheesecake if you’d prefer. Just omit the cornstarch. Since it’s not going into the oven, you don’t need the cornstarch there, which acts like eggs to bind the cheesecake.
However, keep the baking soda in the cheesecake batter. This is because as the cheesecake sits in the freezer to set (make sure you freeze the cheesecake for at least 2 hours), the baking soda will still neutralize the flavors in the cheesecake.
Can I use a graham cracker crust?
Yes, absolutely! If you’d prefer to use graham crackers instead of oats, you definitely can. You’ll still blitz the graham crackers in the food processor just as you would the oats. Press into your springform pan, and you’re good to go!
Topping ideas:
You can go with the classic light dusting of powdered sugar, like I did (make sure it’s vegan! I love using Florida Crystals) or you can jazz it up with:
- Piped vegan whipped cream
- Crushed pistachios
- Mini vegan cannoli on top
- Vegan ganache
There ya have it!
An easy and delicious vegan and gluten free chocolate chip cannoli cheesecake 🙂 Tastes just like a cannoli and is a pie for both summer and winter, spring and fall! Whenever you’re in the mood for your favorite Italian treat 😉
You’re just going to LOVE this unbelievably vegan cannoli cheesecake as much as my family does! Let me know how it goes in the comments below, and I cannot wait to see your creations on Instagram and Pinterest!
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If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Ultra Creamy Easy Cannoli Cheesecake (No Eggs, Dairy Free, Gluten Free!)
- Prep Time: 15
- Chilling time: 240
- Cook Time: 65
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This lush and creamy cannoli cheesecake tastes like cannoli- yet somehow better! With a crispy oat crust and easy creamy “mascarpone” cheesecake filling, you won’t believe that this cheesecake is vegan, dairy free, contains no eggs, and is gluten free. You’ll fall in love with this spin on a classic Italian dessert!
Ingredients
Oat crust:
- 2 1/2 cups (250 g) oats*
- 1/4 cup (55 g) melted vegan butter
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Cannoli Cheesecake filling:
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) dairy free yogurt or vegan sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) heavy vegan cream or coconut cream
- 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (70 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups mini vegan chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Prep: Measure out all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375F, and line an 8″ or 9″ springform pan with parchment paper.
- Make the graham cracker oat crust: In a large food processor, pulse the oats, sugar, and cinnamon together until the oats are almost a fine flour. Pour in the melted vegan butter and mix together until you get a sandy clump texture.
- Bake the crust: Press the oat crust into the springform pan, working the dough partway up the sides of the springform pan (about an 1″ high) to create a rustic crust. Place the crust into the oven to bake for 10 minutes while you make the cannoli cheesecake filling. Remove from the oven and place the crust onto a baking sheet for ease in place the pan back into the oven later.
- Make the filling: In a stand mixer with whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the vegan cream cheese and yogurt until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add in the remaining ingredients, and continue mixing until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Fold in the chocolate chips: Remove the bowl from the stand mixer if necessary, and add in the mini chocolate chips. Fold in the chips to distribute evenly.
- Fill the cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake filling into the baked oat crust, and top with more chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake: Place the cheesecake on the baking pan into the oven to bake for 60-65 minutes, or until the top of the cheesecake is slightly golden brown, and the middle isn’t wiggling AS much, but it’s still a bit wiggly. It will set after chilling.
- Chill: Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the oven, and allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then cover the cheesecake, and allow it to set in the fridge for 3 hours, or overnight.
- Serve and enjoy: When ready to serve, carefully run a butter knife along the edges of the springform pan to remove the cheesecake from the sides. Carefully remove the springform pan side and serve the cheesecake. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Oats: If you’re not gluten free or cannot tolerate oats, you can swap in an equal amount of graham crackers or gluten free graham crackers, and omit the sugar.
Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe! As a vegan with a nut allergy it’s harder to find cheesecake recipes without cashews and that’s why I’m so happy my sister introduced me to your website. The cheesecake was a little runnier than the recipe said when I took it out of the oven which had me worried it wouldn’t set. However, the feeling of opening the fridge in the morning and seeing it had set fully was almost as amazing as the taste of the cheesecake itself! 😂 Thank you so much, and I’m so excited to try out the other flavours this summer! 🙂
Can maple syrup replace the granulated sugar in the filling?
Not for this recipe, unfortunately!
Hi! I made this earlier today! So yummy! Question though, I feel like the consistency is a little off? I followed all the steps.. I used coconut sugar so the color is a little darker. Sat for 5hrs in fridge. The texture is very gelatinous.
Hi Michelle! Hmm which vegan cream cheese did you use?
Violife, I have a cashew allergy. Do you have any brands that you like that are cashew free?
Oh if it’s just a cashew allergy, Kite Hill or Oatly are both great!
I used violife. I have a cashew allergy so options are limited. Do you have a cream cheese that would work that’s cashew free?
Any advice if I were to make it in a muffin tin instead? How long would you recommend I try baking?
I decided to try & make this cheesecake for Thanksgiving, even though some of the comments almost deterred me. I used the recommended yogurt but I bought vanilla , I think I probably should have gotten plain. I did not have a runny mixture, It was perfect. I cooked it for 60 minutes.
The outcome: The cake consistency was good however mine was maybe to jello ish? Im not sure if it cooked to long, I have a large commercial over.
I did not taste cannoli at all. Growing up in an Italian family & now vegan, it’s hard to find anything that really resembles cannoli. I would attempt this again with plain yogurt & see if that makes a difference
I really want to make this for Christmas again! I have a cashew allergy. Is there a cream cheese you recommend? I tried violife but it came out a bit too gelatinous
Oh I’m so happy to hear it! Have you tried Tofutti? They’re really good!
Maybe too late, but I just read on another baking site that corn starch measurements (t, T, etc) can vary greatly when weighed. Wondering if that could be causing runniness issue that some are having? Measured by volume vs weight?
Off to give it a try!
Great recipe! I made this cheesecake for my wife’s birthday party and everyone loved it. The cheesecake was delicious, had a really nice creamy texture, and wasn’t too sweet. Instead of an oat crust, I used Partake’s gluten free graham crackers from Target and it turned out really well. So happy I found this! Highly recommend!
This is STUNNING oh my goodness!! And happy birthday to your wife, that is so sweet that you made it!! Thank you for the kind review, and enjoy 🙂
Amazing results with this recipe!! I used your homemade vegan cream cheese recipe and love that on its own and in this too. I only had vanilla paste and not extract but did put a half teaspoon of Almond Extract in the filling as well which I think really made this taste like a cannoli. Texture is perfect, filling is tangy and delicious. I shared with a few non-vegan friends and they loved it too!