Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan with 1-2 layers of aluminum foil, covering the bottoms and the sides. Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, and spray the bottoms and sides of the pan with non-stick spray.

Step 2

In a food processor or blender, pulse the Oreo cookies until they are fine crumbs.

Step 3

Pour the crumbs into a large bowl and stir in the melted vegan butter until well combined.

Step 4

Dump the crumbly crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press down firmly and evenly, going up the sides a bit. Set aside.

Step 5

In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 6

Add the rest of the cheesecake ingredients (coconut cream or yogurt, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and lemon juice) and beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Step 7

Pour into the prepared crust and spread it evenly.

Step 8

Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. After 50 minutes, turn off the oven but let it sit in the oven for another 10 minutes. It will still be jiggly and not look super done, but it firms up as it chills.

Step 9

Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool overnight, or at least 4-6 hours. It firms up considerably the longer it chills. Even after 6 hours the middle will be pretty soft, so chill overnight if at all possible.

Step 10

Place the diced strawberries, 2 tablespoons water, sugar and vanilla in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring.

Step 11

Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the strawberries break down, stirring frequently.

Step 12

In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with the other 2 tablespoons water, then stir into the strawberry mixture on the stove. The sauce will thicken slightly.

Step 13

Now add the halved strawberries and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let the sauce cool for about 30 minutes.

Step 14

Spoon most of the sauce onto the cheesecake and use all of the halved strawberries. Flip them all facedown if desired. Place back in the refrigerator to chill for another hour if possible.

Step 15

Slice and serve with additional strawberry sauce for each piece, if desired. Enjoy! It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, and can also be frozen.