This is the BEST EVER Vegan Lemon Meringue Cheesecake! A buttery biscuit base, vanilla cheesecake filling with hidden swirls of lemon curd, topped with more lemon curd and a luscious toasted meringue. It’s the ultimate showstopper! Vegan, No-egg, No-dairy, Gluten-free option and no baking required!
Vegan Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Honestly, I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to produce this recipe, but after all the requests, especially on Instagram…I’ve finally done it! I have to tell you, it’s definitely been worth the wait! I took inspiration from my recent Mini Lemon Cheesecakes, which were super popular over Easter. This larger version contains a biscuit base, vanilla cheesecake with ripples of lemon curd running through the middle, it’s topped with a thick layer of even more fresh lemon curd and a scrumptious light and whipping meringue which is toasted to perfection. It encompasses the lemon meringue pie perfectly and I couldn’t be happier with this dessert.
Looking for more Lemon recipes, check out my Vegan Lemon Creme Brûlée Cookies, Vegan Lemon Bakewell Bars and Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cake.
What makes this the BEST Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe
- Lemon Curd: This lemon curd is homemade using fresh lemons which gives a perfectly tart and citrusy flavour. It pairs beautifully with the sweet meringue and cheesecake filling.
- Toasted Meringue: A whipped and fluffy meringue sits on top of the cheesecake and adds a airy texture which balances out the tartness of the lemon.
- Cheesecake: The cheesecake layer provides a thick, creamy base which pairs well with the zesty lemon curd swirls.
- Super delicious: Overall the cheesecake is perfect in both taste and texture. From the biscuit base all the way to the meringue, this recipe just works in so many ways. You need to try it and see for yourself!
- No-Baking required: This is a no-bake recipe meaning you don’t need your oven for this recipe, simply pop the cheesecake in the fridge overnight and it’s ready!
Ingredients you’ll need (with substitutions)
I have listed the ingredients below, with some substitutions. Find the full written recipe, ingredients list, measurements and method in the recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the page to go right there.
- Digestive biscuits / graham crackers – Use gluten-free biscuits to make this recipe suitable for Coeliacs / gluten-free.
- Dairy-free butter – You want this to be at room temperature. Leave it on the side of your worktop for at least 20 minutes before you begin baking.
- Corn flour – Mix with some water and this helps to thicken up the lemon curd!
- Caster sugar – Use a fine, white sugar for this recipe.
- Lemons (zest and juice) – Make sure the lemons are un-waxed, otherwise they won’t be vegan friendly.
- Vegan condensed milk – My go-to is Natures Charm Condensed Oat Milk or Carnations Condensed Oat Milk.
- Turmeric – This is to give the lemon curd a glorious, natural yellow colour. You can alternatively use a drop of yellow food gel.
- Dairy-free cream cheese – My go-to is Violife!
- Coconut cream – The thick white cream from a can of coconut milk.
- Icing sugar
- Cashew nuts – These want to be soaked in water overnight before use, make sure to check out step 1.
- Aquafaba (chickpea brine) – This is the water from a can of chickpeas. It mimic’s egg white in vegan baking recipes / vegan meringue.
- Cream of tartar
Cheesecake baking tips!
- Use kitchen scales: It’s always best to use a set of kitchen scales for baking. Using gram measurements ensures accurate measurements resulting in a correct / to scale bake!
- Line your tin: Even though I highly recommend using a loose-base / push up cake tin, it’s always worth lining the base of the tin with some greaseproof paper.
- Use a kitchen blow torch: In order to get the glorious toasted meringue, you want to use a good quality kitchen blow torch. They’re also handy just to have in your kitchen for lighting candles or heating up knifes for neatly cutting chocolate bakes etc.
- High speed blender: Use a high speed blender for the creamiest cheesecake ever. My personal favourite is the Kitchenaid Power Plus Pro, as it creams together in minutes and is phenomenal! There are definitely other ‘cheaper’ alternatives, but if you bake a lot, it’s definitely worth the investment!
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake FAQ
- How long do I chill the dessert? – As the dessert is completely no-bake, it’s best to leave it in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours as this will allow it to firm up nicely. I leave it in the fridge overnight.
- Can the cheesecake be made ahead of time? – Yes! As stated above, the cheesecake is best made a day in advance. This also goes for the lemon curd, as this needs enough chilling time to cool down and thicken up. Store the lemon curd in a airtight / sealed container in the fridge and give it a-little whisk before using in the recipe .
- How to store this cheesecake? – Store the cheesecake in an airtight / sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 2-3 days of making. It’s best to add the meringue on-top just before serving as this can deflate if not eaten right away.
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Of course you can! To make this recipe suitable for Coeliac / gluten-free, swap the biscuits for a gluten-free / wheat-free biscuit! Also be sure to check all of your ingredients to make sure they are all free-from gluten before consuming.
Why you NEED to make this Lemon Meringue Cheesecake:
This vegan lemon meringue cheesecake is about to become your new cheesecake obsession! It’s perfectly sweet, creamy, zesty fresh, buttery, tart and of course delicious! What’s more, this is a no bake vegan cheesecake recipe, meaning you simply blitz together all of the ingredients, chill, and then serve. SUPER EASY! Its as simple as that!!
The filling is almost extremely smooth and creamy, but still firm and hold’s its shape with sliced. It’s cram packed with flavour from using high quality vanilla extract to the homemade lemon curd swirls inside. I genuinely love this recipe so much, I just can’t wait for you all to try it and fall in love with it too!
With a buttery biscuit base, silky vanilla and lemon cheesecake filling, and topped with a thick ‘melt in the mouth’ toasted meringue, this vegan lemon meringue cheesecake recipe is a fantastic dessert recipe for Spring, Summer, or any occasion needing an out of this world delicious dessert! You’re welcome!!
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Any questions regarding the recipe, ask in the comments below. Happy baking all!
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Vegan Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
- Total Time: Overnight
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This No-Bake Vegan Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is made with a buttery biscuit base, creamy cheesecake, zesty lemon curd and toasted meringue!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 300g of digestive biscuits
- 150g of dairy-free butter
Ingredients for the lemon curd
- 3 tablespoons of corn flour + 2 tablespoons of water
- 100g of dairy-free butter/margarine
- 100g of caster sugar
- 170ml of lemon juice
- 3 small unwaxed lemons (zest)
- 100g of vegan condensed milk
- Pinch of turmeric (or drop of yellow food gel)
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling
- 400g of dairy-free cream cheese
- 60g of coconut cream
- 100g of icing sugar
- 200g of cashew nuts
Ingredients for the meringue topping
- 120ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine)
- 150g of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
Instructions
Method (base)
- Add the dairy-free butter / margarine into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the biscuits into a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers and should hold its shape. Press the mixture in the lined tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. Also press the biscuit base up the sides of the tin, this will help hold in the cheesecake filling.
- Place into the freezer whilst you make the filling.
Method (lemon curd)
- In a small bowl, add in the corn flour and water. Stir together into thick paste.
- Add the cornflour paste, dairy-free butter, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, condensed milk and a pinch of turmeric into a medium sized saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on the hob and heat over low to medium, stirring constantly, preferably with a whisk. After around 5-8 minutes the lemon curd will thicken. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.
- Pour curd into a heat-proof jar or bowl, cover and place aside to cool down.
- You can either put it in the fridge or keep it at room temperature to cool. Before you use it, give it a good stir to loosen it.
- Transfer into a piping bag for ease, or you can use add it to the cheesecake using a spoon.
Method (cheesecake filling)
- The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.
- Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream and vanilla. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the tin in stages, with swirls of the lemon curd in-between, until you’ve used up all the cheesecake mixture (save some lemon curd for the top of the cheesecake). Tap the cheesecake onto the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Place into the fridge overnight to set.
- Once set, remove from the fridge, and push out the cheesecake (as the base is loose bottomed, it should come out easily).
- Spread the left over lemon curd to the top of the cheesecake!
Method (meringue)
- Add the aquafaba into a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk attachment, you can also use a hand held electric whisk. Whip on high speed for approximately 5 minutes or until foamy.
- While on medium speed, sprinkle in the sugar and cream of tartar, a-little at a time so it doesn’t deflate the mixture. Turn to high speed and whip on high for at least 8-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. You should be able to lift the whisk out of the mixture and it hold a peak.
- Use a spoon or spatula to add the meringue to the top of the cheesecake.
- Use a kitchen blow torch to lightly toast the top of the meringue (see photos for reference).
- Slice the cheesecake into servings using a sharp knife, serve and enjoy!
Notes
To store: Keep the cheesecake fresh by storing in an air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving as this gives the butter in the base time to warm up and become less firm.
Best eaten and enjoyed within 2-3 days of making.
Any left over lemon curd can be stored in an air tight / sealed container in the fridge.
- Prep Time: Overnight
- Category: Cheesecakes
- Method: No-Bake
This looks delicious!! What size tin do you use?
This is so tart and creamy and totally delicious. Highly recommend!!
Author
Thank you so much Alison! So happy you enjoyed x
also wondering what size tin you use?