these personal vegan protein cheesecakes are the ultimate dessert! packing in 14 grams of protein, they are easy to make, and will get you so excited for sweet treat time.

the inspiration

I love vegan cheesecake. It is one of my favorite desserts. But as we all know it is of course a bit more calorie dense, so while it is great to enjoy in moderation I can’t have it everyday. But with these personal vegan protein cheesecakes we can have them everyday of the week!

This recipe was first shared in a YouTube video back in the fall so I am very excited to give it a space on the blog now. I think it is actually easier to make than a regular vegan cheesecake and it takes less time to bake them.

You will be amazed at how incredible the textures and flavors are, all while packing in 14g protein! No protein powder, no eggs, no cottage cheese, no Greek yogurt. Just all plant based goodness.

the ingredients

Firm Tofu: the firm tofu works well here to create a nice texture and add in protein. When I usually make my vegan cheesecake I will typically use silken tofu, however, I am finding I actually like the consistency with firm tofu better. Also, firm tofu has more protein than silken tofu so it is better for this recipe.
Vegan Cream Cheese: of course for protein cheesecakes we need some vegan cream cheese! I do love Kite Hill but if you are nut free you can use Tofutti. I do not recommend Violife as I find it to be too oily and it doesn’t set right.
Non-Dairy Milk: this is just used to help blend. I like Ripple to add in a little extra protein.
Maple Syrup: we will use maple syrup to sweeten the protein cheesecake filling and in the strawberry topping.
Vanilla Extract: used to add vanilla flavor in the protein cheesecakes and the strawberry topping.
Catalina Crunch: this is a protein cereal that works so well instead of using graham crackers or graham cracker crumbs. I buy the Honey Graham flavor, there is no actual honey in it. So, when it is ground up it makes the perfect substitute.
Strawberries: you can use any fruit you like to make the topping. I had strawberries so that is what I used, but any berry will do.

the crust

The first part of making this recipe is making our little crust. It is super easy to make this because we are using a protein cereal, called Catalina Crunch! It is pea protein based and I have been enjoying it for years now. I think it is absolutely delicious and the honey graham flavor (there is no actual honey in it) works well for this recipe.

All you need to do is pulse it in a blender until it turns into crumbs. Then, you will evenly divide it amongst the ramekins. Use a spoon to press the crumbs down and there you go. An easy and delicious crust.

In this recipe the Catalina Crunch is helping to add protein, around 5g of protein per protein cheesecake. So, if you decided to leave it out or swapped the cereal you will be altering the macros of this recipe. Again if you do not personally care about that, then it is okay!

the filling

The filling for our personal vegan protein cheesecake recipe is very easy to make. All you need is to add everything into the blender and blend until it is smooth. You will be left with this lightly sweetened and delicious vegan cheesecake filling.

Tofu and the vegan cream cheese work very well together to create a base. This is actually exactly how I make my larger vegan cheesecakes as well. However, this recipe differs because we are only using a fraction of the sugar.

When I make a recipe like this my sweetener of choice is either maple syrup or agave. You can also play around with things like stevia or monkfruit if you like as well. When you taste the filling on its own it won’t be overly sweet but when combined with the crust and the topping it all comes together beautifully.

the topping

Finally, I think a topping is so fun for our personal vegan protein cheesecakes! I personally love a berry topping and I will use whatever I have on hand: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. You can even do an apple or peach one.

All you need to do is slice the strawberries up small and place them in a little pan or pot with the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a little water. Cook them over a low heat and they will turn into beautiful syrupy strawberries!

They come out so delicious and really enhance the overall recipe. You can store them in a separate container and then place them on top right before you eat the dessert.

why you’ll love this recipe

There are so many reasons to love these personal vegan protein cheesecakes. They are very easy to make, they are macro-friendly if that matters to you, and they are pretty high protein for a dessert.

I also think there is something nice about not needing a lot of kitchen items as well. No need for an electric mixer or a mixing bowl. Just grab your blender and go! You can also use a food processor for this mine is just very big and because we are working in smaller quantities I prefer my smaller blender.

You will be amazed by how decadent this dessert is. They are very satisfying and give us a fun way to enjoy vegan cheesecakes!