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Rich, creamy, nutty with the addictive coffee caramel flavour, this Walnut Macchiato Cheesecake is my top 3 favourite desserts so far! This lovely “cheesecake” is vegan, no-bake, and surprisingly wholesome!
Story behind Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake
I’ve been thinking about making a coffee-flavoured cheesecake for a long time, but couldn’t decide the taste combination… until a few weeks ago! Yes, it’s caramel.
This macchiato cheesecake is a multi-layer vegan desserts that I am very obsessed with right now, a walnut oat base topped with a coffee-infused walnut ‘cheesecake’ layer and one creamy vanilla ‘cheesecake’ layer. The whole thing is finished with scrumptious candied walnuts and caramel on top for its completion.
It’s 100% plant-based, meaning no dairy (so no cheese), no eggs, no animal products. It still got the luscious taste, but made vegan, more natural ingredients, which you might be surprised by how wholesome they are!
Why you will love this Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake
- Rich with tons of flavours!
- Vegan, 100% plant-based ingredients
- No-bake, easy to put together
- Super creamy and satisfying
What do we need for Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake
- Soft Dates: gives the cheesecake a natural sweetness while acting as a binder.
- Rolled Oats: add more texture to the base also give this dessert more fibre.
- Walnuts: used from the bottom to the top layer to make this cheesecake nutty and unique.
- Coconut Cream: provides the richness that we want in a cheesecake. It’s from one chilled canned full-fat coconut milk. You can see the photo in this post How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream for reference.
- Vanilla Extract: just a bit to elevate the overall flavour.
- Instant Coffee Granule: to flavour the cheesecake, so you probably will crave it in the morning as well!
- Coconut Oil: to bind all the ingredients and enrich the overall texture. I personally like to use the extra-virgin one, but feel free to use refined/deodorized coconut oil if you prefer.
- Raw Cashews: We will soften them first by soaking them in water for 4–6 hours, then blend them with a few other ingredients to create the perfect creamy cheesecake.
- Soy milk: This is my go-to plant-based milk. It also makes this cheesecake creamy and satisfying.
- Maple Syrup: My favourite liquid sweetener. It also adds more flavour to this cheesecake.
- Coconut Sugar: I adore the caramel flavour of coconut sugar very much. We will use it to make the irresistible candied walnuts.
How to Make Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake
This is made of four parts: walnut oat base, Macchiato coffee cheesecake layer, vanilla cheesecake layer, and candied walnuts.
I know it sounds a lot or complicated, but worry not. It’s mostly just mixing and blending.
We will start by mixing the oat based ingredients in a food processor and press it down in a cake tin. Then, for the two cheesecake layers, just blending all the respective ingredients together until smooth. For this recipe, we will use both walnuts and cashews.
One important thing to remember is to soak the cashews in water for 4–6 hours so they can turn into creamy heaven. The other is to make sure your coconut cream is ready in the fridge.
Make the coffee cheesecake layer first, which is mainly made of coconut cream, walnuts, dates, can instant coffee granule. Let it set in the freezer before making the vanilla one, which is a blend of creamy cashews, soy milk, maple syrup, and a bit of coconut oil. Then let the cheesecake sit in the freezer until it’s completely set.
Finally, we will make the candied walnuts in over the stovetop by making a caramel sauce and stirring the walnut halves in. For this step, you want to do it quick so it won’t get too hard. Then just add it on top of the cheesecake. Slice and enjoy!
Extra Tips for Success
- Weight your ingredients. When it comes to desserts, I always recommend using a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups for the most accurate results.
- Soak the cashews for 4–6 hours. Make sure to soak the cashews in advance so they can be blended well.
- Be patient. Make sure the first cheesecake layer is fully set before adding the second mixture.
This creamy, rich Vegan Walnut Macchiato Cheesecake is so delicious that I made it again soon after I finished the first one. I hope you will love it as much as I do! Tag me @barrelleaf if you share your recreation on Instagram!
If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and comment. Thank you so much and enjoy! — Love, Nora
What else can I make?
If you fancy more rich desserts, you can try these as well:
Vegan Walnut Macchiato Cheesecake
Ingredients
Walnut Oat Base
- 35 g soft dates, like Medjool dates, pitted* (~3 Tbsp)
- 45 g rolled oats, (1/2 cup)
- 20 g walnuts, raw or toasted (1/6 cup)
- A pinch salt
Macchiato Coffee Cheesecake Layer
- 180 g coconut cream, from 1 canned full-fat coconut milk**
- 60 g soft dates, like Medjool dates, pitted* (1/4 + 1/8 cup)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp instant coffee granule
- 1/2 Tbsp drinking water, or use the leftover coconut water from the canned coconut milk
- 1 tsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
- 45 g walnuts, toasted (3/8 cup)
Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
- 96 g raw cashews, soaked in water for 4-6 hours (3/4 cup)
- 60 g soya milk, unsweetened (1/4 cup)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- A pinch salt
- 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
Candied Walnuts and Caramel
- 52 g coconut sugar, (6 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp drinking water
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch salt
- 60 g walnuts, halves of pieces, toasted (1/2 cup)
Instructions
To make the Walnut Oat Base
- Add dates to a food processor and blitz until they are finely chopped.
- Add oats, walnuts, and salt. Blend again until the mixture can stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water and mix all again to help bind.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin. Press it down evenly to form an even layer base. Place it in the freezer while we make the other layer.
To make Macchiato Coffee Cheesecake Layer
- Scoop out the coconut cream from the canned coconut milk.
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the side if needed.
- Take the cake tin out from the freezer. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Gently drop the cake tin against the counter a few times to smooth the top.
- Place the cake tin back in the freezer for 2–3 hours to set.
To make the Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
- Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender cup to make sure everything is blended together.
- Take out the cake tin from the freezer. Make sure the coffee cheesecake layer is set before pouring out the vanilla cheesecake mixture.
- Spread it out evenly. Then put it back in the freezer for 2–3 hours until it’s completely set.
To make the Candied Walnuts and Caramel
- Add coconut sugar, water, cinnamon to a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Once the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture start bubbling, stir in the walnuts evenly, then turn off heat. This step should be done very quickly. Otherwise, it might become too hard.
- Take out the cake tin from the freezer. Add the candied walnuts on top of the vanilla cheesecake layer. Gently spread it out. Return it to the freezer for 10–20 minutes until it’s mostly set.
- Remove the cake from the cake tin. Slice and enjoy! If you let it sit in the freezer for longer than 2 hours after finishing, move the cake to the fridge for 2–3 hours to defrost before serving.
Video
Notes
- *Dates: You can use Medjool dates (my fav), Deglet Noor Dates, or soft pitted dates, which you can find in most grocery stores. If your dates are dry, soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes and drain them before using.
- **Coconut cream: The top layer/fat part of refrigerated full-fat coconut milk. You can see the photos in this Coconut Whipped Cream recipe for reference.
- Storage: Store the cheesecake in airtight containers in the fridge for 3–5 days. You can also slice them all and put some in the freezer to store up to 2 weeks.
