Nut-Free Dairy-Free Baked Cheesecake Recipe

A few weeks ago an easy baked cheesecake appeared on the blog: light, tangy, and dairy-free. It was a hit, but many readers asked for one more thing — nut-free. Several people specifically requested a cashew-free version, so I went back to the kitchen to adapt the recipe. The result is a nut-free, dairy-free baked cheesecake that’s just as satisfying as the original.

Removing nuts from this kind of cheesecake required a few smart swaps, and I’m really glad readers asked for it. For the crust I replaced cashews with pumpkin seeds (pepitas), though sunflower seeds also work well. In the filling I swapped the cashews for sunflower seed butter. Sunflower seed butter can be assertive on its own, but when blended with dairy-free yogurt it mellows into a rich, cheesecake-like texture and flavor.

I also stirred a couple of tablespoons of apricot jam into the filling. The apricot doesn’t announce itself as a dominant flavor, but it adds a rounded, slightly fruity lift that makes the cheesecake feel special.

This version keeps the recipe free from dairy, gluten, grains, oils, eggs, and refined sugar while removing nuts entirely. The texture is creamy and the flavor is balanced — tangy from the lemon and yogurt, sweetened with agave or another liquid sweetener, and smoothed by the sunflower seed butter.

Note about the photos: the cake shown has a slightly thicker crust than the recipe below. I originally doubled the crust and later decided a thinner crust suited the cheesecake better. The version in the recipe has a slimmer crust but the same great taste. I didn’t get photos of the thinner-crust version because it disappeared quickly — guests loved it.