Vegan Cheesecake Base (Digestive, Hobnob, Biscoff, Gingernut, Oreo)
Looking for a quick and easy vegan cheesecake base recipe? Look no further! This post will give you five simple, no-bake recipes for Digestive, Hobnob, Biscoff, Gingernut & Oreo biscuit cheesecake bases.
I don’t know about you, but I think that cheesecake is one of the best desserts in the whole wide world! Aside from chocolate desserts, vegan cheesecakes are my favourite. They are so easy to make and require minimal effort for maximum reward.
Whilst I’m taking a short break from making new recipes, I’ve been filling the blog up with beginner-friendly tutorials and resources. And that’s where the idea for this no-bake cheesecake base tutorial came from!
There are many different types of biscuit bases you can use and I’ve covered 5 of my favourites in this post. All you need to do is pair any one of them with your favourite vegan cheesecake filling and enjoy!
How to make vegan cheesecake base
Swapping dairy butter out for vegan butter or margarine doesn’t always work when making a no-bake cheesecake base. The amount that you need depends on how many and what type of biscuits you’re using, and whether you’re using margarine or butter. I recommend using a spreadable margarine such as Vitalite because that’s what I’ve tested these recipes with. A blocky type of vegan butter will work too but you’ll need to add a tad more to prevent the base from crumbling, because it’s not as ‘wet’ as margarine.
In case you didn’t know, all of the biscuits I’m using for these recipes are accidentally vegan biscuits!
Digestive biscuit base
This is the most classic type of cheesecake base in the UK. Digestives have a subtle sweetness and quite a neutral flavour, meaning they will go with any type of cheesecake filling. I used them for my vanilla cheesecake. All you’ll need to make a Digestive biscuit base is 300g of Digestives and 100g of vegan margarine.
Melt the margarine, crush the biscuits up into fine crumbs, and mix together. Once the crumbs are evenly coated in margarine, press the mixture into a 9-inch springform tin. Place it in the fridge while you prepare your cheesecake filling.
Hobnob biscuit base
Hobnobs are another accidentally vegan biscuit that make a great base for a no-bake cheesecake. They’re oaty, syrupy biscuits that taste a bit like flapjacks. I used them to make my chocolate cheesecake recipe.
You’ll need 300g of Hobnobs but only 90g of vegan margarine, because these biscuits absorb the fat a bit less than the Digestives. The method stays the same, though: Crush the biscuits into crumbs, mix with the melted margarine and press into a 9-inch springform cake tin.
Biscoff biscuit base
Did you know that Biscoff biscuits are vegan too?! They have a sweet, spicy, caramel-like flavour and taste SO good in a cheesecake! My no-bake Biscoff cheesecake recipe is one of my favourites!
I used 400g of Biscoff biscuits and 120g of vegan margarine for this one. The Biscoff crumbs were very fine so I used a bit more margarine. Press the coated crumbs into your tin and pair with creamy Biscoff filling. Yum!
Gingernut biscuit base
Gingernut biscuits are fiery, syrupy, crunchy biscuits that are another British favourite. You can make your own but most brands at the supermarket are vegan-friendly. Their spicy flavour goes really well with super sweet fillings, which is why I used them for my white chocolate cheesecake. They help to cut through the sweetness a bit to create a more balanced flavour.
You’ll need 300g of Gingernut biscuits and 90g of vegan margarine for your Gingernut cheesecake base. Follow the same method as before and pop in the fridge while you prepare your filling.
Oreo cookie base
Last, but certainly not least, is this chocolatey Oreo cheesecake base. It may be a surprise to some but most flavours of Oreos are vegan! They taste absolutely delicious when paired with a vanilla cheesecake filling, like I did with my Oreo cheesecake. The chocolate flavour would also go well with any type of chocolate or peanut butter cheesecake.
For the Oreo base, I used 400g of Oreos and 100g of vegan margarine.
FAQ:
If you like your cheesecake crust on the thicker side, you can a smaller tin such as a 7 or 8-inch tin. If you want to use a bigger tin, you will also need to increase the quantities of the ingredients you use, or you may end up with a base that’s too thin.
You can use gluten-free biscuits. I’ve tested the Hobnob base with gluten-free Hobnobs and it worked well without needing to make adjustments to the amount of margarine used. I haven’t tested with other gluten-free varieties yet but I assume they will work just fine. You may need to add a little more melted margarine to help it stick together.
There are some gluten-free (and vegan) Digestives, Gingernuts and ‘Oreos‘ available to buy in the supermarkets. Gluten-free Biscoff biscuits are a little harder to come by but this version looks like a good substitute.
You can prepare your cheesecake base in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days before you add your filling. Just make sure to wrap it tightly to keep it fresh!
Yes. Tightly wrap it up in the tin and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to defrost it, transfer it to the fridge and leave it to thaw overnight. Make sure to add your cheesecake filling within 1-2 days and do not refreeze.
I hope this post was useful! Leave a comment to let me know which vegan cheesecake base you’ll be trying. Enjoy! xo
Vegan Cheesecake Base Recipe
A quick and easy, no-bake cheesecake base that's free from dairy. Recipes for a base with Digestive biscuits, Hobnobs, Biscoff biscuits, Gingernut biscuits and Oreos.
Ingredients
Digestive cheesecake base:
- 300 g Digestive biscuits
- 100 g Vegan margarine
Hobnob cheesecake base:
- 300 g Hobnob biscuits
- 90 g Vegan margarine
Biscoff cheesecake base:
- 400 g Biscoff biscuits
- 120 g Vegan margarine
Gingernut cheesecake base:
- 300 g Gingernut biscuits
- 90 g Vegan margarine
Oreo cheesecake base:
- 400 g Oreo cookies
- 100 g Vegan margarine
Instructions
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Crush your biscuits of choice into fine crumbs. You can do this in a blender or food processor, or you can do it manually with a heavy rolling pin.
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Melt the margarine until it becomes liquid.
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Mix the melted margarine and biscuit crumbs together in a large bowl, until well coated.
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Tightly press the mixture into a 9-inch springform tin. If you prefer a thicker base, you can use a smaller tin.
