Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake (dairy-free + No-bake)

Dig into a slice of this decadent cosmic brownie cheesecake with a chocolate crumb crust, silky dairy-free no-bake cheesecake filling, and nostalgic candy sprinkle top!

If the rainbow of candy-coated chocolate sprinkles on top of that slice of chocolate cheesecake doesn’t take you right back to a middle school cafeteria in your mind, then I don’t know what could (or you weren’t born in the 90s). I’m not saying they were the best brownies and definitely not the most nutritious, but damn are they nostalgic. I’ve done a grown up/glowed up version of the brownies themselves before, but I wanted to bring the cosmic to another chocolatey creation: CHEESECAKE!

How To: Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake

Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. There are 3 components to this layered chocolatey treat: the chocolate crumb crust, the silky cheesecake filling, and the dairy-free ganache + sprinkle topping.

Gluten-free Chocolate Crumb Crust

I wanted the crust to have that enticing crumbly texture of an Oreo crust, but with better for you ingredients. So I turned to my favorite crust ingredient: cereal. I typically go for a crispy rice variety, but truly any crunchy unsweetened toasted cereal will work. Just make sure you grind it real well to a sandy texture before adding any of the wet ingredients. Cocoa powder because the theme of this recipe is CHOCOLATE, melted coconut oil instead of butter, maple syrup for a little bit of sweetness, and a good pinch of salt to offset all the chocolate. sweetness to come.

You can leave this crust un-baked, the coconut oil will solidify when you chill it and hold it together pretty well. But personally I prefer to bake it for just 10-12 minutes so it’s not too crumbly.

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

The filling is SO creamy, but completely dairy-free. And we’re not using any cashew either. While I love a cashew cheesecake, the tangy flavor of using dairy-free cream cheese just tastes a little more authentic and a little more delicious in my opinion. So here’s the ingredient lineup:

Dairy-free cream cheese. Violife or Miyoko’s are my favorite, the plain variety of course.
Full-fat coconut milk. From a can, but go ahead and shake it up before opening and use the entire contents not just the cream part.
Chocolate chips. Semi-sweet have a lovely amount of sweetness, but you could use a darker variety if you prefer. Melted before blending.
Medjool dates. I opted to sweeten this filling with fruit, pitted medjool dates add a delicious natural sweetness and some thickness too. Just make sure you blend them REALLY well, the softer/fresher the better.
Cocoa powder. Because two forms of chocolate is better than one.
Vanilla and salt.

Dairy-Free Ganache Topping + Sprinkles

If you’ve never made dairy-free ganache, you are absolutely missing out. As a rich topping, truffle filling, or whipped frosting its magical stuff. In this case we are going the rich topping route, and it will slice much easier than just straight melted chocolate which shatters instead.

You only need 2 ingredients to make it: dairy-free chocolate and non-dairy milk. Full fat coconut milk will yield the best texture, but I have made with almond milk before as well. Melt the two together in the microwave for 60 seconds, stir well, then add an addition 30 seconds only if needed. Let it cool slightly before layering on top of the filling, it should be the perfect spreadable silky consistency that sets in just a few minutes in the fridge.

Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake FAQs

What makes it “cosmic”?

If you don’t live in the US or are not familiar, it’s inspired by this childhood treat. Even if you’ve never had that Little Debbie confection, you will still love this cheesecake!

What is the best way to store it?

I like to slice it all at once and then store in the fridge, it will be good for a week or so easily that way. It does need to be served chilled.

What can I use instead of cereal for the crust?

Granola would work really well too if you grind it up, or you can do a nut-based crust like this one.

What can I use instead of dates?

I haven’t tested with other sweeteners, but you could try maple syrup or honey or agave (about 1/3 cup). I’d recommend adding 1/4 cup nut butter as well to make up for the thickness that the blended dates add.