It isn’t often that a food makes nearly everyone take pause. Yet, curiosity captured the minds of many when Daiya Cheezecake was released in 2015. Is it good? Does it really taste like cheesecake? How do they make it without dairy? Wait, no soy, nuts, eggs or gluten, either?
To answer the most burning question: Daiya Cheezecake isn’t good … it’s a delicious miracle! I’ve watched dozens of people devour little slices, completely unaware that it’s dairy-free, or even allergy-friendly. As for how they do it … I have no idea. The ingredients do include coconut, yet there aren’t overt notes of the drupe. In fact, after reading the full label, I have not a clue how I would formulate a replica at home. But in all honestly, the price of a Daiya Cheezecake is pretty darn fair for such an occasional treat, so why bother? I just pick one up and impress everyone with how amazing dairy-free can be!
Daiya Brings Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Cheezecake Back for the Season
I first sampled a bite of the more traditional New York Daiya Cheezecake at Expo West when they previewed it, and had to pull myself away from sampling every flavor at 10am on a Saturday morning.
I was offered another hefty taste at a Food Allergy Blogger Conference in Colorado later in the year, this time of the Strawberry, and remained seriously impressed. They had run out of the Chocolate by the time I made my way to their table … not surprising as I had heard close to a dozen raves about that flavor from other attendees at the relatively small event.
So, with dairy-free cheesecake fresh on my mind, I opted to forgo the more traditional desserts, and pick up a Daiya Cheezecake for an intimate little Thanksgiving dinner. And every year since, I’ve been taking two of these decadent desserts to an annual Christmas Eve party. I always grab a classic New York Style, but each year I pick a different flavor for the second option, and this year, I think it will be Pumpkin Spice. Yes, their seasonal flavor is back, by popular demand!
Their are a few people at that annual Christmas Eve party with food concerns – two with severe nut allergies, one with gluten intolerance, and myself with a milk allergy. It’s a great option for all of us, but we aren’t the only ones who love it. I’ve watched several people, who obviously love cheese, stand by those dairy-free cheesecakes and inhale bite after bite.
Daiya Cheezecake is Pure Decadence in Five Allergy-Friendly Flavors
The Daiya Cheezecake consistency is so incredibly smooth and fulfilling with a taste that boasts a pleasant light tang and the absolute perfect sweetness. The graham crust is a relatively thick but light and scrumptious complimentary base that crumbles a touch, but in a somewhat charming bakery-fresh way.
The Daiya Cheezecake seems a little small when you remove it from the package, but one dessert does satisfy four who’ve saved room for dessert or six who are determined to squeeze something sweet in. The only problem is, it tastes luxurious but not overly heavy. It could be easy to devour half of this dense treat in one sitting if you opt for dessert first.
But tell everyone what you think! Leave your rating and review below, and be sure to note which flavor(s) you’ve tried. Here are the details on each one.
New York
Ingredients: filling (filtered water, creamed coconut, cane sugar, coconut oil, tapioca starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, potato starch, pea protein isolate, vanilla extract, sea salt, xanthan gum, sodium alginate, lactic acid [vegan], tricalcium phosphate, vegan natural flavors, cultured sugar, vegan enzyme), gluten-free crust (tapioca starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, brown rice flour, white whole grain sorghum flour, potato starch, water, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, vanilla extract, milled flax seed, psyllium, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, leavening [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate], xanthan gum). Contains: coconut.*
Nutrition (per 100-gram slice / 1/4 pie): 360 calories, 24g fat, 35g carbs, 3g fiber, 17g sugars (includes 16g added sugars), 2g protein.*
Key Lime
Ingredients: filling (filtered water, cane sugar, creamed coconut, coconut oil, tapioca starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, potato starch, pea protein isolate, key lime juice concentrate, vegan natural flavors, sea salt, xanthan gum, sodium alginate, lactic acid [vegan], tricalcium phosphate, cultured sugar, vegan enzyme), gluten-free crust (tapioca starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, brown rice flour, white whole grain sorghum flour, potato starch, filtered water, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, vanilla extract, milled flax seed, psyllium, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, leavening [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate], xanthan gum). Contains: coconut.*
Nutrition (per 100-gram slice / 1/4 pie): 360 calories, 24g fat, 36g carbs, 3g fiber, 17g sugars (includes 16g added sugars), 2g protein.*
Strawberry
Ingredients: filling (filtered water, creamed coconut, cane sugar, coconut oil, tapioca starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, strawberries, potato starch, pea protein isolate, vegan natural flavors, sea salt, xanthan gum, sodium alginate, lactic acid [vegan], tricalcium phosphate, cultured sugar, lemon juice concentrate, fruit and/or vegetable juice [color], vegan enzyme), gluten-free crust (tapioca starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, brown rice flour, white whole grain sorghum flour, potato starch, filtered water, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, vanilla extract, milled flax seed, psyllium, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, leavening [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate], xanthan gum). Contains: coconut.*
Nutrition (per 100-gram slice / 1/4 pie): 360 calories, 24g fat, 36g carbs, 3g fiber, 17g sugars (includes 16g added sugars), 2g protein.*
Chocolate
Ingredients: filling (filtered water, cane sugar, creamed coconut, coconut oil, tapioca starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, cocoa powder [processed with alkali], potato starch, vanilla extract, pea protein isolate, sea salt, carob powder, xanthan gum, sodium alginate, lactic acid [vegan], tricalcium phosphate, vegan natural flavors, cultured sugar, vegan enzyme), gluten-free crust (tapioca starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, brown rice flour, filtered water, white whole grain sorghum flour, potato starch, cocoa powder [processed with alkali], non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, milled flax seed, vanilla extract, psyllium, xanthan gum, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, caramel color, leavening [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate]). Contains: coconut.*
Nutrition (per 100-gram slice / 1/4 pie): 360 calories, 22g fat, 40g carbs, 4g fiber, 22g sugars (includes 21g added sugars), 3g protein.*
Pumpkin Spice (seasonal)
Ingredients: cheezecake filling (filtered water, cane sugar, creamed coconut, coconut oil, tapioca starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, pumpkin, potato starch, pea protein isolate, vegan natural flavors, sea sal, sodium alginate, xanthan gum, lactic acid (vegan), tricalcium phosphate, spices, cultured sugar, color (pepper concentrate, apple concentrate, tomato concentrate), caramel color, vegan enzyme), gluten-free crust (tapioca starch, cane sugar, coconut oil, brown rice flour, white whole grain sorghum flour, filtered water, potato starch, non-gmo expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, vanilla extract, milled flax seed, psyllium, baking powder, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum). Contains: coconut.*
Nutrition (per 100-gram slice / 1/4 pie): 350 calories, 21g fat, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 19g sugars, 3g protein.*
More Allergen Information*
Daiya does run their own allergy-friendly facility, but they do outsource the production of certain products.
Our pizzas, Cheezy Mac, Cheezecakes and dairy-free Dressings are manufactured in another facility where we have an allergen program in place to prevent any cross contamination with dairy ingredients.
More Facts on Daiya Cheezecake
Price: $8.99 per 14.1-ounce dairy-free cheesecake
Availability: Daiya Cheezecake is sold in the freezer section of natural food stores, like Whole Foods, in the U.S. and Canada. You might also find it in some mainstream retailers like Smith’s and Publix. See their website below to find where to buy.
Certifications: Daiya Cheezecake is Certified Gluten-Free, Certified Vegan, and Certified Kosher Pareve.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Daiya Cheezecake is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.*
For More Product Information: Visit the Daiya website at daiyafoods.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
New York cheesecake
I tried this yesterday it was so salty I threw it in the garbage
The most scrumptious Christmas finish
OMG, just had the pumpkin spice the best Christmas present I’ve ever bought myself. Besides ice cream, cheesecake was my next favorite dessert. Having no milk and being gluten free I thought my world had come to an end, not now…happy eater:-)
My fav dessert!
Sometimes it is hard to accommodate people’s allergies, but this dessert does just that. Every flavor I’ve tried is so delicious, friends without allergies love it too! To make it more decadent, make a simple strawberry reduction sauce to spoon on top. Highly recommend!
This is vegan??
I thought I’d miss cheesecake after going vegan. I picked this dairy free substitute up and I’m blown away with how identical it is in flavor. It tastes just like a traditional New York style cheesecake!
Amazing!!
I have had the Strawberry, Chocolate and Pumpkin. Pumpkin is my favorite but the others are delicious too and for someone who has a severe dairy allergy these are a great treat.
Fanastic
I was afraid to try any of these, but I got the New York, Keylime, and Chocolate for someone’s birthday due to having vegan guests. I am also lactose-intolerant, so I haven’t had cheesecake in years (I used to be able to!). I’d have to say the Keylime is my favorite, but all three of these were fantastic. Everyone raved. I am kind of sad how small they are, for the price, but they are definitely rich and tasty– nonetheless.
Pumpkin cheese cake
Wonderful, taste, with out the cow
Pumpkin cheese cake
Wonderful, taste, with out the cow
New York Cheezecake
Oh. My. Goodness! I am a cheesecake fanatic, but am unfortunately lactose intolerant. I bought this product today, and I am completely in love! Please (pleaze) keep this product on my local shelves! I like it just as well as my own traditional recipe!
I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE KEY LIME
I AM HAVING TROUBLE SELF-DISTANCING——WITH MY REFRIGERATOR!!!!
This is the best sub for dairy dessert on the planet. Good grug, guys!!!
21 Comments
Is there anyway you could make it sugar free. For instance using one of the good sugar subs like monk fruit sweetener or even xylitol or erytritol? That would be amazing! I try to eat ketogenically as I am addicted to carbs.
Today I purchased the Daiya Key Lime Cheezecake, and after tasting it and being very disappointed, I started searching for reviews online that would have warned me off if I’d read them earlier. So imagine my surprise that it’s being hailed as divine here.
I found the texture of the creme filling to be slightly chalky and the crust dry and bland. I then slathered it with vegan whipped cream to make it more palatable, but it still left a really weird aftertaste. The lime flavor itself was pretty decent, but I’ll never be buying this again or any of the other flavors. I do regularly use and enjoy the Daiya cheese.
Hi Susan, I’m curious if they changed the formula! I’ve taken their cheesecakes to parties with dairy eaters, and they get devoured! We cut them into little squares, and everyone comes back for 2nds, 3rds, and more. You had me wondering, so I did a search online myself, and couldn’t find any other negative feedback. I haven’t bought one since last year – so I’ll have to buy one this season and make sure the formula hasn’t changed. It was far from chalky previously – very smooth. The above is my unbiased review – I purchase the product myself!
I’ll have to admit that I’m wondering if I got one from a bad batch. That actually happened once with a Healthy Choice product, but because I’d had it several times before, I realized it immediately. And never had that problem again. Hmm, perhaps I’ll try again, or try another flavor.
It’s a serious possibility. If you do try it again, I hope it works out MUCH better for you.
I am a dairy and gluten lover and I loved this cheesecake. I thought it was going to be tastefree. I ended up eating half the cake and the gluten free dairy free guy at the other half
I am truly in love with your cheezecakes! I honestly feel love with every slow bite of this heavenly dessert. To my surprise I found a pumpkin cheezecake today and had to buy it. I’m sure it will be wonderful just like the other flavors.
I really wish you would improve your cheeses. There is just something about the texture and aftertaste that I feel could be tweeked and improved.
I had not realized that the Daiya products were gluten free. Our local Stop and Shop has them on sale, I will definitely purchase a couple of cheesecakes, that I have been craving for so long. I am wondering that if in the near future you will try to make eclairs and napoleons. It’s so hard to crave all those delicious deserts, and not be able to have them.
Thank you.
Jacquie
We’ve tried the original and key lime so far. They are just heavenly. Definitely in a league of their own!
I found this at WF this week and bought the New York style. I was amazed at how delicious it was! I spread some blackberry butter on it and entered dessert heaven. Thank you for making us aware of it! My scales do not thank you.
Haha, tell me about it. I must find blackberry butter now though – thanks for mentioning this Vicki!
I totally missed those at the conference! Too bad because I’ve been wanting to try them. Must pick up some for us to try, especially when Son is home!
Shirley
You should! The whole family would love the treat 🙂
I finally came across it at WF on Thanksgiving and it was so much like the real thing it was scary! But in a very good way. I got the NY style and the only fresh berries I had on hand were blackberries, so I just had them on the side. I wasn’t sure how to make a sauce, but it was still crazy yummy.
Yum! Blackberries would be amazing with it! If you want to make a sauce next time, just simmer the berries, adding sugar to taste. Whisk in a little starch (just a little! cornstarch or arrowroot work well) if the sauce is too thin. This is just a general guide, but it’s really that easy 🙂
I have had the New York and the Key Lime both were as you said “delicious miracles”. Definitely worth the money for sure.
So glad I got the wording right Tarra 🙂 Can’t wait to try the key lime one!
We just tried a plain one and were amazed! I think this is a dairy-free product that is worth the price because I don’t know how I’d make one this good at home.
Agreed, it’s shockingly impressive.
Okay, you’ve convinced me… I need to try this. My local Whole Foods actually carries every single flavor, haha.
You won’t regret it Liz – I promise 🙂