How did this tofu cheesecake come to be?

Over the winter holidays, my mom visited from Poland, and we baked traditional Polish gingerbread for Christmas. It turned out a bit dry, and I wasn’t thrilled about eating it on its own. I ended up freezing the leftovers, thinking they’d make an amazing crust for a pie or cheesecake someday.

Fast forward to my friend’s birthday this week—I wanted to bake something special. I remembered that crust sitting in my freezer, plus I had a big box of tofu and about ten pounds of Meyer lemons 🍋 from my friend’s tree. Everything lined up perfectly, so I decided to wing it and make a Meyer Lemon Tofu Cheesecake.

The result? A light, creamy, and deliciously tangy cheesecake that was a total hit. It’s high in protein, incredibly easy to prepare, and super cost-effective—especially if you live in California, where citrus trees are everywhere.

Why you should try this tofu cheesecake recipe?

In my opinion, tofu is an incredibly underrated ingredient in Western culture. It’s versatile, packed with plant-based protein, and works beautifully in both savory and sweet dishes. Plus, it’s super affordable—you can get a pound of organic tofu for just $2! Tofu gives this cheesecake a satisfying texture and a protein boost. Meyer lemons add a fragrant, sweet-tart kick.

I haven’t published recipes here for a while, but this one was too good not to share. I didn’t have time to take any professional pictures of the cheesecake. I just snapped a few shots with my iPhone, but you get the idea of what it looks like. Not all the pictures need to be taken professionally, right?

Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

Meyer Lemon Tofu Cheesecake

Ingredients (8 Servings)

Crust:

• 2 cups gingersnap cookies, possibly with molasses (you can make your own)
• 1 tablespoon finely crushed almonds
• 1 teaspoon liquid coconut oil

Filling:

• 14 oz. firm tofu
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (or more if you like it really zesty)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon milk of choice

Preparation

Crust:

1. Crush cookies in a blender.
2. In a medium bowl, mix cookie crumbs, syrup, and extract until crumbs are moistened. Pour into an oiled 9-inch pie plate; press the mixture firmly to form the crust.
3. Bake for 5 minutes; let cool while preparing the filling.

Filling:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all filling ingredients and process until smooth (about 60 seconds).

Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pour the mixture into the crust.
3. Bake until the top is slightly browned, about 40-50 minutes on the middle rack.
4. Cool and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and firm (about 2 hours).
5. Sift raw cacao and zest fresh lemon over the top before serving.