Why choose between cheesecake or pumpkin pie when you can have the best of both worlds with this fusion recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake!
“I’m tired of pumpkin desserts.”–said no one, ever.
I know I can make pumpkin-flavored desserts at any time of the year, but there’s something just so…comfy…about the warm spices and the mellow, sweet pumpkin during the fall season.
Thus I present to you a rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake paired with smooth pumpkin pie that you will want to add to your annual autumnal pumpkin smorgasbord.
I plan on making this cheesecake for Thanksgiving this year and I already know that it’s going to be a hit. And for me, any dessert that I can make a couple days in advance of Thanksgiving is always a hit.
Because the crust is nut-based and made without wheat flour, this vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake is also gluten-free.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
This recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake combines two of your favorite desserts to create one smooth, spiced, and rich sight to behold.
Author: Lands & Flavors
Ingredients
For the Date-Nut Crust:
- 1½ cups ground nuts (I used a mix of almond and pecan meal)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 large medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
For the Pumpkin Pie Layer:
- 1½ cups cooked, puréed pumpkin
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- pinch of clove
For the Cheesecake Layer:
- ¾ cup unroasted cashews, soaked in warm water for 2 hours or more
- 14 oz or 400 g silken tofu
- ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 2½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare the crust by pulsing the nuts, coconut oil, dates, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until it forms a crumbly dough consistency.
- Press this date-nut paste into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.
- Make the pumpkin pie layer by combining the pumpkin, non-dairy milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, and spices in a blender. Blend on high for 1 minute, pour it out into a bowl, and set aside. Rinse off the blender jar.
- Now make the cheesecake layer by putting into the blender the cashews, tofu, sugar, water, coconut oil, lemon juice and zest, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Blend this mixture on high until completely smooth. Depending on your blender, this could take a few minutes.
- When completely smooth, pour this cheesecake mixture into the springform pan, over the crust. Then take the pumpkin pie mixture and use a large spoon to gently spoon this purée over the cheesecake layer, bit by bit. Alternatively, you can pour the filling onto the back of a large spoon that is hovering just over the cheesecake layer, moving it around so that you fill in any bald spots. If you just pour it over the cheesecake layer, you run the risk of it sinking through the cheesecake rather than forming a distinct layer on top.
- Place the pan onto a rimmed baking sheet (*this is important, see notes) and bake at 350°F for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, you will notice that the filling still seems a bit runny in the middle--that's okay. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes in the off, but still hot, oven, remove the pan and place on the counter to cool. When the cake has reached room temperature (2 hours or so), cover it and put it in the refrigerator to chill at least 6 hours. It's best, however, to make it the day before so it sets up perfectly.
Notes
-Be sure to place the springform pan onto a rimmed baking sheet. This helps keep the crust from burning. Most importantly though, because there are only nuts in the crust, some of the oil may leak through the bottom of the springform pan. The baking sheet will prevent any mess.
-You can find silken tofu in the refrigerator case near the other tofus. Sometimes, it is also called soft tofu.
-If you prefer a more traditional crust, use 1½ cups crushed vegan graham crackers, animal crackers, vanilla biscuits, or digestive biscuits combined with 3 Tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a sprinkle of water to bring it all together. Press this into the pan and prebake for 10 minutes before you put in the fillings.
-This recipe is partially adapted from the blueberry cheesecake recipe in Vegan Pie in the Sky by Moskowitz and Romero.
-You can find silken tofu in the refrigerator case near the other tofus. Sometimes, it is also called soft tofu.
-If you prefer a more traditional crust, use 1½ cups crushed vegan graham crackers, animal crackers, vanilla biscuits, or digestive biscuits combined with 3 Tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a sprinkle of water to bring it all together. Press this into the pan and prebake for 10 minutes before you put in the fillings.
-This recipe is partially adapted from the blueberry cheesecake recipe in Vegan Pie in the Sky by Moskowitz and Romero.
Looks fab Omar <3
Thanks Charanya! Hope you like it!
Oh. My. Goodness.
This looks amazing! You are right- no one I know could say such a thing about pumpkin, and if they have, I must have not been listening. I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks Caitlin! Pumpkin feeding frenzy! Hope you enjoy it!
This looks so delicious! I have been looking for a vegan pumpkin cheesecake, and I think this is it! How long would this keep in the fridge? Could I make it 3 days in advance?
Hi Mai! Yes it keeps well in the fridge. I never even eat it the same day I make it because I think the flavor and texture develops better in the fridge. So, 3 days advance is fine. Last time I made it, I ate it for a week! The best way is just to leave it in the springform pan and cover it tightly with aluminum foil.
Its in the oven! Smells great. However, when I was blending the two layers, I was wondering how they would actually layer when I poured them into the springform pan. Sure enough, they blended together once I poured the pumpkin layer over the cheesecake layer. So I just marbled it. Is there something I need to do? Another step? Followed the recipe exact and have no idea how it would turn out any different unless there is another step for somehow letting the cheesecake layer set before pouring the pumpkin layer. I don’t mind the marbled look but what hoping for the multi layered look as you have pictured. I am testing recipes before Thanksgiving so hope to hear from you in suggestions. Otherwise, excited to taste it.
Glad you are giving it a try Jenn! Hmm… let’s figure this out. In response to your question, nope there is no need to set the cheesecake layer before adding the pumpkin. The way I do it is make the pumpkin puree, set it aside. Then I make the cheesecake layer, pour that in the springform. Then finally I gently pour or spoon the pumpkin mix over the cheesecake. I’m thinking I should have been more clear with that in the recipe and that may have been where it went weird with yours.
Next time you make it, instead of simply pouring the pumpkin over top, why not play it safe and gently spoon or ladle the pumpkin bit by bit, filling in and patching any bald spots as you go.
I often see a difference in between different cans of pumpkin because they’re sometimes runny or other times a bit thick. Spooning the pumpkin puree rather than pouring should do the trick, whether either layer comes out too runny or too thick. Thanks so much for reaching out to me. I’m going to update the recipe with this improved method so others can benefit as well! 🙂
Thank you for replying so quickly! I will try spooning the pumpkin layer next time and see how it turns out. It still came out tasting fantastic! 🙂
Oh Good! If you make it again, I’d love to see a picture either by email or on my instagram, or whatever! That is, if you remember to take a picture before eating it all… just speaking from experience… 🙂
i just made this, but used a different crust recipe (walnut and date crust). its soooooo good!!! love love love! thank you!
Great! Mmm good idea with the walnuts…I love their flavor. Enjoy!
Looks great. I can’t use process oils. What can I use instead of the coconut oil?
Hello Carolyn! Can you use coconut milk? If so, chill a can of it in the fridge for a few hours so that the thick coconut cream solidifies on top. Use 3 Tablespoons of this rich cream in place of the coconut oil. I would add in an extra 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to the recipe as well.
For the crust just use a few splashes of water to moisten it instead of the coconut oil. Good luck!
Replacement for tofu?
Hi Noel! Replacing the tofu will be difficult because it creates the structure of the cheesecake portion. Maybe there is a way to add more cashews and coconut oil to compensate but I’ve never made it that way so I can’t be sure of the results.
Hi Omar,
It’s in the oven. I made a half recipe and am using an 8″x4″ rectangular pan; planning to bake it for 45 minutes (as opposed to the full recipe’s 60 mins.) unless you think I should do otherwise 🙂 Wish me luck. And thanks for this creative recipe—it all tastes great raw, so I bet the completed thing will be spectacular.
Hello Erin! I think you could get away with a little bit shorter bake time since you changed up the pan. It’s ok if it is still a bit wobbly in the center when coming out the oven as it will firm up in the fridge. Enjoy!
Hi Omar, I’ve made this cake twice now and the first time the layers were mixing because the cheesecake layer was much more fluïd. Also it needed way more time in the oven. In the end it did taste great.
The second time I left out the half a cup of water and it worked perfectly. My non-vegan friend said this was the best vegan cake he ever had. Thanks for this recipe.
Hi Hilde! Thanks for your message. I wonder if some tofus contain more water than others? In any case, it’s good to know your experience and maybe it will help others making this cake. I’m glad it was a hit with you and you friend, enjoy!
What did you use for the whipped topping in the photos? This recipe looks so delicious!
Hi Julie! I know it’s a late response but I just wanted to let you know that it’s simply whipped coconut cream! It’s the solidified cream that settles to the top of coconut milk that has been whipped like cream and sweetened with a touch of powdered sugar and vanilla. 😀
I made this using almond milk as the non dairy milk and soft organic tofu. I could not find silken tofu. It was spectacular!
That’s so good to hear, Angela! I hope you had a great holiday season and Happy New Year!