This no-bake vegan pumpkin cheesecake is perfect for the holiday season. You would never guess that this decadent dessert is also raw and gluten-free, without sacrificing any of the creamy richness and indulgent flavor.
Watch me show you how to make this easy, raw, vegan pumpkin cheesecake in the video right here on YouTube!
The crust for this raw vegan pumpkin cheesecake is simply made from only 2 ingredients- nuts and dates. While the crust sets in the freezer, we will prepare the cheesecake filling in the blender. The entire cheesecake sets in the freezer until firm, making this a no-bake recipe that you can leave to set while you prepare a holiday dinner.
Although this "cheesecake" is entirely raw and vegan, it surprisingly tastes like the real deal! My omnivore husband, an avid cheesecake enthusiast, can attest to this.
Recipe
No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake (Raw, Gluten-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups raw walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates about 8 large
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 scant teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon water optional to make more sticky
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 ½ cup soaked cashews Soak at least 2 hours or overnight
- ¾ cup coconut cream*
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil optional, to set better
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric optional, boosts color
Instructions
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan with coconut oil, or line with parchment paper. (You can use a 9-inch or smaller pan, but the cheesecake will be thinner. For a thick cake, use 6 or 7 inch.)
- Pulse the ingredients for the crust in a food processor, until it becomes dough-like and just sticks together. Do not over process. Pat down the crust in your springform pan. If it isn't sticky enough, add the water. Set in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Place all ingredients for the cheesecake filling, except for the pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and turmeric, in a blender. Omit the coconut oil if you are oil-free. Blend until very smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside ½ cup of the mixture to make the design on top.
- Add the pumpkin filling and pumpkin pie spice to the blender, and blend until smooth. If you want it to look more orange and bright, add the turmeric for color. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over your prepared crust.
- Drizzle stripes of the plain white cheesecake filling over the orange pumpkin filling, so there are alternating orange and white stripes. Drag a knife horizontally, perpendicular to the vertical lines, alternating directions (a "zig-zag" type motion), across the layers, to get the swirls shown in the photos. Set in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or until firm.
- Take out of the freezer, and run a warm knife around the edges to loosen the cake, before removing from the springform pan. Top with pecans and whipped coconut cream. Leftovers can be frozen for a week. Enjoy!
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