When it comes to desserts, any kind of cheesecake is pretty much my ultimate favorite. As long as it’s vegan! You might think pie or cake is a safer bet when it comes to vegan desserts. I mean, how good can a cheesecake without actual cheese be, after all? The answer is that it can be pretty amazing! The taste and texture of dairy-based cheesecake is actually super easy to replicate with one magic ingredient: cashews! With that in mind, I decided we needed a good vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe around here for Thanksgiving and the year-end holidays. I adapted this one from both my classic vegan cheesecake recipe, as well as these mini vegan pumpkin cheesecakes. And frankly, of all the vegan cheesecake recipes I’ve shared on this site over the years (I’ve got a few), I think I love this one the most. A big slice of this is absolute heaven! It would make a great alternative to vegan pumpkin pie at this year’s holiday table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Graham crackers. Check the ingredients to ensure that the graham crackers you use are vegan, and be careful because many brands are made with honey. This guide to vegan graham cracker brands might help! Vegan butter. Look for this near where the regular butter is sold at the grocery store. Earth Balance and Miyoko’s are a couple popular brands to try. Organic sugar. Cinnamon. Raw cashews. Don’t substitute with roasted cashews. They need to be raw in order to give your cheesecake the best flavor and texture. Canned pumpkin puree. Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling! Coconut oil. Use refined coconut oil if you’d prefer to avoid any coconut flavor in your cheesecake. Maple syrup. Pumpkin pie spice. Also known as pumpkin spice! Lemon juice. Vanilla extract. Salt.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by crushing your graham crackers into crumbs. You can do this by blending them in a food processor, or placing them in a bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted vegan butter, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl, then press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a springform pan. My trick for this is to use a measuring cup to flatten and smooth out the crumbs! Bake the graham cracker crust until it’s darkened slightly.
While the crust cools, place all of your vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling ingredients into a blender or food processor bowl: soaked raw cashews, pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice, and salt.
Blend the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy.
Tip: Be patient, as blending can take a few minutes, especially if your blending device isn’t high-powered.
Pour the filling to the crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. Pop the whole cheesecake in the fridge and chill it until it sets. This can take up to 4 hours.
Tip: You can cut down on the chill time by placing the cheesecake in the freezer. Just be sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t freeze solid.
Once your vegan pumpkin cheesecake is set you can slice and serve it! I topped mine with some dairy-free whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Vegan caramel sauce would also be excellent!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover vegan pumpkin cheesecake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
More Vegan Pumpkin Desserts
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title: “Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-01” author: “Maryam Patton”
There’s two types of people in this world: pumpkin-pie enthusiasts and pumpkin-pie unenthusiasts. Am I right? Or AM I RIGHT! I think technically I have to be right, tautologically speaking, but I think you get my drift. You’ve got people at Thanksgiving who are pounding their fists, chanting “PUM-KIN PIE! PUM-KIN PIE!” and then you’ve got those asking, “Is there, um, anything besides pumpkin pie tonight..?” I happen to fall in the latter category, along with O. My other family, naturally, falls in the former, making for a funky predicament come Thanksgiving. Except it’s not really that funky–I just now make an apple-cherry galette with crème fraîche and caramel sauce, and that epicness seems to take over any disenchantment the pumpkin-pie habit seems to cast over the unenthusiasts. And then.. we found the compromise–the evil, evil genius compromise! Vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Not so dense on the pie-squash, yet tart and rich, vegan pumpkin cheesecake, as you well know, tends to satisfy.. everyone. It’s a bit special and exciting, and the warming spices play off the cool texture beautifully. So, you know, I had to make it vegan. Because no one deserves to be deprived of pumpkin cheesecake, most especially not vegans! I based this recipe off my amazing pumpkin cheesecake recipe and my vegan lemon-ricotta cheesecake and came out with something truly beautiful and perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It boasts the texture of a traditional cheesecake, with just enough pumpkin, just enough pumpkin spice. Just enough seasonal flavor to tie everything together, without being too heavy-handed on any addition. Basically? The perfect vegan pumpkin cheesecake.
What makes this recipe is so good:
It’s the perfect blend between pumpkin pie and creamy cheesecake. This vegan Thanksgiving dessert is spiced just right: not too much pumpkin pie spice and not too little. The perfect amount! It’s quite easy to make and comes together almost entirely in the food processor.
Why You’ll Love It
Whether you’re vegan yourself or are entertaining one this holiday season, this vegan pumpkin cheesecake is such a great vegan Thanksgiving dessert! And here’s why: The non-vegans might honestly not even know this vegan pumpkin cheesecake is, well, vegan. It’s easy to make, so it doesn’t take much time or effort to serve alongside your standard fare. This vegan Thanksgiving dessert is super festive and full of fall and winter flavor.
Variations
Top with a vegan chocolate sauce for that unbelievable pumpkin-chocolate combo! Swap out the whipped coconut cream with vegan whipped cream in a can. Not only does this actually exist, but even major brands like Reddi Whip are serving up these non-dairy options. These days it’s really pretty easy to find vegan whipped cream at most natural foods stores. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving for extra presentation points.
Tips
Only use Tofutti cream cheese. I’ve tried this with Daiya, and it was a total disaster. You can try it with Kite Hill, and it might work… but I make zero guarantees. Something about the texture of Tofutti makes this vegan pumpkin cheesecake just work. Don’t worry about the fact that the vegan pumpkin cheesecake will be wobbly after baking. It will firm up after a few hours in the fridge! Use the heel of your hand to press the graham cracker mixture into the seam of the springform pan. This helps move the mixture up the sides and keeps things tightly pressed and even.
Can I use [insert other vegan cream cheese]?
You cannot use Daiya, that’s for certain. I haven’t tried this vegan Thanksgiving dessert recipe with other brands, but my attempt with Daiya was a total disaster. I say stick with Tofutti, and you’ll be happy!
Other recipes you’ll love:
Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Vegan Pumpkin Donuts with Salted Caramel Glaze The Best Avocado Chocolate Mousse (Vegan, Dairy Free) Vegan Pie Crust Vegan Marshmallows The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Vegan Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake with Blueberry White Wine Sauce
