Author: This recipe for my Easy Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is a real game changer.
It's always my goal here on It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken to make recipes that YOU want. I try to make vegan food easier, full of flavor, and super satisfying. I also try to make it fulfil each and every craving you might have. So when I asked on my Facebook page what recipes you were hoping for from me for Thanksgiving or Christmas, an Easy Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe was one of the most requested.
My Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie is one of the most popular recipes on my blog and I already have a classic plain vegan cheesecake that is to die for in my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan. So my plan of attack was to combine both recipes to make the ultimate easy vegan pumpkin cheesecake. That's what I did, and let me tell you, am I ever glad you requested this recipe because ooh la la, this is one mighty delicious pumpkin infused dessert.
The creamy bliss of a cheesecake, with autumn pumpkin flavours, is not too sweet, just perfectly mouth pleasingly delicious.
I'm a fan of cheesecake with no toppings, but I know that I'm not the norm. So if you want to jazz this vegan pumpkin cheesecake up a little, feel free to serve it with Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream, Vegan Marshmallow Fluff, Pumpkin Spice Syrup, a drizzle of maple syrup, a vegan caramel sauce, some toasted pecans, or any other toppings you desire. This cheesecake can get all sorts of fancy, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a random Tuesday celebration.
TO MAKE THE EASY VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE CRUST:
Start by cutting a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8 inch round baking pan, and line the sides with a strip of parchment as well so that the cake won't stick to the pan. You could alternatively try a silicone baking pan, but I just used what I had on hand.
For the cookie crust, I used store-bought gingersnap cookies that were accidentally vegan, but any hard vegan cookie will work such as graham crackers, vanilla or chocolate wafers. Just check to make sure they are vegan.
Grind up the cookies of your choice in a food processor. In a medium bowl, mix the cookie crumbs with the melted vegan butter. Pour the crumb mixture into the pan then spread the crumbs evenly and press them down firmly. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven but leave the oven on.
TO MAKE THE VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE FILLING:
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until as smooth as possible stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
The smoother you can get it, the better. I tried both the food processor and blender and didn't have a preference for either. The key was just to keep blending for a looong time. You want this baby smooth!
Pour the mixture over top of the cookie crust and spread evenly.
Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until the edges look dry and begin to crack. Let cool at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge and allow to chill uncovered for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight until set.
Next, grab yourself a slice and get ready to be transported to flavor country!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
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Easy Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Servings: 8" cheesecake (about 12 servings)
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Ingredients
For the cookie crust:
- 1 ½ cups vegan cookie crumbs, (graham crackers, ginger snaps, or any hard vegan cookie) gluten-free if preferred
- ¼ cup melted vegan butter
For the vegan pumpkin cheesecake:
- 1 ½ cup raw cashews,, softened (see step 3)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or oat)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8 inch round baking pan, and line the sides with a strip of parchment as well so that the cake won't stick to the pan.
- To make the cookie crust: grind up the cookies of your choice in a food processor. In a medium bowl mix the cookie crumbs with the melted vegan butter. Pour the crumb mixture into the pan then spread the crumbs evenly and press them down firmly. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven but leave the oven on.
- To soften the cashews: Boil them for 10 minutes until soft. OR soak the cashews for four hours or overnight. Drain before using.
- To make the vegan pumpkin cheesecake: add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until as smooth as possible stopping to scrape the sides as needed. The smoother you can get it, the better. I tried both the food processor and blender and didn't have a preference for either. The key was just to keep blending for a looong time. You want this baby smooth!
- Pour the mixture over top of the cookie crust and spread evenly. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until the edges look dry and begin to crack. Let cool at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge and allow to chill uncovered for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight until set. Please note that your cheesecake may come out lighter or darker in color. This is just due to the pumpkin you use, and will taste perfect either way!
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Tiara says
I added one teaspoon of vegan lactic acid and it gave it a slightly sour taste. The structure held up fine. Baked it in two small spring form pans - diameter about 4 inches. Also I was making it gluten-free and didn't use any crust. It turned out perfectly like a New York cheesecake.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds amazing, Tiara! I love the idea of adding vegan lactic acid, and those mini springform pans sound perfect. Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks!
Amands says
This recipe was so amazing. I actually subbed the cashews for a pack of silken tofu and it still came out amazing. Was a spur of the moment bake and was just using what was on hand. Will make this again and again!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy it worked out for you Amands!! 🙂
Sara says
Is there a way that I can make this a taller cheesecake using a springform pan? Would I have to double the recipe and bake it longer?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sara! Yes, you can make it taller by doubling the recipe and baking it in a springform pan. A 9-inch springform works best. You’ll need to bake it a bit longer and be sure to chill it overnight so it fully sets.
Wiebke says
This recipe is so delicious! I made two changes. I made 12 small individual cheesecakes. I used small cupcake liners in a muffin pan and placed a gingersnap cookie in the bottom of each, instead of making crust.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Wiebke, sp thrilled you enjoyed it! Love the mini cheesecake idea!! Thanks for the review!
Wiebke says
Could I replace the sugar with Maple syrup?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Wiebke, for swapping the sugar with maple syrup, I don’t recommend a straight 1:1 swap for this recipe. Maple syrup adds a fair bit of extra liquid, which can prevent the cheesecake from setting properly and make it soft or loose. If you’d like to experiment anyway, you could try replacing the ½ cup sugar with about ⅓ cup maple syrup and increasing the cornstarch to 1½ tablespoons to help it firm up, but I can’t guarantee the same creamy, sliceable result. This is one of those recipes where the granulated sugar really does the heavy lifting for texture.
Diane says
Is there a trick to getting it out of the pan when slicing? it was hard getting the first couple slices out without them looking like a mess.
Thank you
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Diane, I line the pan with parchment paper, which makes it much easier to lift the cheesecake out once it’s cooled and set. I then transfer it to a serving plate before slicing, which helps keep the slices neat. If you have a springform pan, it’s even easier to release the cheesecake cleanly. Hope this helps!
Mary says
I don’t like pumpkin could I make this with sweet potatoes?
Thanks for all your recipes!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Mary! Yes I think that would work very well. So happy you're enjoying my recipes, let us know how it turns out 🙂
Arrhiannon says
Could I use date paste instead of sugar?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Arrhiannon using date paste instead of sugar in this recipe might alter the texture and flavor. Date paste has more moisture than sugar and could make the cheesecake softer and less set. Additionally, dates have a distinct flavor that might compete with the pumpkin and spices. If you’d like a less refined sweetener, try coconut sugar instead, but keep in mind it may make the color slightly darker.
Sherri says
This is our family's new favorite pumpkin pie recipe! The texture and flavor are more like a smooth, rich, creamy pumpkin pie than a cheesecake but, regardless of what you call, it is DELISH! (I blended the ingredients in a Nutribullet for one minute and it came out silky smooth.) Will definitely be making this one again as it is so much simpler and better than the vegan pumpkin pie recipe I had been using for years that was tofu-based.) I think I followed the recipe pretty much exactly, except I used my own blend of pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger) since I didn't have a ready-made one on hand. The flavor of the cheesecake seemed a little bland the day I made it so I was tempted to add a splash of vinegar or lemon or a little more salt, but I resisted and was glad I did because the next day it was PERFECT after the spices had time to really develop.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fantastic! Thanks for your great review!
Eli says
I think I'll stick to your regular pumpkin pie recipe, which I've made for 3 consecutive years for Thanksgiving. My husband loves cheesecake so I thought I would try this, but it doesn't have the texture or tanginess of a cheesecake. I think maybe needed a bit more salt, maybe a squeeze of lemon for more cheesecake-like flavor, I'm not sure. Also, it's probably my food processor (I have a Ninja) but I couldn't get it to not be grainy. I put it on puree until it was quite hot and it still wasn't smooth. I soaked cashews for 6 hours room temp. The only alteration I made was sub sugar for maple syrup, like in the pumpkin pie recipe. Could that have altered the texture like this?
Joan says
How do you get it out of the plan cleanly so you can make nice slices? I see that you don’t recommend a springform pan. That’s what I would normally use in a case like this.