

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Rich and decadent with a hint of orange, this vegan cheesecake will have your guests clamoring for seconds
Ingredients
Crust (2):
- I use store-bought vegan graham cracker crust This full recipe yields 2 cheesecakes
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 Cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 Cup packed brown sugar
- 1 TBSP plant butter best at room temperature or softer
Filling Ingredients:
- 1 Cup raw almonds and/or cashews* I’ve tried cashews alone, almonds alone, and a combination of both and it’s all tasty
- 1/4 Cup slightly heaping mashed banana
- 2 TBSP plant butter
- 12.3 oz. Tofutti or other vegan cream cheese 1.5 8-oz. tubs
- 1/3 Cup packed brown sugar + 1 TBSP
- 6 TBSP cornstarch
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 scant TBSP vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. Orange oil
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
Instructions
Topping Instructions:
- In a small/medium skillet on medium-high heat, toast almonds until fragrant and starting to get golden-brown.
- While almonds are toasting, put brown sugar and plant butter in a bowl. When almonds are done toasting, add hot almonds to the bowl and mix all together until they’re well coated in the brown sugar and butter. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 355º F
Filling Instructions:
- Put all of the filling ingredients into a high-powered blender (I use a Vitamix), and blend until smooth (it blends best when you add the nuts* first, then wet ingredients except pumpkin, then the dry ingredients, and then the pumpkin)
- Pour the mixture into graham cracker crust(s)
- Bake at 355º F for about 20 minutes
- Remove from oven and sprinkle the topping onto cheesecakes
- Put back in oven and continue baking for another 20 minutes. (Cake will be done when top is lightly puffed and edges of cake are golden.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (but preferably overnight)
Slice with a very sharp knife that’s been dipped in cold water – it will really help the cake cut smoothly and cleanly!
Notes
*If you don’t have high-powered blender, be sure to soak the almonds/cashews for the filling for at least 4 hours.
This cheesecake is unbelievably good! I wouldn’t have thought it was vegan if I hadn’t made it myself.