Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake (baked)
Baked vegan pumpkin cheesecake that is packed with pumpkin and spices, has a crunchy ginger cookie crust and optional caramel pecan topping. This epic Fall dessert is perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Crust
- ~2 ½ cups (300g) ginger cookies, gluten-free if needed (note 1 if you only have plain cookies)
- ⅓ cup (75g) melted vegan butter, or melted coconut oil
Cheesecake filling
- 24 oz (675g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature (3 x regular tubs)
- 15 oz (425g) pumpkin puree, canned or homemade (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup (250g) thick scoopable canned coconut cream, (note 2 for alternatives)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, or packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (40g) cornstarch / corn flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, (note 3 for homemade blend)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Pecan pie topping
- ½ cup (95g) packed brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons (40g) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30g) vegan butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 1 cup (100g) pecans, whole or chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) springform pan or loose-bottom pan with parchment paper.
Make the crust:
- Add the ginger cookies to a food processor and pulse until they form fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of your cake pan.
- Bake the ginger crust in the oven for 10 minutes and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F (160°C).
Make the filling:
- Add the cream cheese to a large bowl (if using a handheld mixer) or bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat until smooth and there are no lumps. You can also use a blender or food processor for this step.
- Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix until all ingredients are combined. Avoid over-mixing the batter as it can cause the cheesecake to rise quickly and fall in the oven.
- Pour the pumpkin cheesecake batter into your cake pan and smooth the surface with a spoon. Tap the cheesecake on your kitchen bench a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Prepare the water bath:
- Boil 4 cups of water in a kettle or a medium-sized pot.
- Wrap your cake pan with aluminum foil OR place your cake pan in a slightly larger round cake pan. Place this in a deep baking tray and position it in the middle rack of your oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking tray so the water is around 1 inch high. See my post above for extra tips.
Bake the vegan pumpkin cheesecake:
- Bake the cheesecake for 60-75 minutes or until done. Your cheesecake is ready if you gently shake the cake pan and the edges look set but the middle is still jiggly. Your cheesecake will continue to set over time. (note 4)
- Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven with the door closed for at least 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it sit at room temperature until it reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Prepare the pecan topping:
- Add all ingredients except the pecans to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes then mix through the pecans. Remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool and thicken.
- Chill your vegan pumpkin cheesecake until needed. Just before serving, spoon the pecan topping or your desired topping on top.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Alternatively, you can use 250g plain vegan-friendly cookies and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg. For a graham cracker crust, use 200g graham crackers, 50g brown sugar and the same spices as above.
- For a coconut-free cheesecake, you may use film-silken tofu (make sure you blend the filling). I recommend adding 2 extra tablespoons (15g) of cornstarch and baking the cheesecake for a little longer.
- For homemade pumpkin spice, use 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves. If you don't have any ginger, nutmeg or cloves, use extra cinnamon.
- At the 30-minute mark, if your cheesecake starts to brown on top, cover your cake pan with an oven-safe tray or aluminum foil. Also, if your cheesecake takes less or more time to bake, that is absolutely okay. It will depend on your ingredients and if your oven runs cool. For extra tips on how to tell if your cheesecake is ready, see the post above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice with no topping | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 5755IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
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