This is a vegan and paleo Pumpkin Cheesecake, made with cashews. Also gluten-free, refined sugar free, topped with a caramel sauce.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, vegan
Prep Time 50 minutesminutes
Cook Time 0 minutesminutes
Resting time 10 hourshours
Total Time 10 hourshours50 minutesminutes
Servings 12servings
Calories 500kcal
Author Camila Hurst
Ingredients
Crust
2cupsGinger Cookies*
1/2 - 1tablespoonmelted coconut oil
Pumpkin Cheesecake
3 cupsraw cashews 450 grams, 15.87 oz
3/4cupcoconut oil melted 177 ml
3/4cupcoconut cream 177 ml
1 cupmaple syrup 236 ml
1/3 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed 78.6 ml
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4cuppumpkin puree
1/2tablespoonpumpkin spice
Vegan Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut butter
4 tablespoons cashew butter or any nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut Whipped Cream
1/2cupcoconut creamcold
Instructions
Crust
Place ginger cookies in the food processor. Process until turned into crumbs.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Process briefly to combine.
Grab some of the mixture with your hands, if mixture clumps up and stays together, it’s ready to go. If it’s still too dry, and not clumping up together, you might want to add a bit more coconut oil until you achieve the proper consistency.
Once the mixture is clumping up between your hands, and staying together, you can pour it on the bottom of a 8 or 9” spring form pan, and press it down the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. You can use the bottom of a cup to do this, or simply press firmly with your fingers.
Place it in the freezer while you make the cheesecake batter.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Start the night before, or a few hours prior.
If starting the night before, simply soak the cashews in some room temperature water and let them sit on the counter soaking overnight.
If starting a few hours before, soak cashews in hot water for at least 1 hour.
Drain cashews.
Place all ingredients except for the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice powder in a food processor.
Process for a few minutes. I like my cheesecake very creamy so I process mine for about 4 minutes. It will depend on how powerful your food processor is.
You might want to scrape the bowl of the food processor in between blending.
Now, divide the cheesecake batter.
Remove half of the batter from the food processor and pour it in a bowl. You can simply eye ball this.
Leave the remaining half in the food processor.
Add pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree to food processor with the remaining batter.
Process until smooth. Check for sweetness. If needed, add a bit more maple syrup if that’s your preference.
To assemble
Spoon some of the white cheesecake batter on top of the crust.
Right on top of it, spread some of the pumpkin cheesecake batter.
Now repeat, alternating colors until you reach the top of the pan.
Lightly tap the cheesecake pan against the counter to even out and smooth the top of the cheesecakes.
Place in the freezer overnight.
Vegan Caramel Sauce
Once cheesecake has hardened up and is firm, you can make the Vegan Caramel Sauce.
Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Keep whisking mixture until smooth. Take it off the heat and let it cool down for just a few seconds. Then pour mixture. It will start to set pretty quickly, so you have to pour right after you turn the heat off. Otherwise, it will have more of a spreadable consistency.
Coconut Whipped Cream
Place your coconut cream in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge, open the can and drain the water. You can use it to make smoothies, or chia pudding, etc.
Whip coconut cream for about 1 minute, maybe less. Until it becomes creamy. Don’t whip too much or it will separate.
You can add a tad of maple syrup to sweeten it, if desired. You can even add some powdered sugar to it, having in mind it wouldn’t be paleo or refined sugar free any longer in case you did that.
Pipe whipped coconut cream over caramel.
To serve
Remove from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving, so the cheesecake is soft.
Storage
Store the cheesecake in the freezer for up to 10 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
*I have used THIS recipe to make the Ginger cookies for the crust. You can use store-bought ginger cookies, OR you can use the recipe for the crust from THIS cheesecake, but add 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice to it.