This Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is made in a crunchy gluten free chocolate pie crust. It’s a creamy, decadent dessert perfect for the holidays.
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
Two years ago for my 20th birthday, I made this vegan cheesecake with chocolate chip cookie crust to really treat myself because cheesecake is my absolute FAVORITE dessert. Forget brownies, cookies, bars… cheesecake (and fluffy yellow cake) is where it’s at.
Now it’s fall, so of course that means pumpkin versions of everything. Which brings me to this creamy, decadent vegan pumpkin cheesecake!
I don’t have too much to say about this vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe besides that it’s really, really good. This is a silken tofu cheesecake, so no need to remember to soak a batch of cashews the day before! The recipe does include almond flour and nut butter, but it can easily be altered to omit those ingredients to make this a nut free vegan cheesecake.
I also made a gluten-free chocolate pie crust for this vegan pumpkin cheesecake, which totally takes it over the top, but to save time you could totally use a store-bought crust. Okay enough with the babbling, let’s make a vegan cheesecake!
Ingredients for Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list for this vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples that you likely already have on hand.
To make this vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe, you’ll need:
- Silken tofu. You’ll want to look for silken tofu for this recipe. I like Mori-Nu Firm, Lite Firm, or Extra Firm.
- Pumpkin puree. Grab a can with pumpkin as the only ingredient. We don’t want pumpkin pie filling for this recipe!
- Maple syrup. I love the flavor that maple adds to the vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling, but you could also use agave if you prefer.
- Sugar. Plain white granulated sugar is perfect.
- Oat flour. No need to buy a fancy flour at the store! To make your own oat flour, simply blend rolled oats in a high-speed blender or food processor.
- Nut butter. Any variety works. If you want to keep the recipe nut-free, a sunflower butter will also work.
- Tapioca starch. You can also use cornstarch instead.
- Pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have a pre-made pumpkin pie spice, you can use cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom.
- Vanilla extract. Who doesn’t love a touch of warm, cozy vanilla.
- Salt. Just a pinch goes a long way in balancing out all the sweetness.
- Ground flax. We’re using this to make a vegan egg, which will help bind the crust together.
- Cocoa powder. We’re making a gluten free chocolate pie crust for this recipe, so cocoa powder adds all the chocolatey goodness.
- Almond meal. This adds a subtle crunch to the pie crust. You could use all oat flour instead if you’d like to keep it nut-free.
- Baking soda. We’re adding a little bit of baking soda to the pie crust to give it a bit of lift and ensure it’s not too dense.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Pie Crust
You can totally use a store-bought crust for this recipe, or make a different homemade pie crust, but I have to say, this gluten free chocolate pie crust really takes this recipe over the top. It’s chocolatey and perfectly crunchy, which is perfect to stand up against the creamy vegan cheesecake filling.
If you’re making this chocolate vegan pie crust, you’ll start by spraying your pan with non-stick spray, or rubbing it down with some oil. In a small bowl, make your flax egg by mixing flax meal with water and let it sit for 5 minutes. While you’re waiting on your flax egg, combine your oat flour, almond meal, cocoa, tapioca starch, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Once your flax egg is ready, add it to the bowl with your dry ingredients along with the sugar, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Stir everything together until the ingredients come together into a dough. Transfer the dough to your pan and gently press it into the bottom and sides of the ban until it’s about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick. Bake the crust on it’s own for about 10 minutes, then let it cool while you work on the vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling!
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
I know the idea of making a vegan cheesecake can sometimes feel like a huge task, but I promise you that this vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling is super simple to make. All you have to do is toss all the ingredients for your filling into a food processor or high speed blender and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Yup, it’s that easy.
You have to let the vegan pie crust cool completely before pouring in the filling. Once you fill the pie, pop the whole thing into a 350F oven for 55-60 minutes or until the cheesecake is starting to brown on the top and the filling is set.
Then allow the vegan cheesecake to cool for at least an hour before slicing into it!
Tips for Making This Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
This is a pretty easy vegan dessert recipe, but I know pies and vegan cheesecake can feel a bit intimidating. Here are a few super key tips to making sure this recipe comes together in a breeze.
- Be sure to use silken tofu. A firm or extra firm tofu won’t blend smoothly into the filling. To ensure the vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling is suuuuuper smooth, you’ll need silken tofu.
- Bake in a springform pan. It can be really challenging to get a cheesecake out of a pan. A springform pan lets you remove the sides of the pan to flawlessly get the pie out of the pan every time – as long as it was well-greased!
- Use a cup to press your crust evenly. Sometimes crumb crusts can stick to your fingers and be really frustrating to press into an even layer in the pan. A flat-bottom dry measuring cup or glass is the perfect tool to use to press the crust down into the pan! Run it over the pan a few times for a perfectly smooth, even layer of crust.
- Let the pie cool completely. The HARDEST part of this recipe is waiting for the cheesecake to cool. I know it’s so tempting to cut into it right when it comes out of the oven, but you’ll risk it not being set, which will create a mess. Let the vegan pumpkin cheesecake cool entirely before slicing into it – at least an hour, ideally two or more. I promise it’s worth the wait.
More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious vegan pumpkin recipes for fall, check out some of these favorites!
- Chickpea Pumpkin Coconut Curry
- Vegan Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats
- Vegan Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Sage Oat Risotto
- Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread
- Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
This Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is made in a crunchy gluten free chocolate pie crust. It’s a creamy, decadent dessert perfect for the holidays
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- 2 cups oat flour*
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 2 12-ounce packages silken tofu**
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup oat flour*
- 2 tablespoon almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray the inside of a springform pan*** with non-stick spray.
- In a small bowl, add flax and 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add oat flour, almond meal, cocoa, starch, baking soda, and salt; stir. Add flax mixture, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir until all ingredients are mixed and a dough forms.
- Gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. The dough should be 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick on the bottom.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
- In a food processor or large blender, add all filling ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Once crust is cooled, pour filling into the pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the top of the cake is lightly browned. Remove from the oven; let cool for at least an hour. Place in the fridge to speed up cooling.
Notes
*To make your own own oat flour, simply blend rolled oats into a fine flour using a high-speed blender or food processor.
**I like Mori-Nu Firm, Lite Firm, or Extra Firm.
***I used a 9-inch springform pan; however, you may also be able to use a pie pan.
