Quick and Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (GF option)

Try my delicious and indulgent vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake to satisfy your sweet tooth. This cheesecake is the perfect combination of creamy textures and autumn flavors. Made with smooth pumpkin filling infused with aromatic spices, my vegan version of a classic dessert is sure to impress friends and family. With a rich buttery crust made from crushed ginger cookies and vegan butter, this cheesecake is both delicious and luxurious. Top it off with a dollop of whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for the perfect finishing touch Enjoy this scrumptious vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake and enjoy the flavors of fall!

Us Brits are a little bit wary of pumpkin. We don’t understand it totally and we really only use them to carve scary faces in for Hallowe’en. Read on for my recipe for vegan AND gluten free Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake and that will convert the most cynical of pumpkin haters!

The few times I have made Pumpkin Pie for a British Thanksgiving dinner, it hasn’t exactly gone down a storm. I’m not sure why. I think it resembles an Egg Custard Tart, which is a common British pastry, found in bakeries across the land. Perhaps the colour is jarring, or maybe it’s because the spices are too stringent. 

So, this year I had to find something that would satisfy everyone’s tooth. Couple this with someone who is gluten-intolerant and vegan and this was no simple task. This is my vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake!

How do you make vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake?

The key element to a normal pumpkin pie is the eggy custard base, this is replaced with tofu, and is in fact so much easier to make, just blend and pour! If you want to try my vanilla baked cheesecake, click here for my recipe!

The original recipe uses a flaxseed pie crust but I really love my cheesecake to have a biscuit crumb base, so I crushed up a packet each of vegan AND gluten-free ginger biscuits and Digestive biscuits, melting them with a little vegan spread and pressing into a 9″ cake tin. Filled with classic pumpkin spice flavor, the house smells so cosy when this is baking.

I also wanted to add a little traditional touch to the cheesecake so I added a vegan sour cream topping, baked right on top of the cooked cheesecake. This is an optional touch. The cheesecake will taste delicious with or without it.

As I had hoped, everyone loved it! The cheesecake had just the right amount of spice and the right amount of crumbly base and the creamy vegan pumpkin pie filling had just the right amount of creaminess to satisfy everyone. It was so simple to make, and doesn’t really need anything to serve with it, maybe a little plant-based pouring cream for added richness. For my vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe, read on!

Ingredients

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Filling:

• Silken Tofu, drained on kitchen paper. This is the secret ingredient, replacing both eggs and cream
• Soft Brown Sugar. You can use coconut sugar or white sugar instead.
• Canned Pumpkin purée, unsweetened. If you have some homemade pumpkin puree, please feel free to use that!
• Tapioca Starch, this works as a thickener
• Vanilla Extract
• Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg and Cloves. Classic pumpkin pie spice flavor flavours that evoke a cosy smell in the kitchen. You can use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix if you prefer.
• Sea Salt

Ginger Cookie Crust:

• Ginger Biscuits for the base. I use Ginger Nuts, these are an accidentally vegan biscuit in the UK. In the US, these might be called gingersnap cookies. Use gluten-free ginger cookies to make this entirely gluten-free!
• Digestive Biscuits for the base. Check the packaging. Some of the budget ranges are vegan, the more expensive brands are not. If you are in the US, use vegan Graham crackers.
• Vegan Butter. Use your favourite brand.
• Vegan Sour Cream for the topping. I use Tofutti. Use at room temperature. You could also use coconut cream here if you prefer or can’t find vegan sour cream, just the solids in a can of full-fat coconut milk, whisked up.

Method:

Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted vegan butter and mix. Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan of a 9″ pie dish or a loose bottom (springform pan) cake tin.

Using a food processor or high-speed blender, whizz up the remaining ingredients (excluding the sour cream topping) until you have a smooth consistency.

Pour this over the biscuit base, banging the tin on the work surface to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the top is light golden brown and feels firm to the touch.

Whilst your dairy-free cheesecake is baking, whisk up the sour cream with the sugar and vanilla extract. Pour this over the top of your baked cheesecake and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Storage

• Once cool, you can refrigerate, bringing up to room temperature when ready to serve.
• It will last in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

For more delicious vegan pumpkin desserts

• My classic pumpkin pie
• My pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
• Easy Gluten Free Spiced Pumpkin Squares

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (vegan)

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A twist on the thanksgiving favourite

Freya

5 from 87 votes

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Equipment

• Blender
• Rolling Pin
• 9" loose-bottomed Cake Tin
• Measuring Spoons/Cups/Scale
• Mixing Spoon
• Spatula

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

• ▢ 1 box Silken Tofu - drained
• ▢ 1 cup Brown Sugar
• ▢ 1 can Pumpkin puree - pure, not flavoured
• ▢ 1/4 cup Arrowroot - or Tapioca Starch
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 2 tsp ground Cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Allspice
• ▢ 3/4 tsp Nutmeg (preferably freshly grated but dried is ok)
• ▢ 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

Cheesecake Base

• ▢ 150 g Ginger Biscuits - finely crushed (vegan/gluten free as your preference)
• ▢ 150 g Digestive Biscuits - finely crushed
• ▢ 50 g Vegan Butter - melted

Sour Cream Topping (optional)

• ▢ 1 cup Sour Cream - vegan, I use Tofutti
• ▢ 1/4 cup Superfine Sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180c.
• Crush the biscuits until they resemble sand.
• In a small saucepan, gently melt the spread. Add the biscuits crumbs and stir well until coated and stick together when you press them lightly. You may need to add a little more spread to the mixture.
• Press crumb mixture firmly into a 9"loose-bottomed cake tin.
• In a blender, or by hand, mix together all the ingredients for the cheesecake filling until smooth.

  Pour into the cake tin, over the biscuit base.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes until firm to the touch.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream topping, until smooth and creamy.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven, turn up to 200c. 
• Pour the sour cream mixture over the baked cheesecake and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
• Cool thoroughly at room temperature and then chill overnight.
• Dust with a little icing sugar (optional) cut into slices and wow your guests!

Please note that where the recipe asks for milk, butter or yogurt, this refers to any plant-based version that you prefer.

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake (vegan)

Serving Size

 

100 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

337

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

12

g

18

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

4

g

Cholesterol

 

15

mg

5

%

Sodium

 

164

mg

7

%

Potassium

 

220

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

57

g

19

%

Fiber

 

3

g

13

%

Sugar

 

41

g

46

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

8688

IU

174

%

Vitamin C

 

3

mg

4

%

Calcium

 

81

mg

8

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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