Some of you might remember this recipe. It was in the first edition of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. I made the painful decision to remove it in the 2nd edition to make room for some new recipes. But this amazing vegan pumpkin cheesecake should not be forgotten! To ensure it lives on, I’m sharing it online for all of you to enjoy. It’s a delicious twist on a Thanksgiving favorite, a dazzling Christmas party option, or just an indulgent way to enjoy all those leftover cans of pumpkin year round!
This Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is Blissfully Easy and Decadent
My good friend Hannah of Bittersweet is the original creator of this vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe. She is truly a vegan dessert expert, as evidenced by the six sweet vegan cookbooks under her belt.
Best Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Alternatives for Vegan Cheesecake
When Hannah first developed this recipe, way back in 2007, there weren’t many dairy-free cream cheese alternatives on the market. She tested with Tofutti (contains soy), which was pretty much the only game in most towns. Fortunately, it worked great!
Since that time, we’ve found that Daiya (top allergen free) works well in cheesecakes (even if you don’t like Daiya on its own) and also that Treeline (contains nuts) works well. We’ve heard that Violife (top allergen free) is a good option for dairy-free cheesecake, but haven’t tested it yet. Let us know how it goes if you try another brand!
Special Diet Notes: Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the cookies, cream cheese alternative, and buttery spread that suit your dietary needs.
- 2 cups vegan chocolate cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs (see Cookie Note below)
- 6 tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread or sticks, melted
- 2 (8-ounce) tubs dairy-free cream cheese alternative (see post above for suggestions)
- 1¼ cups pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup plain creamer or canned coconut milk (lite or regular)
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Optionally line the bottom with a piece of parchment cut round to fit.
- Pour the cookie crumbs into a medium bowl. Add the melted dairy-free butter, and stir until all crumbs are moistened.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan until it is well-packed and even.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese alternative, pumpkin puree, sugars, creamer or coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Pour the filling on top of your baked crust, and even it out with a spatula. Drop the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake for about 45 to 50 minutes. It won’t seem the least bit done, and will be very loose and perhaps even bubbly around the sides.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature (this might take a couple hours). Then refrigerate it until chilled and set, at least 4 hours, or even overnight.
- Release the springform side and slice to serve.
For More Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes, Get Go Dairy Free!
