This is the BEST Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake that is packed with delicious pumpkin flavour and spices, has a buttery biscuit base and whipped cream ghosts, perfect for adding a spooky touch for Halloween.
This spookilicious cheesecake has been made in collaboration with Panasonic. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
This easy baked vegan pumpkin cheesecake recipe is the ideal dessert for the holidays. Perfectly spiced, light, buttery and creamy, and loaded with pumpkin flavour! It’s the best addition to this year’s dessert table and can be made in advance!
I know that cheesecake recipes can seem intimidating to a lot of people. From the base to the filling and decorations, it must seem like it would take hours to make. You might be surprised to learn that this method takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, and the ingredients list is not as long as you think! This Pumpkin Cheesecake requires a couple of ingredients and a little baking time, but I promise that it’s nothing too crazy and totally worth it! Keep reading to learn how to make this deliciously spooky dessert!
If you love pumpkin spice like me, you will also want to check out my Vegan Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts , Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies, Viral Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake and Mini Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecakes.
Why you’ll love this baked pumpkin cheesecake:
- Easy to make : The cheesecake is prepared and made in a food processor / blender and bowl.
- Lots of flavour : It uses a whole can of pumpkin puree, lots of warm spices, and topping inspired by pecan pie. It’s really the ideal vegan Thanksgiving dessert!
- Perfectly spiced : The cheesecake has the right amount of pumpkin spice, which pairs perfectly with the buttery base and rich pumpkin flavour.
- Super creamy : We’re using dairy-free cream cheese along with silken tofu for the most traditional cheesecake flavour which is soft and creamy!
Ingredients you’ll need:
This baked pumpkin cheesecake recipe is made with just a handful of ingredients. The filling is creamy, rich and super easy to make! It’s the ideal recipe for your spooky party, gathering or thanksgiving celebrations. You can find the full recipe including method and ingredients list in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:
- Plain biscuits – Use gluten-free to make this recipe gluten-free!
- Dairy-free butter / margarine
- Pumpkin spice – A blend of ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Cashew nuts – These will be soaked in water to make them easy to blend and result in a thick and creamy cheesecake.
- Dairy-free cream cheese – If you’re not vegan, you may be wondering what cream cheese to use. I use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative. I recommend using Violife original cream cheese or Kate Hill for my American friends.
- Silken tofu – Don’t get this mixed up with block tofu, make sure it’s silken tofu!
- Caster sugar – Use a fine white sugar. Make sure the sugar is vegan!
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree – From a tin / can.
- Dairy-free whipping cream – My favourite whipping cream is The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream.
- Vegan chocolate spread / dairy-free dark chocolate
The vegan pumpkin cheesecake filling is creamy, silky and smooth. Here are some simple tips for making the creamiest filling:
How to make a baked pumpkin cheesecake?
A baked cheesecake is my favourite type of cheesecake. The key difference between baked and no-bake cheesecakes are that the baked version is baked in the oven and has a denser texture and fuller flavour.
In baked cheesecake, you mix silken tofu with cream cheese and the cashews along with other required ingredients. While no-bake cheesecakes, you mix the cream cheese with other ingredients and finally fold in whipped cream. The whipped cream makes the no-bake cheesecake fluffy, creamy and airy. All in all, the baked cheesecake is fuller, denser, more flavourful and in my option, 100 times better than no-bake. It’s similar to a traditional New York cheesecake.
To bake this cheesecake, I used the Panasonic 4-1 Combi Oven. You want to heat the oven to 180 degrees c fan, and allow the oven to heat up before placing in the cheesecake to bake. The confined space of the oven allows the cheesecake to bake evenly with a gorgeous golden colour. I love using Panasonics worktop oven! Its a great addition to any kitchen! It’s a powerful machine with a ton of fun and exciting features which makes cooking and baking a breeze! It’s also portable so can be moved to any area you wish to bake from. It’s even perfect for baking doughnuts! Check out my Vegan Crème Brûlée Doughnuts here.
How to make a vegan pumpkin spice cheesecake (overveiw)
- Base
Melt the butter until liquid. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor / blender until crumb like along with the pumpkin spice. Mix the butter into the crumbs and mix to combine. Press into the tin, set aside.
- Cheesecake filliing
Blend all of the filling ingredients in a high speed blender until super creamy and lump free. Pour the filling on top of the base and tap on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake
Bake in the middle of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until baked. You’ll know it’s ready when the sides of the cheesecake are golden brown and the middle of the cheesecake jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully. Chill overnight in the fridge. This helps the cheesecake firm up nicely.
- Decoration
Whip up some dairy-free whipping / double cream, transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle. Pipe swirls around the top edge of the cheesecake. Add some vegan chocolate spread, or melted chocolate into a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the ghost eyes and mouth details to the cream swirls.
- Serve and enjoy
Use a sharp knife to cut the cheesecake into slices. Serve in some plates with a fork. The slices could even be served with a caramel drizzle, drool!
Tips for making the cheesecake filling:
- Use room-temperature vegan cream cheese – Allow it to come to room temperature then whip it to remove any lumps.
- Soak the cashews before use – Allow the cashews to soak in a bowl of water for a few hours before using. You could even soak them overnight. This will allow them to blend creamy without bits in the batter.
- Use a high powdered blender – The higher powered blender will blend perfectly and become super creamy.
- Avoid over-mixing the cheesecake filling – Adding too much air to the cheesecake can cause it to rise and fall when it’s baked.
- If your mixture is still lumpy, you could drain it through a strainer, but if you use a high powdered blender, I doubt you’ll have any issues!
- Remove the air bubbles – Pour the filling on the base then tap the tin on your work-surface a few times to remove any air bubbles. This will make for a super smooth cheesecake.
Pumpkin spice cheesecake FAQ:
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
- You sure can. Simply switch the biscuits / cookies to a gluten-free brand. Also triple check all your ingredients to ensure the bake is 100% free from wheat / gluten.
What biscuits to use for the base?
- Use plain biscuits (graham crackers) or cookies for the base. You can also use gingersnap / ginger nut biscuit which give a spicy flavour along with the pumpkin spice.
Do I need to grease my tin?
- I highly recommend lining it with some grease proof paper / parchment paper. Use a-little vegan butter for it to stick. This will highly prevent the cheesecake sticking and will easily release from the tin.
How to tell when the cheesecake has baked?
- The best test to check when a cheesecake is done is it’s appearance. The sides should be raised and just beginning to brown / golden. The centre may still be a little soft and jiggly at this point, but it will firm up as the cheesecake cools down.
What’s the easiest way to cut a cheesecake?
- Use a sharp thin bladed knife. Do not use a serrated knife because clumps can form around the ridged edges which will result in un-clean slices. You can also dip the knife in some hot water and wipe it dry before each cut. This will make each slice very neat and tidy.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
Print
- Total Time: Overnight
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is the BEST Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake that is packed with delicious pumpkin flavour and spices, has a buttery biscuit base and whipped cream ghosts, perfect for adding a spooky touch for Halloween.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 300g of plain biscuits (you can use gluten-free)
- 100g of dairy-free butter / margarine
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling
- 300g of cashew nuts (see step 1 for details)
- 400g of dairy-free cream cheese
- 500g of silken tofu
- 200g of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- 2 heaped tablespoons of pumpkin puree
Decoration
- 300g of dairy-free whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons of vegan chocolate spread / 50g of melted dairy-free dark chocolate
Instructions
Method (base)
- Line an 8” loose base / spring-form round cake tin with grease-proof paper. Set aside.
- Set the Panasonic on the microwave setting. Add the dairy-free butter / margarine into a microwave safe bowl, melt in 20 second intervals. Once melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the biscuits into a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter along with the pumpkin spice and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape.
- Press the mixture into the lined tin, making sure to compact it using clean hands. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. Place into the fridge whilst you make the cheesecake filling.
Method (cheesecake filling)
- Pre-heat the Panasonic combi oven to the oven setting at 180 degrees c fan. Wash, then drain the cashew nuts and place them into a high speed blender along with the cream cheese, tofu, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree. Blend on high until smooth.
- Pour the filling over the base. Tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles and to level out.
- Bake the cheesecake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake turn slightly golden in colour. To check the cheesecake is ready, using oven mitts, gently jiggle the cheesecake. If the cheesecake looks nearly set and only the middle of the cheesecake jiggles slightly, it’s done. If it jiggles too much / looks wet, it needs more time to bake!
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place the cheesecake (still in the tin) on a wire rack to cool fully.
- When the cheesecake is cool, place into the fridge and allow to sit in the fridge overnight to fully set. Keep the cheesecake in the tin to help retain the shape.
Method (decorate)
- Add the cream into a large bowl and whip to stiff peaks. This can be done in a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, or electric hand whisk.
- Once thick, transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large open round tip nozzle.
- Pipe swirls of cream to the top edge of the cheesecake.
- Decorate the ‘ ghosts ‘ with some chocolate eyes and mouth. You can either use a chocolate spread in a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe on the face details. Alternatively, melt some dairy-free dark chocolate in the microwave of the combi oven, allow to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a piping bag, snip off the tip and pipe on the details.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the cheesecake, tuck in and enjoy!
Notes
To store: This baked vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake should be stored in a sealed / air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftovers should also be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 2 to 3 days.
- Prep Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Cheesecakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
