My vegan no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is smooth, creamy and extra spiced. It sits in a crunchy date pecan crust that contrasts perfectly with the fluffy mousse-like filling. No oven needed - just let it set in the fridge for 8-10 hours, making it an ideal make-ahead fall dessert.
It's time for one of the all-time best fall desserts - pumpkin cheesecake! This is a holiday season superstar that I make every year. It's obviously a Thanksgiving dessert but it's so easy to make that you could seriously whip it up on any given weeknight!
Traditional pumpkin pie and cheesecake recipes can be complicated, and the last thing anybody needs is more pressure when it comes to cooking for the Thanksgiving table. This easy recipe is the exact opposite, using simple ingredients that come together quickly. Plus it's no-bake too, meaning you can use your oven for other dishes and have dessert on the table right after dinner!
I am obsessed with the the combination of the smooth filling and the crunchy crust. Serve it with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or a drizzle of instant vegan caramel sauce and watch your friends and family swoon.
No one will have any idea how simple it is to make, let alone believe that it is actually a healthy vegan and gluten-free dessert!
Ingredients
There are two components to this recipe, each of which takes only a few minutes to prepare: the pumpkin filling and the crust. The entire recipe consists of only 11 ingredients!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Raw cashews are the magic ingredient for many creamy and decadent vegan recipes. I recommend soaking the cashews in advance to make the filling as smooth and creamy as possible.
Use homemade pumpkin purée for the best flavor, or about one full can from the grocery store (more on this below!).
Pumpkin Cheesecake Crust
How to Make this Vegan No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
This is an incredibly simple recipe. All you need is a blender for the filling and a food processor for the crust!
1. Prepare the filling. Add all of the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until perfectly smooth.
2. Prepare the crust. Use a food processor to pulse the crust ingredients. Transfer to a springform pan and use parchment paper and the bottom of a glass to pack the crust mixture evenly across the bottom.
3. Pour the filling overtop the crust.
4. Freeze for 8-10 hours to solidify the filling, then remove from springform pan.
5. Thaw, garnish and slice. Let the cake thaw at room temperature for 1 hour and then slice. Refrigerate until ready to be served.
Recipe Tips
- You don't need to soak the pecans that go in the crust. When pulsed with the dates and coconut oil, you get a crumbly, sweet mixture to press into the bottom of a springform pan.
- The crust works best with dates that are fresh and soft. Once a package is open and left in the refrigerator for a couple days, the dates start to harden and they won't work as well for this crust.
Homemade Pumpkin Purée Makes a Difference!
I use my easy homemade pumpkin purée in this recipe. It is the creamiest, most flavorful way to cook with pumpkin! The best part is that it takes so much less time to make than people realize. You just need a pie pumpkin, some water and your Instant Pot (or pressure cooker). I also have an oven version method which is just as simple!
Once the pumpkin is cooked you can easily cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and let the skin fall right off. Pumpkin becomes so soft when cooked that everything just falls apart!
Puréed pumpkin flesh is sweet, fluffy and filled with true pumpkin flavor! On the flip side, canned pumpkin can taste watery and a little bitter. Of course you can use canned pumpkin and this recipe will still be delicious... but if you've never made your own you don't know what you are missing!
This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is vegan (no dairy or eggs!), gluten-free, soy-free, and even made without refined sugar. That's what I call holiday magic!
I have so many treats on my site that are perfect for anyone with allergies, specialty diets or dessert lovers looking for a healthier option. I hope you'll make and love these recipes, leave a review on the post and tag me on Instagram so I can see your holiday baking!
Insanely Good No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
My vegan no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is smooth, creamy and extra spiced. It sits in a crunchy date pecan crust that contrasts perfectly with the fluffy mousse-like filling. No oven needed - just let it set in the fridge for 8-10 hours, making it an ideal make-ahead fall dessert.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2.5 cups raw unsalted cashews*
- 1.5 cups homemade pumpkin purée (or one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree)
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For the crust:
- 8 soft pitted Medjool dates (1 cup)
- 1 cup raw unsalted pecans - no soaking needed
- 2 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Add all crust ingredients to a 7-cup food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. You should be able to press the mixture between your fingers and it should stick together. Transfer to a 7.5-inch springform pan. There is no need to line or grease the pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper overtop the crust and use the bottom of a glass to pack the crust down into an even layer that covers the entire bottom of the pan. Remove the parchment paper.
- Pour the filling directly overtop the crust.
- Place the pan in your freezer for 8-10 hours until the filling is frozen solid. Release the springform pan and use a knife to separate the bottom layer from the crust. It should slide right off the bottom of the pan and onto a serving plate. Allow to thaw for 1 hour at room temperature and then slice into 8-10 slices (10 slices will still yield satisfying portions as the cake is rich). Place on your serving platter, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- For a smoother, creamier texture, I like to serve after it has sat at room temperature for at least one hour. You can serve while still frozen as well. Both are delicious!
- Top slices with homemade coconut whipped cream and a dusting of ground cinnamon if desired.
Notes
*Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for at least 1 hour in advance of blending. Once soaked, the cashews will measure 2 ⅔ cups (or more if you soak longer). After soaking is complete, drain, rinse and dry and add to blender. Learn more about how (and why) to soak cashews.
Here is how to make homemade pumpkin purée in the oven (rather than the pressure cooker method linked above).
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you plan to enjoy within a week. Otherwise, store in the freezer for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freezer
Elizabeth says
Thank you for the recipe! I wanted to make a vegan pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving and couldn't pass your tasty looking recipe by when I saw a photo on Instagram! I love how it's no bake and isn't too sweet. I didn't have time to make my own pumpkin puree but the canned variety worked just fine for me. I've had a couple of refrigerated slices and might try freezing a portion next to try it out that way! Thanks again 🙂
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Elizabeth! Thank you so much for letting me know! Yes, the no-bake aspect of the recipe is totally clutch for oven-heavy holidays. O do highly recommend trying the frozen version as well - it is more like cheesecake. You could even add a little lemon juice to it next time to give it that cheesecake tang.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! Best, Elaine
Kylie says
Excited to try this out. Never made pumpkin pie before but I have recently had to cut out all dairy products and I'm keen to try new recipes.
I just made the base first and refrigerated while I do filling and soak the cashews. Do you think you could substitute the cashews with another nut? Or do half cashews and half another nut? I bought cashews but forgot how much I needed when at the shop. They only came in small 100g bags.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Kylie. Great question! You could substitute raw blanched slivered almonds (unsalted and not roasted). These are different from sliced almonds which have the skin which you do NOT want here. You want a smooth neutral flavor. You could also potentially use raw macademia nuts. If you have raw sunflower seeds that could potentially work but I'm guessing you would need to use less and it might have a slight flavor. I would stick with raw cashews or the raw blanched slivered almonds if possible. Do you have enough for that? Best of luck and I hope you love the end result! Best, Elaine
Kylie says
Ok, perfect! I had a cup and half of the cashews and found a cup of almonds in the cupboard so have just blanched them and removed the skins. Now letting both nuts soak and will see how that goes.
Elaine Gordon says
Oh wow, I have never blanched almonds myself - very ambitious of you! How did it turn out for you?
Emma Eckley says
Just made this recipe! It is setting up in the freezer as a write up this review. I am doing an experiment this year at our family's Thanksgiving gathering. I am making this vegan pumpkin pie and a traditional pumpkin pie to see which the family enjoys more. I have not tried this yet but I did taste test the filling and the crust - and boy oh boy, is it tasty good. Can't wait to try a piece of the pie on Thursday.
Thanks for the recipe Elaine!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Emma! Sounds like a fun experiment and I'm excited to hear how it turns out! May the best pie win! Happy early Thanksgiving! Best, Elaine
Bobby Gordon says
Mary J says
Hey looking great Elaine!
Questions for the medjool dates replacement, do you think that pitted prunes would do the same job?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Mary: I apologize for the delay. I hope I'm not too late. For this recipe while it might work in terms of texture I don't think it will be sweet enough so I would not recommend for this dessert. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you! ~Elaine
Spillt User says
april says
It would have been REALLY helpful for you to have included that the cashews needed to be soaked. I almost never read the asterisk in a recipe and unfortunately I didn't here until it was too late. Why not just say "2.5 cups cashews, soaked in hot water for an hour"?? Fingers crossed my pie filling won't be chunky. I had to transfer it to my food processor to blend it bc it was too thick for my vitamin. Results TBD.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi April, The soaking will produce the best results if you don't have a high quality blender. The quick soak method is explained further in the notes and you can get away with 20-30 minutes for that. I do not recommend using a food processor for this recipe as the results will not be smooth. Does your blender come with a tamper? How did it turn out for you? Best, Elaine
Sharon says
My mom used to make a frozen pumpkin dessert with ice cream. This is very reminiscent of that, but non dairy. I'm so glad I found this recipe!
Elaine Gordon says
Aw that is so great to hear, Sharon! Thank you! I love that this was a bit nostaligc for you. Thank you for the five star review!
Rachel M. says
I came across your site while searching for a pumpkin pie recipe that did not contain gluten, dairy, eggs or refined sugar. It is SO delicious! The dinner party guests also raved about it. You would never know it was "healthy"! I love recipes like this! Thank you for sharing.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Rachel! This means so much and is wonderful feedback to hear! I appreciate you taking the time. I'm so happy to hear your dinner party guests all enjoyed it! This is another fun one to try next that is similar: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/no-bake-vegan-gluten-free-chocolate-cheesecake-paleo-refined-sugar-free/ Best, Elaine