Plant-Based Pumpkin Cashew Cheesecake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on December 14, 2021
Yield
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients
Filling
4 cups (1¼ pounds/567 grams) raw cashews 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) unsweetened pumpkin puree ⅔ cup refined coconut oil, melted and hot2 tablespoons lemon juice 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract 1⅓ cups (10⅓ ounces/293 grams) sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon allspice 8 ounces (227 grams) plant-based cream cheese, softenedCrust
8 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces1 tablespoon sugar ⅓ cup refined coconut oil, meltedBefore You Begin
Not all graham crackers are vegan, so check ingredient lists carefully. For the best results, chill the cheesecake for the full 24 hours. Don't let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for more than 1 hour; it will soften too much.
Instructions
- Place cashews in bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch. Soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Line pan bottom with parchment paper and grease parchment.
- Process graham crackers and sugar in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle melted oil over top and pulse to incorporate, about 5 pulses. Sprinkle crumbs into prepared pan and press into even layer with bottom of dry measuring cup. Bake until fragrant and edges begin to darken, about 13 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
- While crust cools, line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin puree on paper towels into even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Discard top layer of towels, then transfer pumpkin puree to now-empty food processor bowl.
- Rinse and drain soaked cashews well. Add cashews, hot melted oil, lemon juice, and vanilla to food processor and process until thoroughly combined and cashews are finely chopped, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Continue to process until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add cream cheese and process until very smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed (mixture will be grainy like ricotta cheese).
- Pour filling into cooled crust and, using offset spatula dipped in hot water and wiped dry, smooth top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
- To unmold cheesecake, run thin knife between cake and sides of pan, then remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between parchment and crust and carefully slide cheesecake onto plate. To slice, dip sharp knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts. Serve immediately.
for the filling
for the crust
Yield
Serves 12 to 16Ingredients
Filling
4 cups (1¼ pounds/567 grams) raw cashews
1 (15 ounces/425 grams) unsweetened pumpkin puree
⅔ cup refined coconut oil, melted and hot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
1⅓ cups (10⅓ ounces/293 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
8 ounces (227 grams) plant-based cream cheese, softened
Crust
8 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup refined coconut oil, melted
Ingredients
Filling
4 cups (1¼ pounds/567 grams) raw cashews
1 (15 ounces/425 grams) unsweetened pumpkin puree
⅔ cup refined coconut oil, melted and hot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
1⅓ cups (10⅓ ounces/293 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
8 ounces (227 grams) plant-based cream cheese, softened
Crust
8 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup refined coconut oil, melted
Ingredients
Filling
4 cups (1¼ pounds/567 grams) raw cashews
1 (15 ounces/425 grams) unsweetened pumpkin puree
⅔ cup refined coconut oil, melted and hot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons vanilla extract
1⅓ cups (10⅓ ounces/293 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
8 ounces (227 grams) plant-based cream cheese, softened
Crust
8 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup refined coconut oil, melted
Why This Recipe Works
In pursuing a plant-based cheesecake that would be as irresistibly creamy as any dairy rendition, we first focused on creating a thick, creamy base. We looked to cashews: Soaked and pureed, the mild nuts made a velvety ricotta-like mixture. However, once unmolded from the pan, the cake slumped into a mound of pumpkin mousse. We tried fortifying the base with silken tofu, but it turned out rubbery. Blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels before mixing it with the other ingredients helped eliminate some moisture, but the cake still lacked the dense, set-up structure of true cheesecake. So we tried some melted coconut oil. Because coconut oil becomes solid at or below room temperature, the cheesecake set up into a sliceable dessert after some refrigeration time. A small amount of cream cheese (plant-based or dairy) provided tanginess.
Before You Begin
Not all graham crackers are vegan, so check ingredient lists carefully. For the best results, chill the cheesecake for the full 24 hours. Don't let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for more than 1 hour; it will soften too much.
Instructions
- Place cashews in bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch. Soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Line pan bottom with parchment paper and grease parchment.
- Process graham crackers and sugar in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle melted oil over top and pulse to incorporate, about 5 pulses. Sprinkle crumbs into prepared pan and press into even layer with bottom of dry measuring cup. Bake until fragrant and edges begin to darken, about 13 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
- While crust cools, line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin puree on paper towels into even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Discard top layer of towels, then transfer pumpkin puree to now-empty food processor bowl.
- Rinse and drain soaked cashews well. Add cashews, hot melted oil, lemon juice, and vanilla to food processor and process until thoroughly combined and cashews are finely chopped, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Continue to process until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add cream cheese and process until very smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed (mixture will be grainy like ricotta cheese).
- Pour filling into cooled crust and, using offset spatula dipped in hot water and wiped dry, smooth top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
- To unmold cheesecake, run thin knife between cake and sides of pan, then remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between parchment and crust and carefully slide cheesecake onto plate. To slice, dip sharp knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts. Serve immediately.
for the filling
for the crust
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