Vegan Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake has the traditional flavor and texture found in baked cheesecakes. The pumpkin blends perfectly with warm spices for the perfect Fall dessert. No Bake Cheesecakes are delicious but baked ones have a texture that’s somehow fluffier and more structured at the same time.
The Perfect Crust for Baked Vegan Cheesecake
The perfect crust is easy to make and delicious. This one uses crushed cookie crumbs, a little melted butter, and sugar. It’s so simple and the crumb mixture can be easily pressed into the bottom and sides of the pan to make a great base for the pumpkin cheesecake filling. I used some leftover sugar cookies. The great thing about this crust is any of your favorite cookies will work. I think ginger snaps would be a great one, and so would Oreos (with the creamy centers removed) for a hint of chocolate. Oreos are vegan, btw.
The Best Cheesecake Texture
Fluffy and light but also dense and structured. This filling is somehow all of those things, just like the traditional version of baked cheesecake. One of the best things about this pie is it can be made ahead of time, even days ahead, and then frozen and it’s even better after freezing and thawing than it was before!
Maple Walnut Almond Topping
A mix of maple syrup with walnuts and almonds that has been heated in the microwave for a minute or so and then allowed to cool makes a delicious, sweet, and thick topping for this or any dessert.
Pumpkin Puree Makes the Filling Delicious
What’s in the Filling for Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake?
Pumpkin Puree I’ve used pumpkin puree here and not pumpkin pie filling. TBH, it would probably work just fine either way, but I did use the 100% pumpkin puree. If you get a 15 oz can one cup is about half a can. You can use the other half for other things.
Silken Tofu This ingredient adds a wonderfully creamy texture and is pretty much flavorless on its own. But wow the mild flavor really lets the other flavors shine.
Plant-Based Cream Cheese Use your favorite and what’s available. I used the one by Kroger because that’s what I had. Another may have been even better, but this was pretty delicious.
Lactic Acid This is an optional ingredient. You might not have it in your pantry but I recommend it. It’s a vega product and great for adding a cheesy/milky/tangy flavor to things. I’ve added a link if you’re interested in getting some. It lasts forever. I just checked the last time I ordered it and it was 8 months ago. A little goes a long way.
Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Vegan Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake has the traditional flavor and texture found in baked cheesecakes. The pumpkin blends perfectly with warm spices for the perfect Fall dessert. No Bake Cheesecakes are delicious but baked ones have a texture that's somehow fluffier and more structured at the same time.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces plant-based cream cheese
- 8 ounces silken tofu
- 2 tablespons refined coconut oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (or flour)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon lactic acid (optional)
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Topping
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoons walnut pieces
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the crust. Crush cookies until they become crumbs. Crush about 2 cups or so. Enough that will leave you with 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
In a medium bowl, add the cookie crumbs and the sugar. Stir to combine and add in the melted butter. Stir again to combine well.
Press the cookie crumb mixture in the bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan (see below for a link to the one I used). Place the crust in the refrigerator to firm while making the filling.
To make the filling, put all the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and puree until very smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning, and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour.
To make the topping, microwave all the ingredients in a small bowl until bubbling hot. Let cool and spoon over the pie or pieces of the pie.
Finally, add a poof of vegan whipped cream! Yum!
Enjoy!
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Hello! I’m Lisa, a vegan artist, photographer, author, Vegan Life Coach Educator, and RYT 200 yoga teacher. I love showing others how simple and delicious a plant-based diet can be. I draw and paint, cook, write, take lots of pics, eat lots of chocolate, and practice gratitude daily.