Celebrate October 21st with Pumpkin Cheesecake (Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free & Delicious)
Today is Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Celebrate with an easy recipe everyone (yes, everyone!) will love.
It’s true, there’s a holiday for everything. But what’s so bad about having an excuse to celebrate every now and then? Personally, I’m pretty much always looking for a reason to bake (or assemble) something, especially this time of year. My kitchen has finally cooled down, the days are more meandering, and Saturday mornings are no longer reserved for early departure beach days. Scanning the holiday calendar recently, my eyes lit on a new one: Pumpkin Cheesecake Day. October 21st. Today. Being a fan of both pumpkins and cheesecake, the gears started turning and, not long after I produced the raw, vegan and gluten-free concoction below, which follows the same format as this more summery version, with a few changes. For those about to exclaim “oh, but I can’t bake,” I have good news for you…no oven required! This cake is seriously so simple to make and yields delicious results. While the ginger snap topping is optional, I highly recommend it for the added texture and gingery zing. Whip it up for this weekend’s Halloween bash, or keep the recipe on file for upcoming Thanksgiving potlucks.
Crust:
1.5 cups pitted fresh dates, chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup raw nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds work best)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp each ground cloves, ground ginger, ground cinnamon
Pinch of Himalayan salt
Place all crust ingredients in the food processor and pulse until fully combined. Turn out the crust mix into the springform pan and press with hands evenly into the bottom. Wet your hands a bit to prevent the mix from sticking to them. Place the crust in the fridge or freezer while you make the filling.
Filling:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp each ground ginger and cinnamon
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of Himalayan salt
Optional topping: Gluten-free ginger snaps (check label for vegan options), full-fat coconut milk
Tools: Food processor
Parchment-lined springform pan. The smaller the pan, the thicker the cheesecake.
Place all filling ingredients in the food processor and whirl around for a few minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula when needed. Process until smooth, about 5 minutes. Taste the mix and make any adjustments you may want.
Remove the crust from the fridge and, on an even surface, pour the filling over top. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top and place cake in the freezer until set and hardened, at least 20 minutes.
To serve: remove cake from freezer and release the springform pan. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle crushed gingersnaps over the top. Allow to thaw for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve as-is or with a drizzle of coconut milk.
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