pumpkin pecan cheesecake

Oh my goodness, this cheesecake brings me back to my Cheesecake Factory loving days. Albeit, 9 times out of 10 I was way stuffed to actually enjoy a slice of their famous cheesecake, but boy did I love looking the crazy combinations and creations on the Cheesecake menu. For Justin and I, Cheesecake is a once a year foodie splurge; reason being we really have no self control when it comes to vegan cheesecake (sad I know). We have deemed Thanksgiving to be our unofficial Cheesecake Holiday.

  I have tried several vegan cheesecakes in my lifetime- all of which have been pretty amazing. However, this version by far has been a favorite; you really can't go wrong with pumpkin, chocolate & pecans!

A food processor or immersion blender makes this a super easy dessert to pull together the day before a party with impressive results. It is an absolute must that you plan ahead and make this the day before you plan to serve, the longer you allow the cheesecake to chill in the fridge the better the texture will be.

If you are looking for a show stopping dessert for your next gathering, this is totally it. 

Holiday dessert table worthy

The base is your traditional graham cracker crust; I am all for non traditional crusts but when it comes to cheesecakes graham cracker crust all the way. 

A bonus about the chocolate that tops the cheesecake; it hides the cracks on top that may form during the baking or cooling of the cheesecake. I have read & tried many tricks to prevent this from happening, however I just don't have the patience to fiddle with wrapping the pan with tin foil in a water bath or allowing to cool in the oven with the oven door propped open with a wooden spoon (yes I have tried all those and they work to some degree, but come on people, I just want my cheesecake!). Chocolate drizzle, sweetened vegan sour cream topping or coconut whipped cream are also all great alternative toppings.

Have vegan cheesecake making tips? Share them in the comments, I would love to hear!

Are you a cheesecake fan or have a dessert tradition around the holidays?

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

makes 1 cheesecake

you will need:

Graham Cracker Crust
(crust adapted with vegan ingredients, additional sugar & water omitted)

1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 -12oz container silken tofu

2 - 8oz packages tofutti cream cheese - better than cream cheese

2/3 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup non dairy milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp arrow root or corn starch

3oz Dark Chocolate + 1 tbsp non dairy milk 

2 tbsp chopped Pecans

assembly:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the Graham cracker crust and press into the bottom of a spring form pan- set aside.

In a food processor or using an immersion blender (use a medium bowl), process silken tofu and cream cheese & pumpkin puree for about a minute or until well blended.

Add maple syrup & process until smooth 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine apple cider & non dairy milk- let sit for about a minute, whisk in cornstarch/arrowroot until smooth and dissolved.

Pour apple cider mixture & vanilla extract into food processor or bowl, process until very smooth

pour mixture into prepared crust.

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until sides are set (the very center may jiggle slightly, this is okay)- allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours.

Melt the chocolate & non dairy milk in a double boiler or in the microwave (30 second intervals) until melted and smooth. Gently spread the chocolate over the top of the cheesecake leaving about a 1 inch border around the outside of the cheesecake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Refrigerate overnight and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Cheesecake will keep for up to 3/4 days.

Enjoy!