Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

This gluten free vegan pumpkin cheesecake is going to knock your socks off, whether you avoid dairy or not.

Feel free to use regular cream cheese, sour cream and butter, but know that the recipe also works deliciously with these non-dairy alternatives.

It’s a simple but oh-so-delicious autumnal twist on traditional cheesecake that just might have you rethinking your Thanksgiving desserts!

I’ve baked it in large tart pans, casseroles, pie plates or little muffin tins — any way you slice it, this recipe is fantabulous and no one will ever miss the dairy, eggs or gluten.

The method is the same, no matter what type of pan you use to bake them in.

Simply bake a gluten free graham cracker or gingersnap pie crust as the base for any size cheesecake. The easiest way to make these graham cracker or gingersnap pie crusts is by using my gfJules Graham Cracker or Gingersnap Mix (here’s my gluten free graham cracker crust recipe to make extra and freeze for other pies or follow the instructions below to make only enough for this recipe).

A large tart pan or pie pan will work, or choose 8 or 9 small tart pans (make 1 1/2 or 2 crust recipes to make enough crust for this many mini tart pans).

Bake the crusts for 10 minutes while preparing the filling. I find the easiest way to make this filling is in a blender or food processor; the easiest way to get the creamiest texture is with silken tofu and sifted confectioner’s sugar, but there are ways around that, too. I detail my short-cuts in the recipe, but here’s my end-around for if you don’t have a sifter for confectioner’s sugar:

Once all the ingredients are added together … all EXCEPT for the pumpkin, that is … you pour out a little over a cup of the mixture into a separate bowl, then add the pumpkin to the main mixture.

This layering will allow us to create the feathering effect that’s so pretty with this vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Of course, if you want to skip the feathering and layering, just add the pumpkin altogether and add the filling all at once and it will still be delicious! See the banner photo at the top of this post to see how pretty the cheesecake is prepared that way!

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared gluten free gingersnap crust:

Then spoon dollops or lines of the pure cheesecake mixture on top. Next, simply draw lines through it with a butter knife, pulling it in through the pumpkin layer, creating the feathered effect.

Every time it will be different, and every time it will be beautiful!

Watch me make this recipe in the short video to get a better idea of how it all comes together!

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Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yield: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Creamy, luscious pumpkin cheesecake on a spicy gingersnappy crust awaits! All vegan and gluten free, but lacking nothing in flavor or texture!

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Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups gluten free gingersnaps (processed to crumbs)
• 4 Tbs. melted non-dairy butter alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
•  3 oz. chocolate chips, non-dairy (Enjoy Life®) – optional

Filling

• 12 oz. (1.5 cups) organic silken tofu (or regular tofu, pressed & whipped in a food processor/blender first to smooth)
• 12 oz. (1.5 cups) non-dairy cream cheese, plain (Kite Hill®; Go Veggie® or Daiya®)
• 6 oz. (½ cup) non-dairy sour cream (Follow Your Heart®; Tofutti® Better Than Sour Cream, non-hydrogenated) or plain yogurt (coconut, almond or soy)
• 3 Tbs. gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
• 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1 Tbs. pure vanilla paste or extract
• 12 oz. (1.5 cups) pumpkin purée

Instructions

Gluten Free Graham Cracker Pie Crust:

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Using a fork, stir the crushed gingersnaps in with the melted butter until they hold together when pressed between your fingers. If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of melted butter; if it is too wet, add more crushed gingersnaps or gfJules® Flour.

If using, stir in the chocolate chips (I like using the Enjoy Life Mini Chips here because they aren’t so large that it makes the crust fall apart; if your chips are larger, pulse in a food processor to make them slightly smaller before mixing in).

Press into the bottom of a lightly oiled springform pan, pie plate or mini tart pans. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes while preparing the filling. Remove to cool if still preparing filling.

Vegan Cheesecake:

For the cheesecake filling, blend the tofu, cream cheese, sour cream and gfJules Flour together until smooth, either in a food processor or blender.  Add the sugars and vanilla and mix well. If not using feathering technique, add pumpkin as well and blend.

Pour into the prepared crust – only fill 2/3 of the pan; if there is extra filling, oil a small ramekin and pour remaining filling into the ramekin to bake.  Bake for 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and only slightly jiggy in the center.

Mini tart pans need only cook for 25-30 minutes — test with a toothpick to ensure they are done.

Remove to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Serve cold.

To prepare with decorative feathered look, follow these instructions instead:

Whip together all cheesecake ingredients except pumpkin. Pour out 1 1/4 cups of this mixture and set it aside in a separate bowl. Add pumpkin puree to the blender with remaining cream cheese mixture and blend until completely mixed.

Once both mixtures are ready, pour pumpkin mixture on top of the crust. Add dollops or lines of the plain cream cheese mixture across the top of the pumpkin mixture. Using a butter knife cut into the top of the mixture by drawing lines down the length and then cross-wise across the pan. This will feather it through the pumpkin mixture.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and only slightly jiggy in the center.

Mini tart pans need only cook for 25-30 minutes.

Remove to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Serve cold.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules