Pumpkin Cheesecake

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! It is a special time to gather with loved ones and reflect on all the things you are thankful for, plus it revolves around food! What’s not to love?! Most people have their favorite dish they look forward to having on Thanksgiving whether it is turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, or my personal favorite, pumpkin pie!

 

Lots of pumpkin and pecan pie recipes are loaded with sugar, corn syrup, and overly processed vegetable oils. Since these are all ingredients that contribute to poor health, I do my best to stay away from them. So with dessert being my favorite part of my Thanksgiving meal, I want to enjoy a slice of pie… or two, and still feel good! I have transformed one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts into a sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free pile of goodness! This pumpkin cheesecake recipe was inspired by Tish Boyle’s recipe in Food and Wine’s Best of the Best Volume 10.

 

This is a great dessert to make a day or two before and since it is served cold, you don’t have to worry about competing for oven space. I recommend topping it off with some coconut whipped cream! Try out this recipe here, and use maple syrup as your sweetener. Coconut whipped cream can turn out liquidy so it is important to place a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before making.

 

You can also make the real stuff for those who can tolerate dairy by using 2 cups of organic heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add all ingredients to an electric mixer and whip until it forms a peak. Making homemade whipped cream is the way to go! Be sure to avoid Cool Whip as the ingredients include hydrogenated vegetable oils, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, artificial flavors, thickeners, and preservatives.

Stick to real whole food ingredients this Thanksgiving!

 

The crust ingredients.

 

The filling ingredients.

 

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cashew Cream Cheese (for filling)
  • 2 cups cashews
  • 3 Tbs water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
Crust
  • 6 dates
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 Tbs melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
Filling
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups cashew cream cheese you can also try using Kite Hill cream cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbs cassava flour
Instructions
Cashew Cream Cheese *Your cashews will need to soak for 1-2 hours before making*
  1. Soak cashews in hot water for 1-2 hours or soak overnight in room temp water, it is best to use a mason jar so it can be easily covered.

  2. Drain water from the nuts and place in a food processor or blender with lemon, water, and coconut oil.

  3. Blend it all up till it is a creamy consistency. Then add honey and maple syrup till mixed.

Crust
  1. In a food processor add nuts and blend until finely chopped.

  2. Add dates, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, butter, and sea salt. 

  3. Grease a springform pan with butter, you can also use a pie pan instead.

  4. Spread crust mixture along the bottom of the pan using your hands. 

Filling
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

  2. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together pumpkin, coconut milk, and spices then set aside.

  3. In a separate bowl, beat cashew cream cheese using a paddle attachment to an electric mixer.

  4. Add pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Add cassava flour and eggs one at a time until well combined. Be sure to scrape the edges of the bowl as necessary.

  5. Pour batter into the crust and bake for 50-60 minutes until the center of the cake is set but slightly wobbly. The cake will set completely as it cools. (If you are using a springform pan it is suggested to us a water bath. This keeps the top of the cake from cracking. I wanted to make this more simple so I did not use the water bath and it still turned out delicious but did have some cracks on the top. To make the water bath, wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil. Using a roasting pan or large baking pan, place the wrapped pan in the center and pour in hot water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.)

  6. When you remove the cake from the oven use a knife to carefully loosen the edges of the cake off of the sides. Let the cake cool completely then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Store in the refrigerator, loosely covered for up to 5 days.

The original cashew cream cheese recipe can be found here.

 

Enjoy & Happy Thanksgiving!!