Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
No-bake vegan pumpkin cheesecake bars made with cashews, pumpkin puree, and a pecan-date crust. They're the perfect creamy, dairy-free, fall dessert for hosting and gatherings!
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Servings: 12 pieces
INGREDIENTS
Crust
- 2 cups raw unsalted pecans
- 1 1/4 cups pitted dates (about 8-10 dates)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1-3 tablespoons water as needed
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 2 cups raw unsalted cashews soaked in water overnight
- ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk cream only
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice storebought or homemade
- For serving: coconut cream, candied pecans, or vegan caramel sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- Soak the cashews in lukewarm water overnight. For quick options, boil water and soak them in hot water for an hour or microwave with water for 5 minutes.2 cups raw unsalted cashews
- Line an 8x8 inch or 9x9 inch square pan with parchment paper with enough overhang to pull the bars out when they're done.
- Add the pecans, dates, salt, and 1 Tablespoon of water to a high-speed blender or food processor. Pulse and blend until it comes together into a sort of sticky dough and starts to pull away from the edges, about 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water as needed if it's not coming together. You may need to use the tamper or scrape the sides down to help it blend fully.2 cups raw unsalted pecans, 1 1/4 cups pitted dates (about 8-10 dates), ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1-3 tablespoons water
- Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges.
- To make the cheesecake, combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend for at least 2 full minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and creamy and no visible cashew pieces are left.½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk, ⅓ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup coconut oil, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the prepared crust. Smooth out the top to the edges of the pan and tap the pan against the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap an place in the freezer to set for at least 2.5 hours or until completely firm. Cut and serve frozen. Foor best results, use a sharp chef's knife and run it under hot water before slicing. Wipe it clean and run it under water between each cut.
- Serve with vegan whipped cream, vegan ice cream, chopped nuts, and/or caramel sauce. Cheesecake will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Soaking Cashews. If you don't have time to soak the cashews overnight, boil some water and soak them in the hot water for an hour. For a fast option, microwave the cashews on high with water for 5 minutes. For both options, drain the cashews and rinse them under cold water before blending them in the filling.
- Coconut Milk. I like Thai Kitchen canned full fat coconut milk. You can also purchase coconut cream only. To remove only the cream, scoop it off the top. Mine is almost always separated, but you could place the can in the fridge overnight to make sure it separates.
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. Mix 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Pan Size. You could press the crust into muffin tins for individual mini cheesecakes. For a large cheesecake, press the crust into a springform pan and add the cheesecake filling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1square | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 151mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1071IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
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