This no-bake chocolate pumpkin cashew cheesecake is a deliciously rich and creamy dessert for the holidays or any special occasion! Two decadent vegan cheesecake layers are poured over a pecan, coconut and date crust and chilled to silky smooth perfection. Paleo, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and family approved!
I knew since mid July that I wanted to make a paleo and vegan pumpkin cheesecake as soon as September came around. I had my heart set on silky, creamy, almost mousse-like pumpkin spice filling over a chewy cinnamon pecan crust.
And then, right around September 1st, something happened. By “something”, I’m talking about 4 pumpkin pies, plus an apple tart, all in one week.
Yes, I came out triumphant, but WOW, I was pumpkin-spiced out. I was craving a break from cinnamon and I wanted to bathe myself in dark chocolate.
But when it comes to my recipe plans, I can be a little bit stubborn. Well, only if I KNOW the idea is good. In truth, I reject over half of my ideas and many of my plans never make it to the blog. But the pumpkin cheesecake one? I knew I needed to slap myself in the face and follow through with it.
But, the whole dark-chocolate-bathing-fantasy was sort of killing me. Calling me and killing me. So, I did what any reasonable, flexible, yet persistent food blogger would do – I compromised. In the form of a layered chocolate pumpkin cashew cheesecake. Let’s take a closer look at what went down here.
Basically, I made a full-on pumpkin cheesecake with a twist – some dark chocolate pudding (based on my chocolate pudding recipe) mixed in with some of the pumpkin to create a double layer cheesecake – the second layer admittedly being more chocolate than pumpkin, at least in flavor.
We mix the pumpkin cheesecake mixture into the pudding only to keep the texture consistent – but this layer is rich, creamy, dark chocolate “cheesecake” perfection.
This cheesecake is almost no-cook, save for about 5 minutes of melting together the chocolate ingredients, and totally no-bake, paleo, and vegan. Plus, it actually tastes like cheesecake – I’m not kidding.
My husband Adam said “some sort of pumpkin cheesecake thing” when I asked him the infamous “do you know what you’re eating?” question that I use to gauge how “real” a recipe tastes. His answer speaks to how real-deal this one is – especially if you happen to know Adam and his dessert habits.
The pumpkin cheesecake mixture itself is pretty straightforward. We have raw cashews for the “cheese” texture, coconut cream, pumpkin puree, coconut oil (use refined to avoid extra coconut flavor), lemon juice (for the “cheesecake” flavor), pure maple syrup to sweeten, plus a good dose of vanilla and pumpkin spices.
My daughter Diana couldn’t get over how creamy I got the filling considering what it was made of. I used a food processor, but you can also use a high powered blender (like a Vitamix) to get the filling super smooth, creamy, and lusciously cheesecake-like.
Get excited – this chocolate pumpkin cashew cheesecake was a huge hit with my family and I know it will be with yours, too! I hope you’re ready to no-bake – let’s get started!
Chocolate Pumpkin Cashew Cheesecake {Paleo, Vegan, No-Bake}
Pumpkin Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake {Paleo, Vegan, No-Bake}
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3 medjool dates pitted and softened
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 1 1/2 Tbsp organic coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Filling:
Chocolate mixture:
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 2/3 cup coconut cream
- 5 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cheesecake mixture:
- 2 cups raw cashews soaked*
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup organic coconut oil refined, to avoid coconut flavor
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare Crust:
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Place all ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender and process on low, scraping sides a couple of times, until a crumbly pasty mixture forms. Don’t over process or the mixture can become greasy or even being to form a butter.
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Press crust down evenly into an 8” springform pan, or you can use an 8” square cake pan lined with parchment paper
Prepare Filling:
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Melt coconut cream, maple and cacao in saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly, once smooth and well combined remove from heat and stir in vanilla, set aside to cool while you prepare pumpkin mixture.
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Wipe out your food processor of excess crust mixture, then process soaked cashews to form a paste. Then, add remaining ingredients and process until totally smooth, this could take a few minutes depending on your food processor or high powered blender.
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Stir 1/2 cup pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture, the pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over the crust, spread out evenly.
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Then, pour the chocolate/pumpkin mixture over the top, once again spreading evenly**
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Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to firm. You can serve right from the refrigerator for a soft creamy texture. The cake can also be frozen prior to serving, just make sure you allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to serving to allow for easy slicing. Top with coconut whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Soak your cashews in filtered water for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to soften. Once soaked, rinse and gently pat dry with paper towel before using
**For a marbled effect, you can swirl both layers together with a thin knife, or simply leave them separate for a neat, layered appearance.
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My Chocolate Pumpkin Cashew Cheesecake:
Want More Paleo and Vegan Dessert Recipes? Try One of These!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
Chocolate Chip Cookie Vanilla Cheesecake
Tell Me!
Favorite no-bake dessert?
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A big hit in the fam. The crust came out really crumbly, it might have been due to the liquid coconut oil I used. For those in the UK, I roasted a butternut squash and mashed it, and used mixed spice instead of pumpkin pie spice.
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The liquid coconut oil I used may have contributed to the crust’s highly crumbly texture. For those in the UK, I roasted and mashed a butternut squash with mixed spice rather than pumpkin pie spice.
This has become a holiday favorite at my house! Curious if it would work with a Graham cracker crust?
It sounds like you went all in on fall flavors! After indulging in all those pumpkin and apple treats, a break with some rich dark chocolate makes perfect sense. If you’re still craving something sweet but different, Chick-fil-A’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie or their Fudge Brownie from their https://chick-filaa-menu.com/dessert-menu/ menu might be the perfect fix!
This pumpkin chocolate dessert sounds amazing! Making it perfectly smooth requires patience, just like teaching your kids good habits. Sometimes a little Bad Parenting, like letting them lick the bowl, might be okay! Refrigerating overnight ensures a firm texture. I wonder if this dessert can help with the frustration of not getting enough sleep after playing games all night.