Any kind of pumpkin pie recipe is ridiculously irresistible this time of the year….but this vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake tops them all!
When a friend brings a vegan dessert to a big dinner party and the it lasts only 5 minutes before it’s completely devoured… you hi-jack the recipe and post it on your blog.
(But still give all kudos to her).
This pie was a huge hit, and put the non-vegan cake to shame. Now, thanks to Deena, the secret is out.
It was literally gone in minutes, and Deena was bombarded with well-deserved praise.
That kind of reaction is love in the form of pie.
Deena Cook is definitely not a newbie when it comes to raw, vegan desserts. She shared this kind of wonderful-ness on the daily through her own cafe, so it’s safe to say, she know’s a thing or two about ice cream, desserts, and the taste of whole-food vegan decadence. She was originally inspired to implement a raw, vegan lifestyle while living on the Big Island of Hawaii. After that, she went on to own an organic cafe back where she grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, called Bliss Homemade Organic Ice Cream & Cafe. There, she specialized in small batch, homemade organic ice creams, and also served up raw & vegan treats, acai bowls, smoothies, and some wicked locally-roasted coffee and lattés. Now she enjoys making raw treats for her hubby, Jer, and doggie in Squamish! Also, both Jeremy and Deena offer healing ceremonies here.
When I made her recipe with a couple slight changes, and served it up at a family Thanksgiving last weekend, the table fell silent for at least 10 seconds as the forks sunk into the layers of dense cheesecake. The silence was broken when one of my Grandma’s buddies stated matter-of-factly…
‘This is the finest dessert I have ever had’.
Perfectly put, classy lad!
The whole dinner party was amazed that these 3 layers of creamy and decadent awesomeness, could possibly be vegan.
Besides the pumpkin purée, this pie is alllllll raw, baby.
Soaking those cashews not only makes them soft and easy to blend into a heavenly consistency, but it also begins the sprouting process, making the nutrients more absorbable and way easier for your body to digest.
Let’s take a moment to devour the layers with our eyes. Can you taste it yet?
And let’s not forget about the coconut whipped cream!
It’s incredibly easy, and even my whipped cream-loving, coconut avoider grandma (slash incredibly beautiful human) loved it.
Benefits:
- Pumpkin has a big dose of Vitamin A to help with your vision, plus it’s packed with betacarotene and antioxidants to ward of disease, especially prostate cancer (good for the dudes!). Plus, pumpkin is only 50 calories, yet nutrient-dense and fibre-rich to help with feeling full, heart health and digestion. Not to mention the epic tastiness….
- Dates are mother nature’s sweetener. I see it as her way of saying ‘I love ya’. They’re packed with fibre and minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc! The more dates in your life the better.
- Cashews are super high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Magnesium and phosphorus help maintain your fluids and electrolytes to ward of those dang leg cramps. Plus, these babies are packed with protein.
- Food Processor
- Blender
- Round 8-inch Springform Pan (or pie plate)
- Spatula
- 2 cups pitted dates
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 1 tsp salt
- 3½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight or soaked in boiling water for 2 hours, rinsed & drained)
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- ½ cup coconut milk (full fat from a room temperature can)
- ½ cup dark maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves)
- 1 can pumpkin purée, unsweetened
- 1 can chilled coconut milk (chilled in fridge overnight for best results)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Pecans
- BEFORE you start: your cashews must be soaked and your coconut milk must be chilled at least a few hours each (overnight is best for the most creamy consistency).
- First, grease your pie plate with a light coating of coconut oil (it's easy to use paper towel to smear it all over the pan).
- Blend dates on high in your food processor, until finely chopped.
- Add pecans and salt to the date dough in your processor. Blend on high until all ingredients are evenly distributed and consistent.
- Use wet hands to pack dough into an even crust covering the bottom of the plate.
- Put your crusted pie plate into the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Melt your coconut oil first, then let cool a few minutes.
- In your blender, add cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Blend on high. The longer it's blended, the more moist and creamy your filling will be.
- Remove your crusted pie plate from the freezer.
- Pour ONLY HALF of the blender’s contents over top of your crust. Use a spatula to spread it around in an even layer. Place this 2-layer pie back in the freezer (make sure it’s on a flat surface).
- Let it chill and solidify for at least 30 minutes.
- Add pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin puree to the remaining cashew filling in the blender. Blend on high until the mixture becomes orange!
- Remove your pie plate from the freezer and pour the pumpkin layer over the top. Spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Freeze the 3-layer pie, on a flat surface in your freezer, for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Remove from freezer to countertop 20 minutes before your ready to serve.
- Press pecans into the top layer of the pie.
- Make the Coconut Whipped Cream: flip the chilled coconut can upside down, then open. Pour out the liquid into a jar (drink it!), and add the full fat coconut cream to your food processor with the maple syrup. Blend until creamy!
- To serve: If you're using a pie plate, use a butter knife to cut around the circumference of the pie. Top with coco whip and listen to the sound of mmmmm's.
*This is an easy recipe, but calls for some scheduling:
- The night before, soak your cashews and put your can of coconut milk in the fridge
- The best time to make this pie is in the morning, so you can freeze it for 4 hours or more (the longer the better)
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