No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Smooth and creamy, this delicious no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is both gluten-free and vegan, but you’d never know it! Made with cashews and coconut oil for creaminess, and a base of almond meal, this is the perfect dessert for pumpkin season and fall in general. Serve this during Thanksgiving and the holidays and impress your guests!

Cooking All things Pumpkin

If you love pumpkin as much as we do, then you’ve probably been cooking with all the pumpkin you can get your hands on during this fall pumpkin season.

In our house, we’ve been making everything from baked goods such as this perfect pumpkin bread, the best crustless pumpkin pie, moist and tender pumpkin scones, to easy pumpkin muffins. We’ve also been making savory foods such as this impossibly creamy pumpkin soup, pumpkin risotto, and even pumpkin gnocchi.

Perfect Pumpkin Dessert for the Holidays!

Naturally, as the holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near, we also need to have desserts on the menu!

In this case, we’re going with a ultra creamy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake that is totally gluten-free and vegan – so everyone can have a slice and enjoy – whether they are lactose-intolerant, Celiac, simply allergic to gluten, or following a vegan lifestyle.

Let’s jump right into how to make this cheesecake because you’ll want to make this over and over again!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Pumpkin Puree: I strongly recommend using fresh pumpkin puree because it doesn’t contain additives or preservatives that comes with the store-bought version (here’s how to make homemade pumpkin puree) but if you only have canned pumpkin available, that’s perfectly fine too.
• Cashews: In this case, cashews are fundamental to create the non-dairy creaminess that would otherwise come from using a normal cream cheese. I wouldn’t recommend any substitutions. Also make sure that you soak the cashews overnight, or if you don’t have time, at least soak them for 1 hour in hot water to help them soften so as to get the filling as creamy as possible.
• Almonds: I like using almonds to form the base because almonds don’t have a particularly invasive taste, but feel free to substitute almonds with other nuts in equal quantities such as pecans.
• Coconut Oil: I do not recommend substituting coconut oil for any other oils, because we need the coconut oil to firm up as its chills and helps to cheesecake to maintain its shape.
• Agar Agar: This is necessary to help the cheesecake firm up, but if you are not vegan, feel free to use unflavored gelatin power in equal quantities too.
• Almond Milk: I love using my homemade almond milk, but feel free to use other non-dairy milk such as cashew milk, coconut milk, sunflower seed milk, rice milk, or soy milk.

How to Make This No-Bake Cheesecake:

1. Begin with the Almond Crust

Start off by greasing and lining a small round springform pan with parchment paper. then begin with the crust: process the almonds in an electric blender until you get a fine meal.

2. Press the Crust into Pan and Let it Set

In a large bowl, mix the almond meal with melted coconut oil, sugar and cinnamon until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Transfer the crust mixture onto the base of the prepared springform pan, pressing it as firmly down as you can with the back of a spoon to create a level crust. Now place the pan in the freezer for the next 30 minutes and let the crust set.

3. Make the Cheesecake Filling

As the crust is setting, prepare the filling: processed the soaked cashews, pumpkin puree, almond milk, sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg in the electric blender until you get a thick, creamy mixture.

Dissolve the agar agar power in 1/4 cup of water, then pour the agar agar mixture into the blender and process it with the other ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture.

4. Chill, Garnish and Slice!

By now, the crust should be firm, so pour the filling mixture over the crust and smooth out the surface. Allow the filling to chill for at least 2 to 3 hours in the freezer, or 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator until it is firm to the touch.

Just before serving, garnish the cheesecake with a couple of pecans and then slice into it!

Tips & Tricks:

• Be Patient! While it is tempting to want to slice into the cheesecake as soon as possible, remember that this is a no-bake cheesecake and hence that time is necessary for the filling to firm up completely. I recommend at least 2 to 3 hours in the freezer, or 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator. To check that it is ready, use a clean finder to press very gently on the surface right in the middle of the cake, and if it doesn’t sink in, your cheesecake is good to go!
• Use a Springform Pan: I strongly recommend using a springform pan that’s been lined with parchment paper on both the bottom and the sides so it will be much easier to remove the cake from the pan and maintain the shape. However, you could also use a pie dish and eat it as you would pumpkin pie style.
• For Individual Cheesecake Cups: If you prefer to make individual portion-sized cups for a party, you could use muffin liners as instead. Simply press down the crust in the liners, let the crust firm up, before filling the liners with the filling.

Recipe FAQs:

Other Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love:

• Homemade Pumpkin Puree (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Pumpkin Scones (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Tender Pumpkin Scones (Gluten-Free)
• Easy Pumpkin Muffins (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Easy Pumpkin Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Super Moist Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Waffles (Gluten-Free)
• Savory Pumpkin Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Pumpkin Thyme Risotto (Gluten-Free)
• Pumpkin Gnocchi with Rosemary Brown Butter (Gluten-Free)

Dessert Recipes for Your Sweet Tooth:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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