[Insert standard "this is not a fat-free recipe" disclaimer here. Geez, what was I thinking when I named this blog!]
I know most of you who celebrate Thanksgiving have already figured out your menus. I’m probably the only slacker who still doesn’t know what she’s cooking! I’m lucky, though. I’m going to my in-laws’ celebration which is essentially a huge pot-luck. We can usually count on there being some side dishes prepared vegan just for us, so I can get away with bringing just a dish or two. At this point, I’m relatively sure that I’m making Bryanna’s Soy and Seitan “Turkey,” but I’m absolutely positive that I’m making this:
This pumpkin cheesecake is without a doubt the most delicious dessert I’ve had in a long time. The bottom layer is lightly flavored with lemon, while the top layer is pumpkin-flavored without being heavy; eaten together, they’re just plain heaven. No, it’s not fat-free, but I challenge you to find a lower-fat cheesecake that tastes this good. Also, it relies on agave nectar for much of its sweetness, so if you’re concerned about the glycemic index, that’s another point in its favor. But I warn you–you won’t be able to stop at just one piece of this luscious cheesecake.
Vegan Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
8 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (look for the non-hydrogenated version in the yellow container)
12 ounces light firm silken tofu (or extra-firm)
1/2 cup agave nectar (or sugar)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned, not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons rum (optional)
3 tablespoons brown sugar or natural sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg (please!)
1 pre-made 8-inch graham cracker crust (or oatmeal cookie crust)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Put the first set of ingredients (toffuti through vanilla) in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. It should be silky smooth–not chalky or lumpy.
- Remove a heaping cup of this mixture from the processor and spread it in the bottom of the crust.
- Add the next set of ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg) to the ingredients remaining in the food processor and process until well blended. Smooth it carefully over the white layer in the crust, heaping it slightly in the middle. Bake until the center is almost set, about 50-60 minutes. (Insert a toothpick. If it comes out liquidy and cold, give it more time, until the center is firm.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours. Serve to delighted guests. (Don’t tell them it’s vegan, and they won’t know!)
Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 50 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
Serves 8. Per serving (not including the crust): 218 Calories (kcal); 7g Total Fat; (28% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 179mg Sodium.
Hope all of you who celebrate it have a happy Thanksgiving. And if you don’t celebrate, you may in fact be saving your own life!
{ 106 comments… read them below or add one }
Susan,
Once again, this looks so totally irresistible that I can't wait to make it. However, is there any substitute for "Better Than Cream Cheese" you can recommend? I'm not able to purchase here in Japan.
Thanks.
William, you might try using some silken tofu instead of the cream cheese and add a little extra corn starch and lemon juice. It probably won't taste the same, but it might still be good.
what if i used real pumpkin how much would i add to the mixture…real meaning not from the can
Kendra, as long as all the water is pressed out of your cooked pumpkin puree(making it the consistency of canned), you use the same amount of pumpkin as in the instructions.
I made this last thanksgiving for work and some people liked it, so of course I did it again this year. My coworkers liked it and some had a hard time believing it was vegan.
Do we use fresh or ground ginger? Does it matter?
I used ground ginger but I'm sure fresh would lend a nice zing to this recipe.
i don't have any tofu, do you think i could just sub more toffuti for the tofu? same amount?
Hi Susan –
I am food processor-less and not inclined to add anything else to my VERY space challenged kitchen. Are there any alternatives to the food processor for this recipe? Someone asked last year but I didn't see an answer. I really want to shock my very carnivorous family with this recipe; I'm sure they won't know it's vegan. Thank you!
Re: food processor
I used a blender last year and it turned out perfectly.
Also, thank you Susan! I made it last year. Everyone had seconds of this one!
I will make it again this year. I added more lemon which was perfect for our family.
I'm so excited to make this – but just discovered I don't have rum or ginger. Will it be ok without? Thanks
I'm sure it will be fine without rum and ginger, but you could increase the other spices a little to compensate.
I have this in the oven right now! I hope it sets up- if not- it will still taste wonderful! Thanks for recipe!
oh man this was SOOO GOOOOOOD!!!! all my nonvegan friends LOVED IT. i added a little more lemon just for the zestiness. great recipe!!
I just made this and I thought it turned out too lemoney. I will leave the lemon out next time. It took away from the pumpkin taste.
In the oven as we speak!
Pre-baking taste tests got a big thumbs up from the kids.
Looks and smells divine.
i made this for todays dinner and it was absolutely delicious!! even my daughter who loathes all things pumpkin liked it. thank you susan
Susan, I'm wondering if I sub molasses for the rum, would that work?
I'm not sure I can find the toffuti here. Is there an online resource?
Thanks so much! Can't wait to try this.
Buy tofu online at Vitacost
Okay. Not paying attention. See if you have a nearby food coop. Even if you have one anywhere nearby, the food coops sometimes do deliveries into areas for a reasonable fee.
Oh my gosh, I made this for Thanksgiving dinner for mostly non veggies and I'm the only vegan. I usually don't make desserts with tofu because I can always taste it but I decided to give this a go since it had so many positive comments. It was amazing! I am lactose intolerant and haven't had cheesecake for YEARS! It was so good there were no leftover to take home and it was the first dessert to be finished. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!!
I made this for Thanksgiving and as I expected, it was delicious. I had a piece for breakfast this morning. Mine didn't look quite as perfect as yours with the layers, but it wasn't a big deal. I'll definitely make this again, but when I do I think I'll add a lot more pumpkin puree, spices, and rum, because it just wasn't quite pumpkiny enough. Looking forward to making the eggnog one for Christmas!
I used to make a conventional version and was happy as could be when I found this. Was great. The only thing I did different was double the spices. I love it to be spicy!
I made this last night, and it is absolutely delicious.
Hi Susan,
I have been looking at this recipe off and on, and thought I couldn't attempt it because I can't have the tofutti cream cheese because of the palm oil in it. Then I got the idea to try making Bryanna's tofu cream cheese in The (Almost) No Fat Cookbook. I tweaked it a little, putting a little cashew butter in it, instead of sesame meal. It worked great! We absolutely loved it, like everyone else who posted here. And once again that oatmeal cookie crust is a gluten free life saver.
thanks, Susan!
xo
moonwatcher
Can you post that recipe?
Best. Cheesecake. Ever.
Real or fake, this is phenomenal! Made it for a Vegan pot luck and it was a winner. Cant wait to try the eggnog version
Just made this last night and it was delicious!! I have to agree with Adrianna, this is the best cheesecake ever!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!
How about substituting the "Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese" for whole food ingredients ? Search for the fake food on the web, read the ingredients: it's mostly PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED (Bad!) Soybean Oil, Tofu, gum thickeners, and a bunch of other yucky stuff that would be better left out of all food (like sugar, preservatives, and isolated soy protein). Yikes!
Considering this, it should be possible to replace the "Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese" with pure Soybean Oil, a little more Tofu, and some Gum powder or perhaps tapioca flour(?).
This "Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese", after reading the label, should be tossed in the trash… don't forget to recycle the container afterwards.. don't trust these fake dairy products! Most of them are just as bad or worse than this Better Than stuff.
There is a non-hydrogenated version of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese. Look for it in the yellow container (which you can recycle later).
If it’s only once a year, lighten up!
I made this on Saturday and my non-vegan meat eating family has almost finished it. My brother even had it for lunch. Thank you for the perfect introduction to tofu.
I must make this for a future bake sale, to share with the world! Although I may not be able to wait that long!
JonathonCline – As Susan states in the recipe you can use the non-hydrogenated kind. It’s a bit harder to find, I’ve only seen it at Whole Foods, but it exists. Personally I just use the easier to find version because I use maybe 1 or 2 tubs a year when I bake things like this and I can buy it at just about any grocery store. A little bit once in a while isn’t going to kill you.
This was fantastic. Instead of using one big crust, I made a bunch of serving-size mini-cheesecakes for a bake sale. They sold briskly and afterward drew compliments from people who bought them.
Gary, thanks for letting me know. I’m so happy that my recipe could contribute to the bake sale!
Susan, I just want to say I look forward to making this pie every year! I am going to a party next week and you know what I’m bringing!! My sister even brought this into a gym class once for *health week* and no one could believe it was vegan! Thanks SO MUCH for posting this recipe!!! I really appreciate it and keep blogging cause you got a big fan!
Hi Susan,
I would love to try this recipe, however my daughter is on a gluten free diet, any other crust suggestions that are gluten free that would work?
Susan, you are a godsend! I am so excited about the recipes you have posted that I can make for Thanksgiving!!! I have to make the rest of my family “normal”, non Vegan food, HOWEVER, I now can make myself some yummies as well!!!!
I love your “Fat Free Vegan Kitchen” website!!!! Happy Holiday Season to all!
Dana
Hi,
I have a suggestion for Jen or any other person interested in gluten-free options. I don’t remember where I get this recipe from, but I have used it often with very good result.
Crust:
1 cup superfine sorghum flour
½ cup arrowroot powder
½ cup pecans, finely ground
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt (link)
4 tablespoons coconut oil (room temp)
5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Enjoy!
This recipe is AMAZING!!! My vegan and non-vegans loved it. I love how creamy it is. I’ll definitely be making this one again. Thank you SO much!!!
Hi! I am thinking of trying this recipe as individual cheesecakes, using a muffin pan ( and making my own graham cracker crust for the bottom layer). Any suggestions on how I should bake them? I am worried about over or under cooking. Thanks!
Start checking them for doneness very early, maybe even after 15 minutes, and do the toothpick test when they look done. My biggest worry with using a muffin pan with crust only on the bottom is getting them out. I’m afraid you might have trouble keeping them intact.
Hi,
I just made a gluten free graham crust for this. Do I bake the crust prior to filling it?
Thank you,
Michelle
Yes, I would bake it first.
If I use your oatmeal crust, should I cook it first?
Yes, but take it out a couple of minutes early, before it starts to brown around the rim. It may begin to get too brown when you’re cooking the cheesecake, so be prepared to put a ring of aluminum foil around the edge if it seems to be browning too much. Please let me know how it comes out.
Susan,
Thank you for all the great recipes! I had to laugh when I read your comment, “What was I thinking when I named this [fat-free] blog?” But I love, love, love your fat-free recipes. They fit so well with the nutritarian style of eating, and you do such a great job with them! Thank you for all your great recipes and happy holidays to you and your family!
I can’t do agave or sugar, but can do brown rice syrup, coconut sugar and dates. Any ideas for how much to substitute for the agave?
I would use the same amount as in the recipe of either/both brown rice syrup or/an coconut sugar. You can taste it before you bake to see if it’s sweet enough and add more if necessary.
I made this last night. I’ll have to wait until Thanksgiving to give my review of the taste. However I do have advice for anyone who ended up with extra filling like myself. I had maybe a 1/3 or a 1/2 cup of filling left that I didn’t know what to do with, so I added a banana, vanilla almond milk and ice to the blender and made what turned out to be a really delicious smoothie
Hi making this double layer cheesecake today, do I have to press the Tofu?
No, but you need to use silken tofu–the Mori-Nu brand in the aseptic package works best. Drain off any water and use the tofu straight from the package.
Hi Susan,
I made this pie for Thanksgiving dinner and it was fabulous. The pie had much better flavor after baking than the batter.
It looked like I’d have too much batter for one little graham cracker pie crust, so I poured it into two pie crusts. That gave me one pie to sample and the other to present after dinner. It was excellent. Those who did not know, didn’t realize it wasn’t dairy.
This cheesecake was super amazing. The whole (omni) family loved it. I will definitely be making this again and again.
I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was great! For a fairly low-fat cheesecake it has great flavor! When compared to full-fat desserts containing dairy it was still one of the best desserts there. I made this cheesecake with the graham cracker crust from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s the Joy of Vegan Baking. I celebrated at my future in-laws house yesterday and they had a family friend visiting for Thanksgiving who was lactose intolerant. If I hadn’t made this pumpkin cheesecake he wouldn’t have had any dessert! I was very glad I had made it because he got something to eat for dessert and also because I had a chance to recommend some vegan baking cookbooks to him (as well as this site, where I got this recipe of course!). The others who tried it liked it too so I will make it again. I had cracks in my cheesecake though, which I think is from over mixing the batter so maybe next time I’ll mix it in a bowl rather than a food processor. My two layers stayed separately intact so for people who have issues with the layers blending, just be very careful to spoon a small amount at a time over the first layer and don’t heap a bunch all in one spot at once. Thank you for your wonderful recipe!
Oh, also, I found it interesting that April at Kitchen Blender Reviews thought there was too much batter because I felt the cheesecake could have been even better with more batter (but that might have been because I had a thick, flavorful crust that slightly overwhelmed the cheesecake part). However, double the batter seems like too much and one a half times the batter would leave me with a half used container of cream cheese and silken tofu so I’ll prob still stick with the original amount of batter.
I have been making this recipe for years and never had a single problem until this year. And I think I know why. I used a different kind of vegan cream cheese because Whole Foods was out of Tofutti. Vegan Gourmet IS NOT THE SAME, does not taste the same and does NOT bake the same. Use the Tofutti or scrap the recipe.
Thanks so much for that tip, though I hate that you had to discover it the hard way. All we have around here is the Toffuti, so I’ve never tested it with any other vegan cream cheese. I’ll have to add a note to the recipe specifying Tofutti brand.
Made this last night, it was a big hit! delicious!
Susan, girl, you have done it again!
This fabulous thing has now taken its place as an official Thanksgiving tradition at our house. This year I tried it with your oatmeal crust with a handful of vegan chocolate chips added to the dough. The result was off the charts delicious! The only change for next year will be to make two. I cut myself a tiny sliver, turned my back , and the entire cheesecake was gone. So much for leftovers! Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Thank you for this recipe. The one slice I was able to have was fantastic.
My daughter insisted that no one eat more than one slice so she could take it back with her to college.
HI!
I made this for Thanksgiving and offered a piece to my 82 year old mother. AND she liked it!
I added some toasted pecans to the homemade graham cracker crust and decorated the top with them too.
Every bite of the creamy bottom layer and the spicy top layer made me take a unscheduled trip to a forest of brightly colored leaves covered trees.
This made my first vegan Thanksgiving meal! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey, I made this for thanksgiving and it was great.
I have to eat gluten-free as well, so I made a gingerbread cookie crust out of some store-bought GF and Vegan Gingersnap cookies! (Mary’s Gone Crackers Brand) The entire thing was delicious and my whole family loved it.
Thank you!
I made this on Thanksgiving, will be posting about it tomorrow…just wanted to tell you that it was AMAZING!!! Also, just like you said..no one could tell it was vegan!! There was hardly any left!!!
I just made this for Christmas and everyone loved it–even my omni parents & b/f! My dad is very anti-tofu but he had no idea this contained tofu so he happily ate it. I followed the recipe to a t except I omitted the lemon & upped the amounts of cinnamon & ginger because I like it spicy. Also, I didn’t want to dirty my food processor so I just used my electric beater & it still came out smooth and creamy. Definitely an awesome dessert that I will keep making!
Made this for both Thanksgiving and Xmas this year, my first year of being vegan. It was a hit both time. I will definitely be making this again.
This recipe looks delicious! My husband and I recently ate at a vegan restaurant in Portland ME called Green Elephant. The best part of the meal was the dessert—pumpkin cheese cake. I have been dreaming of making it since and cannot wait to try this recipe. Thank you!
Hi Susan,
Your blog has turned a mediocre cook to a fabulous one. So thank you for that!
Can this recipe be made in a microwave? For that matter, would cooking your oven-based recipe in a microwave ruin it?
Best
That’s so nice of you to say! About the microwave, I just don’t know. It’s hard to say how long or on what power to cook it since I’ve never tried before. You would be taking a risk of ruining it.
Hey Susan
I have made this numerous times and it’s always a hit! I was wondering if this could be made into tart-sized treats? I want to do this for our staff but am unsure on cook time/temp if I use the filling in tart shells as opposed to a whole pie shell.
Have you ever done this?
Thanks a bunch!
Allie
I’m so glad you like the cheesecake! I haven’t done it as tarts, but I think it definitely could be done. I’d start checking them at 15 minutes and continue cooking until they seem done (but before they get too brown around the edges. You may have to be a pioneer and experiment with this!
Oh man, I have to try this!
I make this every year for Thanksgiving and it is always the star of the show. I leave out the rum and it doesn’t seem to be a problem. This year my non-vegan mother requested this for her birthday cake. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
I write for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, OR., and would like to reprint your double layer pumpkin cheesecake recipe as part of a T-Day story I’m working on. Can you give permission?
bridget otto
503-221-8527
I double this recipe and bake it a little bit longer in a 9-inch spring-form pan with a graham cracker crust. It’s beautiful to serve to company on the holidays.
I’m so glad to hear that that works! I’ll have to try it.
I have made this for three years now-it has become a staple at our Thanksgiving! Thank you Susan!
You posted this recipes several years ago, but I didn’t even know about your site then. I wasn’t vegan then either — though I’m not sure that I should say it even now. I’m trying though! And recipes like this make it even easier. It’s delicious! I knew it was beautiful from the gorgeous pics, but that doesn’t always mean that it tastes good. This one does, and it’s even EASY. There’s about the same number of ingredients for a pumpkin pie and no more complicated to make. For my money though, this is much better. Thanks for a great recipe!
WOW. made this for thanksgiving and it was a hit. Cannot believe it didn’t have a soy aftertaste or weird texture… it was perfect, and the omnivores couldn’t tell! Thanks!
I love this recipe and have used it for the last 2 or 3 years. but all of a sudden i feel like my “cheesecake” keeps cracking. It still tastes amazing but i want it to look pretty too! help me please.
Made this for thanksgiving and it was AMAZING! I was always a pumpkin pie hater but this cheesecake is absolutely delish! I made a homemade vegan graham cracker crust for it. Thanks for sharing the recipe =)
Thank you for providing this recipe! I have never made a cheesecake before- vegan or not- and this came out beautifully. My family (who are very hesitant to eat vegan food) loved it. My only complaint- and it’s not really a complaint- is that it was not very pumpkin-y. Other than that, it was delicious, actually set up firm, and stayed together. Thanks!
I’ve baked this twice now! The second time I made it when I was reaching for the vanilla extract in my cupboard, I saw my bottle of orange blossom water that I’ve scarcely had a chance to use, so I went ahead and added 1/4 teaspoon of that along with the vanilla and lemon juice, and it made a huge difference. If anyone has orange blossom water laying around, I recommend trying it
Made this for Thanksgiving this year. It is the best cheesecake I have ever had. I can’t wait to make it again. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Great recipe! I subbed stevia for half the sugar and used lime juice for the lemon. I was amazing
I’ve been looking for vegan cream cheese as well but found a recipe for it instead in Roberto Martin’s cookbook, ‘Vegan Cooking For Carnivores’. It is a cream cheese spread but you can eliminate some of the water in his recipe and keep the 2 Tbsps of olive oil processed with cashews, salt and a block of firm tofu. It is good vegan cream cheese.
Finally made this delicious Cheesecake. And making another one tomorrow! where has this recipe been all my life??:) I will use the Graham cracker crust though as I found the oatmeal cookie crust a bit tough when baked. I also didn’t add the Rum. Thank you for a great recipe.
I’m glad I could help you. I’ve been looking for awhile for vegan cream cheese and it’s difficult even in a big city in my home town. I was enthusiastic when I found it in Roberto Martin’s cookbook. If you have any leftovers of this cream cheese, like I did from the recipe, I put the rest in a glass jar and it is best used within a week when stored in the refrigerator.
I would like to know how is the crust is made ?
Regards
Maria
Here is one recipe for the crust
1⅔ cups whole wheat graham crackers
6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
½ tsp cinnamon
I made this one though
2 cups finely ground dairy-free graham crackers (either store-bought or homemade)
1/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
½ t. cinnamon
pinch of salt
I usually follow the recipe given in Roberto Martin’s cookbook, but I find I like a thicker crust and not more added sugar because the graham cracker crumbs are sweet enough. So, my take in pie crust in a springform pan is:
2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
6 – 8 Tbsps vegan butter
Mix these ingredients together with a fork, then pour into a 9″ springform pan and press at bottom and up the sides.
Thank you for the crust recipe, but I have a problem , how can I make the
Graham crachers ? I can not find in my country ,
Maria
Maria
Try any Vegan biscuit (no butter or milk) that has wholemeal in it as substitute.
Or try the Oatmeal crust
Or you can check out Digestive biscuits.
Or you can google “how to make vegan graham crackers at home” and the 2nd link that comes up looks easy enough.
AND thanks Diana for tips:)
So excited to make this pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving this year! One question…can I use arrowroot in place of the cornstarch?
Thank you for all your fabulous recipes! Will be trying a few this holiday
Yes, it should work with arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca starch. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Susan,
I was wondering if you could delete my comment?
I put down my personal business website address, not knowing it would negatively effect my google ranking! (Since your blog is completely unrelated to my website)
I, and my online company, would REALLY appreciate it!
Darla
Darla, I just deleted your URL. Is that okay? P.S. I can’t imagine that it would hurt your SEO because all the links in my comments are no-follow.
Thank you. I’m not SEO savvy, but my SEO guy was kinda mad at me (not really) because he somehow saw my comment on your site and he felt it may impact negatively. We are struggling to get on page 1 and every little thing counts, I guess.
Thanks so much. Continuing to enjoy your site and recipes
Darla
I am so glad I stumbled across this recipe. It was soooo good and was a big hit with the family! I even used grated nutmeg! Thanks and have a great holiday!
I’m glad I could help you. Happy Thanksgiving!
THE BEST CHEESECAKE IN THE WORLD. This is the second time I have made it because it is THAT good. All of my non-vegan family and friends LOVE it. I made my own graham cracker crust this time to reduce the fat, and even the crust is delightful.
)). Thank you SO much Susan!
This is the site that I got the crust from. I did part oil and part milk. I also made a little extra crust and added dark chocolate almond milk to that part. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/01/healthy-graham-cracker-pie-crust/
Hands down, I am TRUE to this recipe
Thank you for your support–and for the crust recipe!
Can I substitute sweet potato for pumpkin?
I made this for Thanksgiving last year and LOVED it! My animal eating family tried it, but my partner and I were the ones to finish it off.
I want to make it again for my daughter’s school auction next month, but am not sure that pumpkin particularly screams “Spring!” Is it possible to make this with fruit other than pumpkin?
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
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