Dairy-free Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Makes one 9” cheesecake
You may think there are some desserts that are simply impossible to translate into the plant-based/vegan arena. Guess again. This delightfully autumnal, festive pumpkin-swirl cheesecake is all the proof you need that delectable desserts can be achieved even without dairy cream cheese, eggs, or butter.
Ways to make this your own
This cheesecake is designed with the swirl look in mind. If you’re not interested in achieving this look, you can forego the step below where you divide the batter. Simply add the pumpkin and spices to the entire batter and add to the pan.
The crust for this cheesecake calls for gingersnap cookie crumbs. Use a different cookie if gingersnap aren’t a favorite. Graham crackers would be another terrific idea.
Of course, if you’re not interested in making this plant-based/vegan, feel free to use a dairy cream cheese and 3 eggs instead of the silken tofu.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
2 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plant-based butter, melted (I highly recommend Miyoko’s)
For the Cheesecake:
32 ounces oat cream cheese (or another plant-based alternative of your choosing)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup silken tofu
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
Directions:
Start by preheating the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then start on your crust. Place the cookie crumbs, ginger, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and mix together. Add the melted butter and stir. The mixture should be moist, and just starting to stick together.
Taking a 9” springform pan (no need to grease beforehand), start putting the crumb mixture on the bottom and sides of the pan until the bottom is fully covered. (You probably won’t have all that much to put on the sides, but that’s okay. The cheesecake will still hold together fine).
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. It should be firmer and maybe just a touch darker in color. Take out and let cool slightly.
While the crust is baking, begin preparing your cheesecake batter. I highly recommend a stand mixer, or an electric hand-held mixer. Add in your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until it becomes smooth and less lumpy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add in the silk tofu and mix for another minute until fully incorporated (you probably won’t notice much difference in your batter).
Now divide your batter so half of it is in another bowl. Add your pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to one of the batters. Stir until it’s fully mixed. (**Note: if you do not want the swirl in your cheesecake, forego dividing the batter and just add the pumpkin and spices to the main batter).
Take the pumpkin batter and add in a large spoonful to your crust. Take the other batter and add heaping spoonful next to the pumpkin batter. Repeat until all your batter is in the pan. Now, taking a knife or a toothpick, start mixing the batters together until they’re mixed, but you still get a nice swirl.
Once everything is mixed and you’re happy with the swirl, bake the cheesecake in the oven for about 55 minutes to an hour. Check how it’s doing after 50 minutes in the oven. You may notice a little bubbling but that’s okay. Turn off the oven when the mixture looks mostly set (which is to say, if you jostle it slightly, there’s only a little movement. Since this is oat milk cream cheese, it may not set as quickly as a dairy cream cheesecake. That’s okay. There will still be plenty of time for this to set).
Leave the oven door cracked open, keeping the cheesecake inside, for another hour.
After the hour, place the cheesecake in the fridge and let sit for at least 4 hours or overnight before digging in.
Enjoy on its own, with some oat milk ice cream, or with some salted caramel drizzled on top!
