Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

There’s only one thing better than pumpkin pie, and that’s pumpkin pie cheesecake. Creamy, thick, and sweet with the perfect balance of traditional pumpkin pie flavor with rich cheesecake, this delectable dessert gets topped off with a crunchy pecan crumble for a beautiful presentation. The fact that you can store this in a freezer for up to two months means you’ll be eating this from now until New Year’s Day.
 
Serves 10

What You Need:
 
For the crust:
1 packed cup pitted dates
2 ½ cups raw pecans
⅛ teaspoon pink salt
1 tablespoon coconut butter (or coconut oil)
 
For the filling:
1½ cups chopped raw carrots
½ cup avocado
⅓ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup raw macadamia nuts
1 cup raw cashews
¾ cup pitted dates soaked in cold water until soft
4 tablespoons raw coconut crystal sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
⅛ teaspoon pink salt
½ cup water
 
For the crumble:
3 tablespoons coconut crystal sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup raw pecans
  
What You Do:
 
1. For the crust, in a food processor, pulse all the crust ingredients until well-incorporated and crumbly, but also moist. The crust should adhere to itself when pressed between your fingers. Press crust into a 9-inch springform pan, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the freezer.
 
2. For the filling, in a high-powered blender, blend all filling ingredients except for water until thick and creamy, scraping down sides as necessary. Slowly add water as needed to achieve a thick pudding-like consistency.
 
3. For the crumble, pulse sugar, cinnamon, and raw pecans in food processor until crumble consistency is achieved.
 
4. To assemble, remove pie crust from the freezer, then spread the pumpkin pie cheesecake filling inside. Sprinkle crumble on top of the cheesecake, and use whole pecans to decorate in any design you like.
 
5. Place the cheesecake in the freezer until firm. Allow cheesecake to thaw until soft before serving.
 
Photo courtesy of Natalie Norman