Description
This decadent caramel pecan cheesecake features a quick and easy creamy caramelized brown sugar cheesecake filling baked in a crisp ginger cookie pecan crust with gooey caramel pecans baked on top! Absolutely no one will know these holiday cheesecake is vegan, dairy free, and contains no eggs!
Ingredients
Scale
Ginger Pecan Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (200 g) ginger spice cookies as crumbs
- 1/2 cup (65 g) toasted pecans
- 1/3 cup (87 g) vegan butter, melted
Brown Sugar Cheesecake Batter:
- 4 8-ounce containers (32 ounces) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) dairy free yogurt or dairy free sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 mL) vegan heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 8 tbsp (80 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3–4 cups boiling water, for water bath
Pecan Filling:
- 2 cups (260 g) toasted pecan halves
- 5 tbsp vegan butter
- 2/3 cup (160 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegan heavy cream or coconut cream
Instructions
- Prep: Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the edges of the pan with a bit of cooking or coconut oil as well, and press parchment paper on the sides of the wall as well. Cheesecake pulls away from the walls when cooling, so this prevents cracking!
- Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread all of the pecans onto the baking sheet (from the crust and the pecan pie filling). Toast for 7-8 minutes, or until aromatic. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Keep the oven preheated.
- Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the ginger cookies and pecans until mixed. Then add in the vegan butter, and pulse again until it becomes a sticky crumb. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of the springform pan and up the walls. Place the pan into the freezer to chill for 5 minutes before baking. Then poke a few holes into the bottom of the crust, and place the springform pan into the oven with a baking sheet underneath it to prevent any drips. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling. Keep the oven preheated, but now reduce it to 350F.
- Make the cheesecake filling: In a large food processor, stand mixer with whisk attachment, or large bowl with hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and dairy free yogurt until smooth. Add in the brown sugar, sugar, heavy vegan cream, vanilla, and cornstarch. Cream together again until smooth. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, and smooth the top.
- Create the water bath: Be ready to move to the next step immediately after finishing this step. Make sure that you boil the 3-4 cups water prior to pouring the water into the pan. Pour the boiling water into the pan.
- Bake the cheesecake: Carefully place the baking sheet into the oven on the low rack. Then place the cheesecake onto a separate baking sheet, and onto the middle rack and quickly close the oven to bake for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will need to continue baking after, but we bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes first BEFORE adding the pecan pie cheesecake so that it bakes evenly and thoroughly. While the cheesecake is baking for its first part, make the pecan pie filling.
- Make the pecan caramel topping: In a small saucepan on medium low heat, melt the vegan butter and brown sugar together until the brown sugar is nearly melted (being careful not to burn the sugar. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low, and add in the cinnamon and heavy cream. Continue stirring vigorously until the cream combines with the sugar butter mixture. Add in the toasted pecan halves, and stir to combine.
- When the first 30 minutes of baking are done: Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven, and spoon the pecan pie topping on top of the cheesecake. DON’T turn off the oven. Spread the topping to the edges of the cheesecake.
- Bake the pecan pie cheesecake: Place the cheesecake back into the oven to bake for another 45-50 minutes.
- Cool: Once baked, turn OFF the oven, and slightly crack the door. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the cracked oven for 1 hour.
- Chill the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then place the cheesecake into the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours, or overnight.
- Top the pecan pie cheesecake: Plate the pecan cheesecake and remove the springform pan sides. Top with vegan caramel, pie cut-outs or vegan whipped cream.
- Serve and enjoy! Store any leftover cheesecake in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Make ahead: Prepare the pecan pie cheesecake up to 2 days ahead of time, and it will be perfectly moist and rich still.
Pie cut outs: I used Williams Sonoma pie cut outs for cute little toppings with leftover vegan pie crust!
