Baked Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
This easy baked chocolate pumpkin cheesecake is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and Paleo, with less than 15 minutes of prep time.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup raw Brazil nuts (walnuts or pecans also work well)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup dates pitted
- 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice {See Notes}
- 1 3/4 cups coconut milk {See Notes}
Chocolate Sauce
- 1/2 cup cacao butter (or coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Pinch of unrefined sea salt
Instructions
- To prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grind Brazil nuts in a blender or food processor until they turn into a fine meal. Then add almond flour and maple syrup and blend some more until you get a crumbly mixture.
- Line a tall 6-inch or regular 7-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper. Press the crust evenly onto the pan and set aside.
- To prepare the filling: Add all filling ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour the filling on top of the crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 F until golden on the top and the center is no longer jiggly.
- To prepare chocolate sauce: If using cacao butter, cut it into small chunks. Melt cacao butter in a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Once melted remove from heat. If using coconut oil you can melt it directly over low heat. Mix in the cacao powder, maple syrup, and sea salt and stir until smooth.
- To assemble: Remove cake from the oven and let it cool. Cover with chocolate sauce and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve chilled, topped with sliced almonds, shaved chocolate, or whipped coconut cream and enjoy!
Notes
To make your own pumpkin pie spice, use:
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg