This pecan pie cheesecake is the perfect make-ahead dessert for special occasions. You can set it in the freezer, which means you can prep the cake well in advance. Then just defrost and prepare the pecan caramel topping on the day of serving.
The buttery crust features toasted pecan nuts which emphasizes the pecan pie flavor. However, it doesn't require baking and is made without eggs making it an easy alternative without all the fuss of traditional pecan pie.
If you love pecan desserts, try my vegan recipes for chocolate chip pecan cookies, sticky pecan buns, pecan pie, and pecan pie cupcakes next.
🧾 Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you need to make this easy caramel pecan cheesecake recipe from scratch!
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Vegan Cream Cheese: I recommend Violife which resembles the consistency of regular full-fat cream cheese, or homemade dairy-free cream cheese.
- Vegan Greek-Style Yogurt: I've been adding vegan yogurt to almost every vegan cheesecake recipe for years. It adds that tangy flavor and lightness that helps make the filling creamy rather than heavy. You can also use vegan sour cream.
- Cashews: For richness, creaminess, structure, and the tangy flavor of cheesecake.
- Cookies: I use digestives, but feel free to use other vegan cookies such as biscoff or even vegan graham crackers.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Maple and pecans are a flavor match made in heaven!
- Coconut Oil: This helps the cheesecake to set. If you're not a fan of coconut flavor you can try using odorless coconut oil, vegan butter, or cacao butter instead.
- Bourbon: This is optional but it adds a nice flavor to the caramel topping. You can also use whiskey or brandy.
🥣 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this pecan no bake cheesecake. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for full measurements and written instructions:
Step 1: Add toasted pecan halves, cookies, and salt to a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Add vegan butter and blend again until it resembles wet sand.
Step 2: Press the cookie crust into the base of the loose-bottomed pan or springform pan lined with parchment paper. Set it aside in the freezer while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
Step 3: Add all the filling ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blitz for several minutes until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Step 4: Pour the creamy cheesecake filling into the prepared pan and place in the fridge to chill and set.
Step 5: Caramelize the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Then stir in the butter, followed by vegan heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Stir in the pecans and let cool to room temperature.
Step 6: Once cooled, spoon the pecan caramel on top of the cheesecake. The caramel sauce will flow over the sides a little, this is fine!
🍁 Variations
While I love this pecan pie cheesecake recipe as written, here are some ways you can adapt the recipe to suit your dietary needs or preferences:
- Gluten-free option: Swap out the biscuits for gluten-free cookies or with more pecan nuts.
- Without pecans: If you don't have them to hand or have allergies, you can use walnuts or peanuts in their place.
- Pumpkin pecan pie cheesecake: Use the filling from this vegan pumpkin cheesecake to give it even more of a festive twist!
- Pecan pie cheesecake bars: Make this cheesecake into bars or slices by using a square or rectangular tin. I recommend using an 8x8" or similar. Line all sides with parchment paper to create a sling to make it easier to remove the cake from the tin once set. Cut into bars, slices, or whatever shape tickles your fancy!
💭 Expert Tips
Line both the base and sides of the pan. This is especially important if you're letting the cheesecake set in the fridge as it will prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pan.
Use a high-powered blender for the cheesecake mixture. Start on low speed, then turn up to high and blend until completely smooth and creamy. It should have a pourable consistency without lumps.
Smooth around the edges. For a perfectly smooth cheesecake, you can run a large knife or cake scraper around the edges after removing it from the pan.
Cool the caramel topping COMPLETELY. This is important as if you add it while warm it will cause the cold cheesecake to melt underneath it.
💬 FAQs
Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
Absolutely! This cheesecake will freeze beautifully, so you can wrap up any leftovers and keep them for the next time you fancy a slice. Either place the whole cheesecake in an airtight container or wrap individual slices in plastic wrap or parchment, and freeze for up to a month. I don't recommend aluminum foil as this can stick to the sides of the cheesecake.
A lot of cheesecake recipes will ask you to use melted butter. I'm personally not a fan of this method as I find that it can lead to a crumbly base.
Instead, I like to first grind down the biscuits before adding solid vegan butter to the food processor. Then blend again until the mixture is almost like a paste. Think of it like mortar that needs to be set (probably not the most appetizing comparison ha!) but the butter wets and coats the biscuit crumbs and once chilled forms a nice solid base with less chance of crumbling.
🍰 More Vegan Cheesecake
This recipe was originally posted in September 2021. It has since been modified and improved to simplify ingredients and instructions and now features a caramel sauce without cornstarch.
📖 Recipe
Description
Ingredients
Crust
- 50 g (½ cup) pecans
- 140 g (14 cookies) ginger nut or digestive biscuits, or vegan graham crackers
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 60 g (7 ½ tbsp) vegan butter
Cheesecake
- 200 g (1 ½ cups) cashews, soaked *see note 1
- 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) vegan cream cheese
- 100 ml (⅖ cup) pure maple syrup
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt, or vegan sour cream, or ⅓ cup soy or coconut yogurt
- 55 g (¼ cup) coconut oil, solid
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar, *see note 2
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar, *see note 2
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
- 60 g (7 ½ tbsp) vegan butter, cubed
- 120 ml (½ cup) vegan heavy cream, room temp *see note 3
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Bourbon, optional
- 150 g (1 ½ cup) pecans
Instructions
- Prepare: Line the base and sides of a 7" or 8" cake tin (with a removable base) with parchment paper.
- Crust: Add the pecans for the crust to a skillet and toss over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until they have browned slightly and start to smell toasted. Add the pecans to your food processor with the cookies, cinnamon, and salt, and blitz for a minute or so until it reaches a fine crumb consistency.
- Add the butter and blend again until the ingredients stick together to form a soft dough consistency. Press the mixture into the base of the pan, using a spatula or flat-bottomed glass to smooth it out. Set aside in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Filling: Add all of the filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth and creamy without any lumps. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours (or overnight) until set. Alternatively, you can set it in the freezer in 4 hours.
- Once set, remove the cheesecake from the cake tin (if frozen do it while it is still frozen). If needed, carefully run a knife or cake scraper around the edges to smooth it out. Refrigerate the cake until ready to decorate.
- Caramel: Add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel color. Whisk in the butter - it will bubble up so be careful. Slowly drizzle the cream into the caramel whilst whisking until combined. Lastly, whisk in the salt, vanilla, and bourbon. Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans, and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Topping: Once cooled, spoon the caramel pecan topping over the cheesecake.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. You can also freeze any leftover portions that you don’t want to serve right away. To defrost, place them on a plate in the fridge overnight.
Notes
- Soaked cashews - Soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse, and drain.
- Sugar - You can use all granulated, all brown sugar, or a mixture of both. Brown sugar will give a darker color.
- Vegan Heavy Cream - You need double cream such as dairy-free Schlagfix or Emlea which are designed for whipping. Alternatively, use full-fat coconut milk or coconut whipping cream.
Nutrition
© addictedtodates.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. If you want to share this recipe, please do so using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or republish the recipe or content in full. instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.
