This epic caramel pecan cheesecake is the perfect way to end any holiday dinner. The filling is thick, creamy, smooth, and sweet, while the crust is flaky, slightly crumbly, and melts in your mouth. This dairy free cheesecake is topped with a caramelly pecan mixture that adds a little more sweetness and a slight crunch. The topping perfectly balances the creamy filling and the flaky crust. This pecan cheesecake doesn’t take too long to make but it does have a lot of passive time for setting. So make sure you plan ahead when making this holiday masterpiece! There is some waiting time with this dairy free cheesecake but boy oh boy is it so worth it.
Why You’ll Love This Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
- For when a kitchen is a busy place during the holidays, make this dairy free cheesecake the day before but wait to top it with the pecan mixture until just before you serve it.
- This pecan cheesecake is vegan and gluten free but you wouldn’t ever guess it. Don’t tell your guests and they won’t know the difference!
- The crunch from the pecan topping, the creamy filling, and the flaky crust all compliment one another so nicely, this caramel pecan cheesecake is bound to be a new favourite dessert.
How To Make A Vegan Caramel Recipe
The vegan caramel recipe used in this dairy free cheesecake is based off of Pinch of Yum’s recipe. It’s almost identical (so full credit goes to Lindsay) except I used cashew butter instead of almond butter. I also added an extra tbsp because I wanted it to be on the thicker side. That being said, this is such an easy recipe to make. There is no boiling involved, it is simple. Just whisk the melted coconut oil with the maple syrup and then add the nut butter to thicken it along with a splash of vanilla and a pinch of sea salt.
This is truly the EASIEST vegan caramel recipe I have ever made. It’s definitely on the healthy side of things compared to a traditional caramel sauce. You will have some leftover caramel sauce with this pecan cheesecake but it would be perfect to dip some apples in or use in another dessert!
Try These Other Dairy Free Cheesecakes
- Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Baked Gingerbread Cheesecake
- Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
This caramel pecan cheesecake is the perfect holiday dessert. It has a lovely crunch from the pecan topping, the filling is silky smooth and creamy and the crust is flaky yet holds the whole cheesecake together. Chocolate desserts are often the go-to during the holiday season but why not switch it up with a crowd-pleasing dairy free cheesecake. The vegan caramel recipe used in this cheesecake is next level. It’s thick and smooth and beyond easy to make. This gluten free cheesecake wouldn’t be what it is without it. Dive fork first into this caramel pecan cheesecake this holiday season, your tastebuds will be ever so pleased.
Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8" springform pan
- High-speed blender
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup oat flour
- 3 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of sea salt
Caramel Sauce
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp cashew butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
Filling
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 cup cashews (soaked beforehand)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Pecan Topping
- 1 1/2 cups pecans
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 3 tbsp vegan butter (melted)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Crust
- Before preparing the crust, soak 1 cup of cashews overnight in a bowl of water or in boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Once the cashews are ready, prepare the crust. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt the coconut oil and let it slightly cool. Then add all of the crust ingredients together and stir together. Crust batter will be slightly crumbly but will still stick together.
- Add the crust to an 8" springform pan, pressing it firmly in the bottom and partially up the sides. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Then remove and let cool while you prepare the filling and the caramel sauce.
Caramel Sauce
- Combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cashew butter, vanilla, and sea salt together in a small bowl and whisk until thick and smooth. Set aside.
Filling
- Drain the water from the cashews and add the cashews to a high-speed blender. Next, add the rest of the filling ingredients. Blend together until thick and smooth.
- Lower the temperature of the oven to 325º. Add the filling to the crust in the springform pan. Then add 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce. Whisk it into the filling.
- Bake the cheesecake for 30-35 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is only slightly jiggly. Then turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 20 minutes with the door ajar.
- Move the cheesecake to the fridge to set for at least 6 hours but overnight is better.
Pecan Topping
- Once the cheesecake is set (after 6 hours), prepare the pecan topping. Melt the vegan butter, maple syrup, and sugar together in a small pot over low heat. Then remove the pot from the heat source and add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour the pecan topping over the cheesecake and serve right away.
- Store leftover cheesecake back in the fridge (or freezer).
Notes
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Oh how yummy! Can’t wait to make this for Christmas!!