Vegan Pecan Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake

For the initial preparation:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place pecans (for the pecan filling) onto a small baking sheet and cook until brown and nutty smelling, about 5–10 minutes. Watch them closely as they burn quickly. Once cooked, set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.

In a small bowl, whisk flax meal and warm water for the cheesecake layer. In a separate small bowl, whisk the flax meal and water for the pecan layer. Put both bowls in the refrigerator to gel.

For the cheesecake, drain cashews and add them, along with remaining ingredients (except the flax egg) into a high-powered blender and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth and well combined. Set aside.

For the pecan layer, stir together coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil and salt in a small pot set over medium heat. Stir it occasionally so that the coconut sugar melts. Bring the pot to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Transfer to a hot pad to cool for 5 minutes.

However, while the coconut sugar is melting and you’re waiting for it to boil, it’s time to make the crust. Beat together coconut oil and maple syrup using an electric hand mixer. Stir in coconut flour and salt until a wet dough forms.

Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan and bake until lightly golden brown about 7–8 minutes. Your crust will probably rise during baking. Just use a small spoon (or your fingers) to firms press it back down, making sure not to crack it.

When there are about 2 minutes left for the crust to bake, stir the gelled flax seed mixture (for the cheesecake) right into the blender (you can use a bowl if you wish, but it’s more dishes). You want the cheesecake ready to pour over the crust as soon as it’s out of the oven, else I’ve found it doesn’t adhere to the crust properly.

Once the crust is out and you’ve pressed down any risen areas, pour cheesecake layer immediately over the top and spread out evenly.

At this point, your pecan layer should have chilled for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining flax egg. Roughly chop the toasted pecans and stir them into the mixture as well. Gently spread this over top of the cheesecake layer.

Bake the cheesecake until the middle rises and the edges appear bubbly and set, about 40–45 minutes.
Let cool completely on the counter, and then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours to overnight. Slice and devour!

Notes:
1. I have found found different brands are different measurements at 66g, so please weigh your flour to get consistent results.
2. I buy my cashews pre-roasted. Do not skip roasting as it ads a lot of flavor. If yours aren’t roasted, bake them in a 375ºF oven for 5–10 minutes until golden. Do this before soaking.
3. It can be a little difficult to get the first piece of cheesecake out. Just make sure you’re getting your knife under the crust, not between the crust and cheesecake. An offset spatula really does the trick for serving here!