Vegan Caramel Apple Cheesecake
This vegan caramel apple cheesecake is made with brown sugar caramel, roasted peanuts, and a creamy cashew-based cheesecake filling, all layered over a graham cracker crust. It's all topped with tender cinnamon-simmered apples for a decadent dessert that's perfect for fall!
Servings: 12
Calories: 591kcal
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup organic granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted
For the Brown Sugar Caramel
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cheesecake Layer
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Peanut Layer
- ¾ cup roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped
For the Apple Topping
- 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the melted vegan butter and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake the crust until it has lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Place it on a cooling rack when it comes out of the oven. Let it cool completely.
Make the Brown Sugar Caramel
- While the crust bakes, melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and salt, then bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently. Allow the mixture to cook at a low simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Whisk in the coconut cream and vanilla. Let the mixture cool.
Make the Cheesecake Layer
- Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
Assemble the Cheesecake
- Spread the caramel over the bottom of the graham cracker crust, reserving about 3 tablespoons for topping. Sprinkle the peanuts over the caramel layer.
- Optionally, you can chill the crust at this point to help firm up the caramel layer. If you skip this step, just be gentle when adding the cheesecake layer. In either case, spread it in an even layer over the caramel and peanuts.
- Cover the cheesecake and chill until fully set, at least 4 hours.
Make the Apple Topping
- While the cheesecake sets, stir the apples, brown sugar, vegan butter, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium saucepan, then set it over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the apples are very soft.
- While the apple mixture simmers, stir the water and cornstarch together in a small cup. Once the apples have softened, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Bring the mixture back to a simmer briefly, just until the liquid thickens slightly.
- Remove the pot from heat and let the apple mixture cool. It will thicken as it does.
Top the Cheesecake
- Once the cheesecake feels set, spread the apple topping evenly over the cashew layer. Chill until ready to serve.
- Drizzle with the reserved caramel topping immediately before serving. You can warm the caramel up a bit if it has gotten too firm.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 689IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg