pumpkin cheesecake — no sugar, no oil

No more making two desserts, this one's for everybody! No-bake, no added sugar, no oil and so delicious!

I’m feeling pretty good about my dessert game these days.

I’ve been around the whole-food culinary block enough times to know how to tackle a sugar-free, gluten-free, and oil-free treat. It took years of experimenting, but I welcome a dessert challenge.

And here we are in October where pumpkin everything is hitting your inbox — cookies and cakes and chia puddings, pies and tarts and breads! You have enough pumpkin recipes in your social media feeds and unread emails to last you a lifetime.

So, I had to ask myself “Do I want to add to the pumpkin pile? Can I offer you something different? Can I meet a need that isn’t already met?”

The lack of healthy pumpkin recipes in my own repertoire told me YES! We need more whole-food, autumn-worthy desserts that everyone will love.

Challenge accepted.

Side note: I’m particularly bad at helping you cook through themed holidays and Hallmark occasions (this made me a very bad blogger) — I’m usually late to share red recipes for Valentine’s or tacos for Cinco de Mayo. I’m usually off in my own little world where flavor and cravings fuel my creativity.

But this month is different or maybe this year I’m different. I naturally felt compelled to pick up a couple of cans of pumpkin puree (yes there is nutritional value in the canned stuff, read below) and I thought it was about time I offered up an October, Thanksgiving, holiday-esque dessert.

I thought about a pumpkin pie, but I don’t love pumpkin pie. I thought about pumpkin bread but that doesn’t shout family dessert to me.

But rich and creamy cheesecake, that I can do.