There are lots of ways to handle Thanksgiving when you have celiac disease. Most years I have made the entire dinner, but last year my uncle deep fried the turkey (yum!) and my aunt and I both made side dishes since gluten-free vegan mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and mashed sweet potatoes are not much different from the regular version.

There is one job, however, that always falls to the gluten-free or food allergic diner in the group. The celiac needs to bring the dessert.

Since I prefer to spend the day hanging out with family I prefer a pre-made dessert and this one has consistently been a hit. It is surprisingly easy to make. It has a nice strong pumpkin flavor, so you get the richness and texture of cheesecake with flavor of a pumpkin pie. Baked ahead it keeps in the refrigerator for several days. It may keep longer, it just hasn’t had a chance to do so in my home!

The one downside is that it does contain both soy and eggs so it is not suitable for everyone. For a dessert anyone can eat try the Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Slice Dessert.

Ingredients
Gingersnap Crust
1 7 oz package of Kinnickinnick’s ginger snaps (about 1 to 1½ cups crushed)
(Trader Joe’s also makes a GF version, but it contains corn)
¼ to 1/3 cup coconut oil

Cheesecake Filling
16 oz vegan cream cheese (2 8 oz containers)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canned cooked pumpkin
1 tbsp flour (rice or GF All Purpose)t
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
½ tsp Cloves
½ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp salt

Equipment
1 gallon plastic zipper bag
Electric mixer
Measuring spoons and cups

Instructions
Crush gingersnaps and mix with coconut oil. Press into a 9 inch cake pan. If you want to unmold the cheesecake you may want to use a springform pan. Personally I just slice it in the kitchen and serve it on plates so no one ever sees the pan.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool completely. Shoving it in the fridge works wonders.
Put cream cheese in the bowl of the electric mixer. Beat until soft and creamy
Add sugars and beat until thoroughly mixed
Add eggs and beat to combine
Mix pumpkin, flour and spices in another bowl
Slowly add pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture
Bake at 325 for one hour and 15 minutes. It will puff, probably crack look dry and still wiggle in the middle when moved.
Turn off the oven and crack the door about 4 inches. Leave cheesecake inside warm oven until cool enough to handle. Refrigerate overnight uncovered,
Slice it in the kitchen so no one can see the crack or the cake pan. Top with rice or soy whip if desired.