Almond Date Crust

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse, scraping the sides a couple of times, until a crumbly sticky mixture forms.
2. Press crust evenly into the bottom of a 7” springform pan*.  Use a piece of parchment to spread it evenly on the bottom. I like to push the crust down with an empty measuring cup to flatten the bottom evenly.
3. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

1. Wipe out your food processor of excess crust mixture, then process soaked cashews to form a paste.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process 2-3 minutes until smooth.
3. Optional Step: Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until super smooth. This is an optional step that makes the filling super creamy, recommended but not necessary.
4. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crust, spread out evenly.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight, until firm.
6. Dust with cinnamon.*
7. Serve chilled for a nice and creamy texture. Don’t let it sit out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, it will get too soft.
8. The cake can also be frozen, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to serving.