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 so there are no crumbs.
2. Add the soaked cashews and process for 1-2 minutes to form a sooth paste. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the processor to evenly combine.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients; pumpkin, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and pumpkin spice and process 2-3 minutes until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom a few times to incorporate everything evenly.
4. Optional Step: Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until super smooth. This is an optional step that makes the filling even more creamy but it’s not necessary if you made a smooth cashew paste in
   step 2.
5. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crust, spread out evenly.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight, until firm.
7. Dust the top with cinnamon (optional)*.
8. 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.
9. The cake can also be frozen, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to serving.