cashew pumpkin cream {date sweetened}
/Fear not. This blog will not turn into a pumpkin patch for all of fall. I will infuse this page with pumpkin minimally + creatively. I just can’t help myself.
Pumpkin has been a favorite of mine ever since I can remember. My mom hates it. My dad loves it. Chris hates it. I love it. So I get it. It’s a love it or hate it kind of thing.
Today, I took a stab at a recipe idea that popped in my head a few weeks ago. It all came about when I was making cherry cashew cream frosting for the almond meal muffins. Adding pumpkin to the mix could only make things creamier. I thought the mild cashew flavor and pumpkin spices would work well together.
And boy did they ever.
Lately, I’ve really enjoyed using cashews as a base for sauces and frostings. Soaked cashews offer a luxuriously rich texture full of healthy fats + nutrients. They can be utilized in soups, sauces, frostings, nut butters, and more. It’s still amazing to me how versatile nuts are.
My purpose with this recipe was to see if I could come up with a comparable version of the standard pumpkin cream cheese dip you’ve all seen before. My goal was not to replicate that recipe but to create something that was just as enticing + sinful.
While the cream cheese dip is delicious, I have to admit this one wins in my book. It tastes like straight-up pumpkin pie filling. And personally, I would much rather scarf down pumpkin pie filling than pumpkin cheesecake filling.
Smooth, thick, spiced, and so very creamy.
Pumpkin pie in a bowl.
Dip, slather, spread, or scoop.
I’ll let you decide.
Cashew Pumpkin Cream – Date Sweetened
vegan, gluten-free // yields 1 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup raw/unsalted cashews, soaked
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 6-8 large medjool dates, soaked
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup unsweetened almond/hemp/soy milk
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Soak cashews in a bowl and leave on the counter overnight [or for at least 5 hours].
- Soak dates in a bowl of warm water until tender. About 30 minutes – 1 hour. Remove the pits.
- Drain the cashews and add them to your high speed blender with 6 of the drained soaked dates, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, all of the spices, and salt.
- Blend the ingredients from low to high while using your blender stir stick to keep the mixture moving. Add more milk [slowly] if needed to thin out. I used a total of 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Add more soaked dates and blend if a sweeter taste is desired.
- Store in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days.
notes: If you’re having a hard time getting things moving in your blender you may want to add a bit more pumpkin puree and/or milk. Taste and add more spices if needed. Using the stir stick is key! This may work with a small or large food processor, but I’m not sure that it will get to the same smooth texture.
First book deadline is Monday.
Back to doughnut-land.
Have a great weekend!
Ashley