Method (base)

1. Grease a 6 hole loose base / push up cookie cup tin with some dairy-free butter.
2. Add the dairy-free butter into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
3. Add the cookies / biscuits into a blender / food processor along with the ground spices and blend until fine. Pour the spiced biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape. If it’s too wet, add in some more biscuit crumbs, if too dry, add in some more melted butter.
4. Press approximately 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of mixture into each tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands or spoon. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. It’s best to use a loose base tin, I’ve linked a great one here.
5. Place aside whilst you make the cheesecake filling.

Method (cheesecake filling)

1. The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.
2. Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream, vanilla and ground spices. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.
3. Equally pour the mixture into each tin. Make sure to tap the cheesecakes onto the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
4. Place into the fridge overnight to set.
5. Once set, remove from the fridge, and push out the cheesecake (as the base is loose bottomed). To make it easier, place the tin into the freezer for 15 minutes to help firm up the cheesecakes, then slide a knife around the edges of the cheesecakes to help loosen them from the tin. Making the cheesecakes firmer will help push them out the tin and won’t damage them.

Method (Cream swirl)

1. In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment or in a bowl with electric hand whisk, whip up the cream and ground spice until it holds a peak. 
2. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a medium sized star tip nozzle.
3. Pipe a swirl of cream to the top edge of each cheesecake, leaving a hole in the middle for the pecan pie filling.

Method (pecan pie filling)

1. In a large nonstick saucepan on the hob over low heat, melt the butter. Add in the light brown sugar and cook, stirring with a whisk, until the sugar has dissolved and mixture begins to bubble. This will take appropriately 3-4 minutes. 
2. Once bubbling, add in the ground spices and cream, whisk to combine. 
3. Add in the roughly chopped pecan nuts. Use a heatproof spatula to carefully fold them into the spiced sugar mixture until they’re coated. Cook for around 2 minutes until the mixture thickens.
4. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and allow to cool completely at room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from binding together. 
5. Once cool, spoon some of the pecan pie filling on top of each cheesecake (in the middle of the cream swirl).  
6. Serve and enjoy!