No-Bake Vegan Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Jun 14, 2016 7 Comments

Dairy-Free Egg-Free Refined-Sugar-Free Vegan

There is no dessert more perfect for summer than this! Have you tried vegan “cheesecake” yet? I’ll admit I was highly skeptical that cheesecake made with cashews, coconut milk, and lemon juice could create anything that even compared to the real-deal.

However, this No-Bake Vegan Cherry Cheesecake is completely delicious in it’s own right! If you’re skeptical – make this and you’ll be surprised!

The crust is made with walnuts, dates, and oats and couldn’t be easier. Then you blend up the filling and pour it over the crust. This creamy, rich cheesecake is put over-the-top with the sweet cherry topping.

This is the dessert I want to make all summer long. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, refined-sugar-free, and even paleo if you swap out the oats for more walnuts. See the video below for how to make it!

I have so much fun putting these video recipes together! I’ve decided to focus my blog on one quality post a week with a video. I love watching food videos myself because I think they make the whole process more approachable.

I know gluten-free/clean-eating (not that everything on my blog is healthy!) recipes can be intimidating. So I hope the videos help!

Make this cheesecake for the 4th of July! You won’t regret it!

No-Bake Vegan Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Serving Size: 8

No-Bake Vegan Cherry Cheesecake Bars

You'll want to soak the cashews ahead of time even if you have a strong blender for this recipe. You can do this by covering the cashews with room temperature water for 4 hours, or you can pour boiling water over them and let them sit for 30 minutes. Once the bars are set in the freezer, you can store them in the fridge for a few days. For prolonged storage, I keep them in the freezer for up to a week.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 cup dates, pitted (about 14 large date)
1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
pinch of salt

For the Cheesecake:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked (see note above)
1 cup full-fat, canned coconut milk
1/2 cup maple syrup (or 1/4 cup cane sugar + 1/4 cup maple syrup)
1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

For the Cherry Topping:

16oz frozen cherries
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/4 cup sugar (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

Instructions

Line an 8x8 inch dish with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor, process the dates and walnuts until they are in small chunks. Add the oats and salt and pulse until the whole mixture is finely chopped. Press the crust into the prepared dish. Let sit in the freezer while you make the filling.
Place the ingredients for the cheesecake in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour over the crust. Freeze the cheesecake for at least 6 hours until set it. It can then be cut into bars and kept in the fridge until serving. If your cheesecake is frozen longer than 6 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
While the cheesecake freezes make the cherry topping. Place all the ingredients for the topping in a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat, stirring constantly at first until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Continue to cook until the mixture comes to a simmer. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and bubbly. Pour into a bowl and chill until serving.
Serve each slice of cheesecake topped with the cherries. Enjoy!

Notes

MAKE IT PALEO: Swap out the oats for an extra 1/2 cup walnuts. This recipe can also be made with pecans.

https://meaningfuleats.com/no-bake-vegan-cherry-cheesecake-bars/

This Vegan No-Bake Apple Pie also looks delicious!