It’s about time these babies lived here on the blog! I’ve been making cheesecake bars like these for many years, yet realized recently the only place they’re recorded is in my E-book. And the vegan cheesecakes here on my site are a little fancier in variety (golden milk cheesecake + coffee caramel cheesecake). These bars are SO versatile and really are the base for any kind of cheesecake bar (or just cake) that you’d like to make!
They’re creamy, tangy + undetectably healthy (I live for tricking people). Feel free to replace the strawberries.+ rhubarb here with any kind of fruit of your liking. They’re perfectly refreshing for summer + could even pass for breakfast! You have my permission.
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
1 cup dates, pitted
1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 cup oats (almonds, walnuts, or cashews also works)
pinch salt
+ 1-2 tbsp water
FILLING:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup rhubarb
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1.5 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
RECIPE:
For the filling, you’ll need to pre-soak cashews. You can cover them with room temp water overnight OR just-boiled water for about an hour. Do this first.
Sauté chopped rhubarb over medium-low heat until reduced and soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
For the crust– combine all ingredients into a food processor, besides water. Blend until it’s fully combined and a mealy texture. Add water in, 1 tbsp at at a time, while it’s running (if possible). You’ll see the mixture start to form a sticky dough.
Press crust into the bottom of an 8×8 or 9×9 pan (lined with parchment paper!). The parchment (or wax paper or foil) is key here as you’ll need the leverage to pull the bars out once frozen. Make sure the paper is longer on at least 2 sides to help pull. Once evenly pressed down (with a rubber spatula, your hands, or the bottom of a glass), throw into the freezer.
Back to the filling. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until VERY smooth. Depending on your blender, you may need to use a tamper to help move things around (if it has one) or just stop every so often to give it a stir. Be patient, the smooth consistency is important!
*Note: a high-powered blender is ideal here. If you use a food processor or lower-grade blender, it won’t get as smooth.
Once creamy, pour over the crust and spread evenly. Top with freshly sliced strawberries + chia seeds (or neither!). Coconut flakes would be great here, too.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, but longer is fine. Pull the bars out onto a cutting board. Let sit for a few minutes to soften a little. Cut into bars. Store in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Best when thawed for 5 minutes before eating, but that’s up to your patience level!
*More notes: If you want to make this into a cheesecake, just use a springform pan instead and follow the same instructions, taking out about 5 minutes before cutting. You can also use any type of fresh or frozen fruit (1-1.5 cups) in this recipe!