5 15 Published Jul 18, 2022, Updated Jul 03, 2024 Besides being completely obsessed with the blueberry swirl, I love how healthy and delicious this recipe is. It’s made with all-natural, wholesome ingredients and packed with healthy fats from pecans, coconut and cashews! These bars are raw, vegan, gluten-free and naturally sweetened without being over-the-top sweet. Plus, they’re so rich and creamy, I bet no one will even know that they’re made without dairy!
Why You Need to Make This Recipe
It’s cool and refreshing and makes for the perfect summertime treat that everyone will love! Made with healthy, wholesome ingredients that won’t leave you feeling guilty. It’s raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free. These bars are the perfect dessert or snack for most diet types.
Ingredients Needed
Crust
Filling
raw cashews – cashews’ mild flavor and fatty texture are the perfect substitute for cream cheese. Make sure to soak the cashews in water for at least 4 hours or boil for 10 minutes to hydrate them, making them soft and pliable. This will help create a really smooth cheesecake-like texture once blended. coconut cream – we’re scooping out just the cream part from the can, not the liquid! The fat content gives the filling its creamy, rich texture. Make sure you’re using canned coconut cream or just the cream part from a can of full-fat coconut milk. maple syrup – this natural sweetener is the perfect addition to the creamy filling. Make sure you get pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup as that will have corn syrup and a ton of added sugars. coconut oil – use solid coconut oil. I like extra virgin coconut oil. I’ve purchased several different brands before, but Nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil is my favorite. fresh lemon juice – lemon juice helps give the very important and all familiar “tang” that cream cheese gives to cheesecake. vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer.
Blueberry Compote
blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice – when mixed together and heated, this fresh, sweet compote brings the bars together in perfect harmony. Plus it adds such a vibrant pop of color! Fresh or frozen blueberries both work for the compote.
How to Make
Make the crust – blend dates, pecans, coconut and salt together in a food processor. Once the mixture has blended into a sticky paste, spread it into the bottom of an 8×8 inch pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer to set. Make the filling – add soaked cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until creamy. Pour the filling over the crust, using a spoon or spatula to make sure the filling is even and smooth. Make the blueberry compote – add blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until thickened. Combine filling and blueberry compote – dollop spoonfuls of compote on top of the cheesecake layer and use a knife or chopsticks to swirl together. Freeze and serve – place pan in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Cut into bars and serve. Store any leftovers back in the freezer.
How to Serve
When you’re ready to serve these vegan blueberry cheesecake bars, take the pan out of the freezer and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften just a bit. Cut into squares and enjoy! It’s important to note that the longer these bars sit out, the softer they will get – it becomes pudding-like! It will still taste amazing, but won’t be as firm.
How to Store
These vegan blueberry cheesecake bars need to be stored in the freezer! Do not try storing them on the countertop or in the fridge. As they sit out, the filling will soften too much. Store these bars in an airtight container or in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. They can be eaten directly out of the freezer or thawed for 5-10 minutes before eating.
Tips For Success
Use raw, unsalted cashews – make sure to use raw unsalted cashews for this recipe. Roasted and/or salted cashews will throw off the flavors and nutritional value. Don’t forget to soak the cashews – soaking the cashews in water for at least 4 hours or overnight will help to soften the cashews and make them easier to blend, ensuring you end up with creamy cheesecake bars. In a pinch, you can also boil them for 10 minutes before making these bars. Use full-fat coconut milk or a can of coconut cream – this recipe will not work with light coconut milk, The fat is important in giving the bars a creamy, rich texture. Use just the coconut cream – do not use any of the “liquid” part of the coconut milk as your bars will have too much moisture and not solidify. Store coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to fully separate the cream from the liquid, making it easier to scoop out just the cream from the can. Make sure bars are stored in the freezer – otherwise you’ll end up with vegan blueberry cheesecake pudding or, worse, soup! Soak dates – fresh medjool dates are usually soft and give easily when squished. If your dates are older or just seem dry and hard, you may want to soak them before using. Simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften and rehydrate them. Drain well and pat dry before using.
More No Bake Desserts
Creamy Avocado Lime Tart Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark Greek Yogurt Popsicles Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Chocolate Strawberry Banana Yogurt Clusters Frozen Banana Snickers Healthy Banana Pudding
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes as well as the full collection of vegan recipes on EBF!
