I’ve got a sweet treat for you today — but keep your ovens off. No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are, well, no-bake and set up completely in the freezer!
The recipe for these less-guilt, refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan cheesecake bars is coming at you courtesy of my friend Dana’s new cookbook, Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking – I think I screamed a little when this baby hit my doorstep!
In case you don’t know, Dana is the mastermind behind Minimalist Baker where all recipes are not only plant-based and mostly gluten-free, but can be made with 10 ingredients or less, in 1 bowl, or in 30 minutes or less. If you’re interested in plant-based foods that don’t taste like plants, Dana’s your girl. Dana’s recipes are delicious, well-tested, healthy, meat-eater approved, and so unique. She’s achieved an insane level of success with her website and brand and it couldn’t have happened to a better person. Dana is as sweet and funny as they come, plus, #skingoals. (Seriously, plant-based food does a body good!) Dana’s cookbook, like her website, takes a “minimalist” approach. I love cookbooks with stories but when dinner is 30 minutes away, sometimes I also just need, like, the recipe, which Everyday Cooking provides in a straightforward format (love that.) I also love that Dana is going to change people’s mind in regards to what vegan food can be with her cookbook. Healthy, yes, but creative and craveable (Pizza Burgers and Better-Than-Restaurant Vegan Nachos, I’m looking at you!)
After sitting down and immediately bookmarking 15+ recipes, I decided on Dana’s No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars to share with you. I instantly deemed this recipe a success because my oldest loved it. Little man doesn’t get to eat a lot of desserts because, yes, I’m a little crazy about toddlers and sugar, but also because of his dairy allergy. As a Mom, it felt unbelievable to give him something that tasted sweet and decadent but was SAFE for him to eat, and me too! The recipe also came together exactly like the directions said it would. Dana includes weight measurements in all her recipes so you can be sure they’ll turn out exactly the same in your kitchen, as hers. So helpful. Lastly, these No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are just HEAVENLY! Creamy and rich like regular cheesecake, but made with coconut milk and sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. I was absolutely thrilled with how they turned out, and the fresh strawberry topping really made each bar taste like the “real thing”. Perfect to serve at a BBQ, picnic, or even as a nice treat after family dinner since they can be sliced and eaten straight out of the freezer. We will be making and eating these all summer long for years to come.
Start by making the cheesecake crust, which is simply a mixture of walnuts, dates, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 cup pitted medjool dates to the bowl of a food processor then process until the dates are finely chopped and come together in a ball, then remove to a bowl.
Next add 1-1/2 cups raw walnuts to the bowl then process until they’ve reached a fine meal.
Add the dates back in with a pinch of salt then process until the ingredients are well combined and stick together when you pinch a little between your fingers.
Dump the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish then use your hands to press into an even layer. Crust = done. Easiest cheesecake crust you ever made, right?! Pop the dish into the freezer to setup while you get the cheesecake mixture ready.
As I mentioned, this cheesecake is vegan, which means it doesn’t contain any animal products. How do you get creamy “cheese”cake without using cream cheese? Raw cashews! If you’ve never used raw cashews in cooking or baking, your mind’s about to be blown. Raw cashews, once soaked, drained, and blended with liquid, become velvety smooth. You’ll need 1-1/2 cups raw cashews that have been soaking in water for 6-8 hours, or in boiling water for 1 hour, which is what I did.
Drain the cashews then add them to a blender with 1 cup full-fat or light coconut milk (I went full fat,) 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup,) 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil, and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice. Blend until extremely smooth then add more maple syrup or lemon juice as needed for extra sweetness or tartness.
Pull the baking dish with the crust out of the freezer then pour the cheesecake mixture on top. Tap gently on the countertop to pop any bubbles and/or use the back of a spoon to smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap then freeze for another couple of hours or until set. Cheesecake = done!
Last step is to make the strawberry sauce which really makes these bars taste like the “real thing”. In a saucepan combine 2 cups fresh strawberries, 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch, and 2–3 Tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then start mashing the strawberries until they’ve reached your desired consistency. Simmer until slightly thickened then let cool.
Let the bars sit out for 15-20 minutes to make them easier to slice, then top with the strawberry sauce and devour. The longer the bars sit out, the creamier (and more ridiculously fabulous!) they’ll get. Hope you enjoy!
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