Strawberry Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake Bars 

Strawberries and chocolate are fun flavors on their own, but the combination is powerful and tasty, especially on a nice, hot day. Better yet, they’re vegan, dairy-free, and absolutely refreshing. Pop them in the freezer, and you’ll have a frozen dessert for any occasion. You can even make it a few days before a special gathering or party and save them in the freezer for when you’re ready to share them at your exciting outing! There’s no better time than summer to dig into these delightful Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Bars! 

Related Recipe: No-Bake Healthy Candy Bars! 

Dates as a sweetener: 

Dates were used in this recipe instead of cane sugar because they’re such a natural type of sweetener. On top of that, they’re healthy and high in fiber to add more nutrients to these already amazing healthy cheesecake bars! Generally, you may only want to use dates as a sweetener if the recipe that you’re considering it for is going to be blended because dates are pretty sticky. However, it worked out quite well as an ingredient here.

Related: 7 Health Benefits of Dates, According to a Nutritionist 

 

Ingredients

For the chocolate crust:

1 cup Nana Joes Granola Paleo Sunrise Series: Dark Chocolate Blend

⅔ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

1 cup pitted medjool dates 

¼ cup cocoa powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 

 

For the strawberry filling:

1 cup raw cashews -- choice between soaking them overnight or boiling it in hot water for 20 minutes 

⅔ cup of any non-dairy milk (I used oat milk, but feel free to choose your preference or whatever is most convenient!) 

½ cup maple syrup 

¾ cup melted coconut oil 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

¼ treason salt 

1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced into halves) 

Recipe

1.Soak your cashews. This can either be done overnight (if you plan on preparing this recipe in advance) or by pouring in boiling water, covering the pot, and letting it sit for 20 minutes.

Grease an 8x8 square baking pan (or a 6x8 baking pan) and place parchment paper on top. This allows for you to easily pull out the bars.

2. Prepare the chocolate crust.

Using a food processor, pour in the granola. Process on high until finely chopped, which takes about 45 seconds to one minute.

Add the rest of the chocolate crust ingredients and process for another minute, or until a sticky paste forms. If it is super dry, add a tablespoon of water and process again. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and use your hands or a spoon to press it down evenly onto the parchment paper. 

Place the pan into the fridge for twenty minutes.

3. Make the strawberry cheesecake filling.

In a blender, add the soaked cashews, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and 1/4 cup of the sliced strawberries (you will save the remaining strawberries as a topping for the filling).

Blend until the mixture is creamy, which takes about 10 seconds. Make sure not to blend for too long, as the mixture might start to get chunky if blended for too long. 

4. Remove the baking pan from the fridge and pour strawberry filling on top of the crust. Use a utensil to get rid of any air bubbles.

5. Line up the remaining strawberries on top of the cheesecake mixture and gently press them down flat.

6. Freeze for 2 hours, or until the cheesecake bars are completely hardened. 

7. Slice into 12-15 squares and enjoy!

Thank you for the inspiration, KaleJunkie! Check out her website or instagram page for more amazing recipes! 

 

** This recipe was tested, written and photographed by our 2021 Summer Intern Shania Hao. **