Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
These vegan raspberry cheesecake bars will make all your dreams come true! They’re creamy, delicious, and loaded with swirls of raspberry goodness!
Today I’m sharing a revamped version of one of my oldest recipes from the blog. I present to you my completely raw Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars. (*cheers*) These are similar to my little Vegan Raspberry Cheesecakes, but with slightly different ingredients. (and of course, the fact that these are bars.)
These Vegan Cheesecake bars are made with a base of raw cashews and coconut cream and topped off with a raspberry swirl. The bars then get placed in the freezer to set and can be enjoyed straight out of the freezer as more of a frozen treat, (hello vegan cheesecake ice cream) or left on the counter to thaw out for 5-10 minutes to be eaten more as a regular cheesecake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free and refined sugar-free
- Made with wholesome and healthy ingredients
- Easy to make
- Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months
Ingredients you’ll need
The full ingredient list and measurements are below in the recipe card! 🙂
- Walnuts
- Oats
- Medjool dates
- Cinnamon
- Ssalt
- Raw Cashews
- Coconut cream
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Lemon
- Vanilla
- Raspberries
How to make Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Start by making the crust by mixing the walnuts, oats, dates, cinnamon and salt together in a food processor until it forms a sticky dough. Then press the dough into an 8×8 inch pan.
Next make the cheesecake filling by blending the cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon and vanilla extract together until it’s smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into the baking pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
To make the raspberry topping, cook the raspberries in a pot with a splash of water and maple syrup for 5-10 minutes to thicken and reduce. Then dollop the raspberry mixture on top of the cheesecake layer and use a knife or chopstick to make swirls.
Place the bars in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
Expert tips
- Use Medjool dates, not regular dates for the base. Medjool dates are bigger and stickier and will help the “crust” bind together. If you’re dates feel very dry, you can rehydrate them by soaking them in warm water for 2-3 minutes then draining.
- Use full-fat coconut milk from a can and mostly just the cream off the top of the can. This will result in a thick and creamy vegan cheesecake. If you use light-coconut milk, or coconut milk from a carton the cheesecake bars won’t set properly.
- Continue to blend or puree the cheesecake layer until smooth and creamy. You don’t want to have any little bits of cashew left. A powerful blender like a vitamix works well for this. (*This is also why it’s important to soak the cashews. This will soften them and make them much easier to blend)
- Strain or blend the raspberry puree if you don’t want seeds. This is completely optional.
- Let thaw on the counter top for 5 minutes before cutting. The bars will likely be very frozen when you remove them from the freezer, so let them thaw out for a few minutes before cutting.
How to store
Store leftovers in the freezer in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. These bars cannot be stored in the fridge as they will become too soft. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving.
More vegan cheesecake recipes to try
- Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Bars
- Vegan Mango Cheesecake Bars
- Vegan Dragonfruit Cheesecake Bars
- Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
If you tried these Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
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Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 15 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Bars are a healthy alternative to a traditional cheesecake and are seriously creamy and delish!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1 cup medjool dates
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Cheesecake filling
- 1 3/4 cups cashews, soaked overnight then drained
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (just the cream from the top with a bit of the liquid)
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted (*see note)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Raspberry Swirl
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional, if raspberries need more sweetness)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, blend the walnuts, oats, dates, cinnamon and salt until it forms a dough. You should be able to press the dough together with your fingertips. If it is too dry, add a few more dates and blend again.
- Press the dough down into your pan, until it coats the entire bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Add the cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract to a blender (or food processor) and blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake layer into the pan.
- Add the raspberries and maple syrup to a small saucepan on medium heat and let cook for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
- Add dollops of the raspberry mixture to the pan and use a sharp knife or chopsticks to create swirls.
- Place your vegan raspberry cheesecake bars into the freezer to firm up for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Let thaw for 5 minutes on the counter then cut and serve!
Notes
*Refined coconut oil has the coconut taste removed from it, which will result in a less coconutty flavoured cheesecake. If you prefer more coconut flavour you can definitely use regular coconut oil.
Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. These cannot be stored in the fridge as they will become too soft.
Use Medjool dates, not regular dates for the base. Medjool dates are bigger and stickier and will help the “crust” bind together. If you’re dates feel very dry, you can rehydrate them by soaking them in warm water for 2-3 minutes then strain.
Use full-fat coconut milk from a can and mostly just the cream off the top of the can. This will result in a thick and creamy vegan cheesecake. If you use light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton the cheesecake bars won’t set properly.
Continue to blend or puree the cheesecake layer until smooth and creamy. You don’t want to have any little bits of cashew left. A powerful blender like a Vitamix works well for this. (*This is also why it’s important to soak the cashews. This will soften them and make them much easier to blend)
Strain or blend the raspberry puree if you don’t want seeds. This is completely optional.
Let thaw on the countertop for 5 minutes before cutting. The bars will likely be very frozen when you remove them from the freezer, so let them thaw out for a few minutes before cutting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/15th of recipe
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 5g
Amazing! One of the best cheesecake recipe I’ve ever tried! It’s so easy to make and it’s so delicious!
So happy you loved it!
Probably the best cheesecake I’ve ever made. So delicious as i love the coconut taste, easy to make and looks so great with the raspberries. One of my favorite dessert and i keep now always some bars in the freezer 🙂
Thanks so much Tanja! So happy you loved it! It’s so great that it stays well in the freezer so you can have it ready to go all the time 🙂
Heavenly- delicious- so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly except I had no raspberries- so instead I used frozen strawberries, chia seeds and pink pitaya powder. I guess I could have used only strawberries but wanted to add healthy superfoods to this dessert. This is probably one of the best cheesecakes I have ever eaten. Thank you for sharing your recipe ❤️
So happy you enjoyed the recipe Gabrielle! It must have looked so pretty with the pink pitaya powder added to the topping 🙂
Tasty and beautiful!
Thanks Arielle! 🙂
I am so exited to try this recipe! Question- I am paleo. How can I substitute the oats? Thank you!!
Hi Alex! You can sub oats with some more hazelnut flour or almond flour!
Hi!
So glad to find a Montrealer yay!
Could I replace the soaked cashews with soaked almonds?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Leila, awesome 🙂 Almonds don’t work for this recipe since they don’t offer the same type of texture as cashews. You can replace the cashews in the recipe with Macadamia nuts though!
For the cashew portion- I blended the soakedcand drained cashews in my food processor and they became similar to a nut butter in texture. When I first scanned this recipes I expected the cashews to be turned into cashew cream in a high speed blender and with the addition of some water. So I just want to be sure that the thicker, almost nutbutter like texture is correct here. It just seems a little heavy to incorporate into the whipped coconut cream mixture but maybe it needs to be that thick to give it body? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, the cashew mixture should be quite thick-but pourable. It’s possible that if there is a bit more cashews or depending on how long they were soaked they may be a bit of a thicker texture. If your mixture isn’t pourable you can simply add a little bit of-of extra coconut milk (2-4 tbsp worth!)
It would be nice to know your supposed to put the coconut milk in the fridge overnight I soaked the cashewsbut didn’t know I was supposed to do that with the coconut milk so now I have a bunch of liquid that’s really not whipping into a cream im still going to make it hopefully after being in the freezer it will set thanks for the recipe though looks great
Hi Ashely, no need to put the coconut milk in the fridge. The mixture for the bars should be thick and creamy and will set up when you put them in the freezer!
Just made this for my Dad for fathers day and it will take forever for the two of us to eat it all. How long can I keep it sealed in the freezer for before it goes bad? Amazing by the way, love how pretty it is. Will be posting it on instagram,
Hi Eli, they can last a very long time in the freezer since it keeps them preserved! You can just store them in an airtight container for a few months so no rush to eat them all right away!
This is by far the best raw dessert I have ever tasted! My coconut cream wouldn’t whip though- not sure what happened and it seemed to separate. Not sure if you have any tips… it was still incredible though! And tasted like real cheesecake! Thanks for recipe!
Hi Jen, So happy you loved there bars! Coconut cream can vary a lot based on the brand. I often use the “Thai kitchen” brand which I know works well. I’d recommend trying a couple different brands of coconut milk until you find one that is your favourite!
Thank you! 🙂
Your welcome Jen!
Hello, does it need to be served from the freezer or can it be left out for a while? I was hoping to take it to a picnic!
Hi Helene,
This could be served at a picnic but I would definitely keep it in a cooler with some ice packs. Its good out of the fridge however if left in the sun it will melt.
Hi! What can be used as a nut substitute for the filling instead of cashews?
Thanks
Hi Alice! You can try using macadiamia nuts or if your allergic or don’t like nuts you can try buckwheat groats soaked overnight!
Hi, I’ve just made this and it’s sitting in the freezer as I type. Did anyone else’s coconut & cashew mix come out looking grey? Is there a trick to getting the pretty creamy yellow in the photo or has the photo been touched up?
Thanks
Hi Sara, That’s very bizarre that your mixture is grey…Were your cashews raw or roasted? Raw cashews and coconut cream from a can should end up white. Or perhaps some darker varieties of vanilla extract can darken the colour slightly.
I made this and set it in the freezer for 3 hours. The cashew/coconut cream part was not solid and it just kinda spilled everywhere. The flavors were good but I have no idea how you make it stay solid. Should it be completely frozen? I left it in the freezer overnight and I’ll check on it later to see if that’s better.
Hi Carrie,
I’m sorry to hear that, make sure you are using FULL FAT coconut cream, and JUST the cream, not the liquid on the bottom. That and the cashews firm up nicely together. Hope this helps!!
For the coconut milk I am unclear do you need coconut milk or cream? I have coconut milk. Should I just refrigerate it? Unsure.
You need to use full-fat coconut cream!It should be the thick cream off the top of the can!
Trader Joe’s has a terrific, thick canned coconut cream.
Great tip! There’s some good brands out there for coconut cream, it’s just a matter of finding them!
I’m so impatient and I don’t want to wait for my cashews to soak, soooooooooo my question is: the “quick” soak? Do you straight boil them for like 2 hours? Or bring to a boil and then let soak? I just don’t want to ruin all my cashews if I do it wrong!
Hi Taylor! I totally understand, I can be impatient too! I usually boil water in my kettle and pour it over the bowl of cashews and let them soak for 1-2 hours. You can alternatively boil a pot of water, take the pot off the heat, and soak your cashews in the pot for 1 hour!
Could I make this without the lemon juice as I’m not a fan of really lemony things?
You absolutely can! It will just not have that “tart” cheesecake taste, but if you don’t like it it will be great without it!
do i use the water that the cashews were soaked in when i blend the cashews, or just drain it.
My husband can’t eat cashews is there another non-nut ingredient I could sub with. Doesn’t have to be vegan. Help much appreciated as would love to make these. Tia
Hi Georgina!
You can try using buckwheat groats and soaking them for a few hours in place of the cashews. I haven’t tried using them yet however I’ve been meaning to do a nut-free vegan cheesecake recipe using those and I am confident they will work! alternatively if you wish to you dairy you can use 2 sticks of cream cheese.
I made this recipe twice and the second time I doubled the amount of filling. This made the proportions more like a traditional cheesecake and it was easier to apply the raspberry swirl.
I accidentally burnt-out one of my blenders while trying to make the crust. Due to the amount of blended nuts required for this recipe, it pays to follow the directions and use a food processor.
Hi Andre,
That sounds delicious how you made it! I’ve made these before with and without cinnamon, they are delicious both ways!
I made this yesterday and today I ate some for my breakfast and I couldn’t believe how incredibly tasty they were without using any regular sugar. I don’t have a food processor but I used my blender and it worked very well too, just took sometime to make the soaked cashews becoming a very smooth kind of paste.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
they look absolutely wonderful! It’s not nice to discover treats without sugar that are healthy and delicious!
how long does this cheesecake hold? I’m just wondering how long in advance I can make this
Hi Katheryn!
You’ll want to make this a day in advance if you have the time! Or you can make it 3 hours in advance minimum and keep it in the freezer!
It can be frozen so you could make it days or possibly weeks in advance and then transfer it to the refrigerator before serving.
Don’t buy the light coconut cream. Although it was all night in the fridge, still was watery when opened. I still used it, but added a few tabslespoons of coconut oil. Hope it will set in the fridge.
Yes it is important to use full-fat coconut cream! It is a treat afterall and some in moderation isn’t bad for you! Light coconut cream will not give a thick enough consistency!
When you say one large can of coconut milk what exactly do you mean in measurements?
This isn’t my recipe but I’ve made plenty of vegan desserts before that require this ingredient. You just buy a can of full fat coconut milk, stick it in the fridge overnight or longer and then open it carefully when you’re ready to use it. The cream will have solidified and it’s this solid that you need. Just be careful when you scoop it out as there will be the liquid underneath and you want to minimize any clear liquid otherwise the cream won’t whip up nicely.
What can I use instead of honey to make it vegan? Maple syrup?
Hi Patricia!
Yes exactly! The recipe states maple syrup or honey,so it’s as you wish. Alternatively if you are not a fan of maple syrup, you can also use brown rice syrup. That would work well too!
Honey in the recipe?
Maple syrup or honey if your as strictly vegan, it’s your choice!
What’s the best brand/kind of canned coconut milk to use to make the cream?
Hi there! I usually buy the “thai kitchen” brand. you want a brand that has a thick layer of the cream in it, it should not be all liquid. And make sure to use full fat coconut milk!
I use the Thai Kitchen stuff for a lot of things, especially for alfredo sauce. You can buy either the milk cans and scoop the cream off the top, or for a little more just cans of the cream.
Hi, How many milliliters are coconut cream?
Hi Andrea, I believe a can would be about 400ml!