Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake Bars {VG + GF}

These Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake Bars are a delicious vegan, gluten-free dessert recipe that’s perfect for sharing! Flavored with cashews, these bars are dairy-free. And thanks to pecans, the crust tastes like a cookie! {Vegan + GF + Paleo-friendly}

I am nuts for cashews! Especially if they are in a dairy-free cheesecake recipe, like these cashews are today. And to be honest, I’ve never made a traditional cheesecake before. So I can’t speak to how well the process goes. But I have made several vegan cheesecakes in the past, and they’ve all passed muster (or mustard, for NCIS fans). The truth is, I love that these vegan cheesecakes are also gluten-free and no-bake. Because, sometimes, my favorite way to bake is to not bake at all.

What happens is I use up all my energy just to make the treat so that I’m too exhausted to actually bake the treat. And THEN I can even fathom eating the treat, because I’d rather be munching on the cookie dough by the spoonful. This revelation might explain why my yields never match up to what the cookbook suggests. 

Thank you for understanding.

I decided I would make things even easier this time by turning this recipe Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake Bars. Eating dessert bars is the best thing ever because 1) You can share with friends and family, if you want 2) Not share at all and totally savor them over several days.

Your choice. I won’t judge. What I will do, however, is show you how to make your own Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake Bars. Because once you’ve combined cashews with lemon and vanilla, and then poured them into a pecan crust that tastes just like a cookie, you won’t go back. These yummy vegan dessert bars are just too good to pass up!

LEMON VANILLA CHEESECAKE BARS INGREDIENTS:

For these Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake Bars I suggest focusing on base amounts of each ingredient first. Then, if necessary, add more of each to achieve the consistency you desire. Typically, this matters most if you are working with a high-speed blender using a designated wet blade, such as a Vitamix.

NOTE: If you want to make this paleo-friendly, consider using maple syrup or honey in place of agave nectar.

For the crust:

• Pecans. I buy mine pre-chopped.
• Dates. I use larger dates and remove the pits. I also chop them as finely as I can.
• Coconut oil and agave nectar. See the notes under PRO TIPS below. I start out with a minimal amount of each and then add only as much as is needed to keep the ingredients blending smoothly.
• Sea salt. Just a pinch to create the right flavor balance and bring the other ingredients together.

For the filling:

• Cashews. I use raw and unsalted cashews, and then I soak them in room temperature water for at least two hours to overnight, if I have the time.
• Coconut oil and agave nectar. For this recipe, I included base amounts. However, you can increase the amount of each as is necessary to cream a smooth, creamy filling.
• Lemon juice and vanilla extract. Like the coconut oil and agave nectar, I start out with base amounts and then increase the amount of each flavor as desired.
• Sea salt. Like the crust, just a pinch or two to balance out the flavor and bring all the ingredients together.
• Almond milk. Start out with about 1/4 cup. If the filling doesn’t blend well, then add a little more. I have used as much as 3/4 cup almond milk before, and the filling still came out perfectly creamy smooth.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON VANILLA CHEESECAKE BARS:

You will likely notice that some of the liquid separates while making the crust. This is totally fine. You can drain it, if desired. That’s what I do.

1. Soak cashews in room temperature water for two hours to as long as overnight. One they are done soaking, discard the water.
2. Grease an 8×8 baking dish and set aside.
3. In a high-speed blender, combine the coconut oil, agave nectar, chopped dates, and sea salt. On a medium speed, blend the ingredients until they form a smooth liquid. Then add the pecans in small batches until the ingredients are evenly blended. If the blades clog, you can add a little more coconut oil and agave nectar in equal amounts. I usually add about 1-2 tablespoons of EACH.
4. As the dough begins to form, the unneeded coconut oil and agave nectar will separate as will oil from the pecans. That’s okay. Discard the liquid and press the dough into the greased baking dish. If more oil rises to the top or the edges, you can use a napkin or thin towel to absorb the excess liquid.
5. Place the crust in the fridge to set.
6. Clean out the blender container. Then add the coconut oil, agave nectar, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond milk and set the blender speed to MEDIUM. Gradually pour the soaked cashews into the blender and mix until smooth. I have found processes will vary depending on the blender or food processor used. With my Vitamix, I increase the speed to medium and add more almond milk, agave nectar, lemon juice, and vanilla if the cashews are still too thick or the blades clog. This is a fairly forgiving recipe, so while it is tricky sometimes to work with the blades, you’ll still end up with a creamy filling.
7. Pour filling over the crust. For a softer cheesecake bar, store, covered, in the refrigerator and consume with about 3-4 days. For a frozen treat, place in the freezer, covered, and consume within one week.
8. Cut into bars and top with fresh fruit, if desired, before serving.

PRO TIPS:

To make the crust (if you’re using a high speed blender that requires lots of liquid to blend the ingredients): Add as much coconut oil and agave nectar as needed. What you’ll notice is that once the crust ingredients start to form, the excess liquid will begin to separate. This is OKAY. Once the batter has formed so that you can press it into the 8×8 baking dish, drain out the leftover oil.

Furthermore, as you press the crust into the dish, you may find that even more liquid separates. This is also totally fine. When it happens, I gently tip the dish at an angle so the liquid pours out. I’ll even dap the crust with napkins to remove extra liquid that didn’t pour out on its own.

Add liquid carefully. You are welcome to add more almond milk to your blender, especially if the blades are clogging or the motor is overworking. If you do add more liquid, plan to add a little more lemon juice and vanilla extract. And to keep the same sweet taste, plan to increase the amount of sweetener you’re using, too.

If you’re in the mood for gluten-free vegan cheesecake recipes, then you should definitely check out these tasty treats:

• Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes 
• No-Bake Vegan Key Line Mini Cheesecakes

And if you’re in the mood for creative ways to crunch on cashews, then you might also enjoy:

• Asian Cashew Asparagus  
• Garlic Cashew Pasta {GF} 
• Spicy Roasted Cashews 
• Pesto-Baked Chicken  
• Avocado Quinoa Salad

Print