A perfect way to use those summer blueberries (or frozen), for this gluten-free dessert!
When you think vegan, you don’t necessarily think cheesecake! So when we found this recipe from Dadaeats for the Raw, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake Bars, we knew we had to try them. Well, they did NOT disappoint! These bars are delicious, decadent, and best of all, they contain no refined sugar! This is a better-for-you dessert option we highly recommend you try!
Pro Tip: We recommend soaking your cashews overnight so they are nice and moist. This way, the cashews can be easily blended. Also, ensure to keep the bars in the freezer until you are ready to serve so they do not melt.
Raw, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup Medjool dates
- 3/4 cup raw almonds
- 1 tbsp. creamy almond butter
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- 1-1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight, or "flash soaked" by soaking in hot boiled water for one hour
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup + 1 TBSP full-fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cups frozen blueberries
- 1.5 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted, and cooled
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- First, make sure that your cashews are soaked. Soak them in water overnight, or soak them in hot boiled water for an hour.
- Make the raw crust by processing; dates, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla, and almond butter together. Pulverize until mostly only small pieces are left. The mixture should be a little dry and sticky enough to mold.
- Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment or wax paper and very firmly press the crust into it until it's completely uniform.
- Now make the cheese filling. Drain soaked cashews and add to a high-speed blender with maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla, lemon juice, coconut oil, and salt. Blend thoroughly until completely smooth. Feel free to taste and adjust - I added a tad more salt and lemon juice to get the balance and acidity just right.
- Pour 1/2 of the cheesecake filling over the crust and tap until the mixture has evenly distributed.
- Next, add the frozen blueberries to the remaining cheesecake filling that you have left in the blender. Blend until completely smooth and light purple color is achieved.
- Now, gently pour the blueberry filling over the crust in your baking dish. Smooth with the back of a spoon or spatula, being careful not to dip into the vanilla layer. Tap the dish on the counter to ensure everything is uniform and smooth. Top the cheesecake with frozen blueberries, slivered almonds (if desired), and a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
- Freeze cheesecake for 5-6 hours. (I know...patience is key, but so worth it)! When it's complete, slice into bars and enjoy! Best served immediately. Store in the freezer.
Enjoy!
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