No-Bake Christmas Cheesecake Bars
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Paleo
- Vegetarian or Vegan
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are my own. Partnerships like this help me provide free content to you and keep my blog up and running!
Okay, how cute are these little cheesecake bars?? I’m so in love! These babies are totally going to steal the show during your holiday meal and no one would ever guess they’re dairy free! These cheesecake bars taste super decadent but are secretly healthy! Just the way I like my desserts!
No-Bake Christmas Cheesecake Bars
These Christmas cheesecake bars are vegan, gluten free, and paleo! That means no dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugars or oils. All healthy ingredients that make you feel good instead of sluggish! I just love that! There’s nothing worse than eating a decadent dessert and feeling totally awful afterward because of all the sugar and weird ingredients.
I grabbed everything I needed for this recipe from my local Sprouts Farmers Market! Sprouts is my go-to grocery store for everything paleo and organic. They have a great selection of healthy foods at the best prices around. Sprouts always has everything I need to make my paleo holiday treats. Perfect for one-stop holiday shopping!
Equipment Needed:
- Food Processor
- 8×8″ brownie pan/baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Small binder clips to hold down edges of parchment paper (optional)
- Measuring cups
- Food scale (optional, but always recommended!)
- Sheet pan
- Small saucepan
- Immersion blender (optional)
- Spatula
- Sharp chef’s knife
Make sure to check out my other holiday recipes! You won’t want to miss out on these healthy, delicious meals and treats!
- PEPPERMINT MOCHA FUDGE
- PALEO RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
- HEALTHY HOLIDAY SNACK MIX
- KETO CROCKPOT CANDY
- LEFTOVER TURKEY SALAD
- MAPLE BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PECANS AND CRANBERRIES
- PUMPKIN PIE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH COCONUT PECAN CRUMBLE
- HOW TO MAKE PALEO POWDERED SUGAR
- DARK CHOCOLATE MAPLE MACAROONS
- PALEO SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
- EASY CROCK-POT APPLE CIDER
- GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE BARS
- GLUTEN FREE CHEESE STRAWS
- PALEO TOASTED COCONUT EGGNOG
- PALEO BOURBON BALLS
- MAPLE VANILLA BEAN MERINGUE COOKIES
- DAIRY FREE CROCKPOT HOT CHOCOLATE
- PALEO HOT CHOCOLATE
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No-Bake Christmas Cheesecake Bars
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Paleo
- Vegetarian or Vegan
Ingredients
Cranberry Garnish
- 4 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- Sugar for rolling optional, not paleo*
Cranberry Sauce
- 4 oz fresh cranberries
- 8 tsp water
- 6 tsp maple syrup
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups 225g pitted Medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups 150g walnut halves/pieces
- 1 Tbsp 14g coconut oil
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Filling
- 1 cup 236mL full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup 195g raw cashew butter*
- 1/3 cup 79mL freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of about 1.5 lemons)
- 1/4 cup 56g coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup 59mL or 80g pure grade A maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
Cranberry Garnish
- Soak cranberries in maple syrup overnight.
- Drain and set aside for garnish. Alternatively, if you want to make sparkling cranberries (not paleo), you can roll in granulated sugar or granulated monk fruit sweetener (like Lakanto brand), then allow to dry on a sheet pan for about an hour.
Cranberry Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a shallow saucepan.Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and allow to cook for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have broken down.
- Use an immersion blender to make a smooth sauce. Refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to use.
Crust
- Before you begin to make the crust, line an 8×8″ brownie pan with parchment paper. Cut 2 long sheets to line the pan with overhanging sides.
- To make the crust, place all of the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse for about a minute or until the mixture is well combined and broken down a bit. Don’t over blend. The crust should still have a little texture to it. The mixture should stick together when pressed, but won’t form one big sticky ball in the food processor (like you may want in other recipes). If the mixture seems a little dry, add a few more dates. If it’s too sticky, add some more walnuts.
- Pour the crust mixture in the brownie pan and gently distribute it into an even layer. After you have a nice even layer, press the crust down firmly with your hands or a measuring cup to make a compact layer.
Filling
- To make the filling, blend all ingredients (at room temperature***) together in a food processor until smooth.
- Pour the filling over the crust and place in the freezer for about 2 hours or until the filling is completely set.
Cut and Garnish
- While it’s still frozen, remove from the pan by gently pulling on the overhanging parchment and place on a cutting board.
- Wait about 5 minutes and then slice into 16 bars using a sharp knife. Wipe knife between cuts to make bars come out with clean edges.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving to allow them to soften a bit. Garnish with cranberry sauce and candied cranberries just before serving. Store under refrigeration in a sealed container for up to 5 days. The cheesecake bars should be served very cold for the right texture. Remove from refrigeration just before serving so they don't become too soft. They can also be stored in the freezer in a sealed container for even longer!
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Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @itskitskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #kitskitchen
How did your turn out? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section or follow me on Instagram for more updates! xx Kit
I’m going to make this today and have a question about the coconut oil. I’m not a fan and wondered if there is a substitute you’d recommend? I’m also using a regular cheesecake and baking. Would the crust be ok baked?
Hi Cassie! I hope Im getting back to you in time. I’m more active for immediate questions over on Instagram at @itskitskitchen for future reference 🙂 Using a regular cheesecake pan should be fine but I would not recommend baking it! This is a raw vegan/dairy free cheesecake and not meant to be baked. As for the coconut oil I think it’s probably essential to the setting up of the cheesecake in the fridge. I can’t think of a suitable substitute. Maybe palm shortening?? But I can’t guarantee that it would work! If you do use coconut oil, it doesn’t taste like coconut at all 🙂