No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Okay anything key lime is pretty much my favorite, but also cheesecake. Delicious, delicious cheesecake. Combine the two and you’ve got pure magic. That’s what these little babies are. Pure, blissful magic.

These key lime cheesecake bars are dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and don’t require any baking at all! So for those of you who never make your own desserts because you aren’t much of a baker, this recipe is definitely for you. All you do is stick them in the freezer for a few hours to set! Couldn’t be easier, really.

These delicious little bars are the perfect dessert for this spring/summer season. Perfect for a special weekend treat for your family or to bring to your next party! They are a hit with everyone, even those dairy-loving, gluten-eating heathens. Kidding, kidding, I eat dairy and gluten sometimes too 😄

I’ve sweetened this dessert with just dates and maple syrup, so they aren’t quite as unhealthy as traditional sugar-sweetened cheesecakes. That being said, these are still a treat and shouldn’t be an every day kind of thing. Although, they are pretty addicting, so I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to eat them every day! I sure do!

Okay, let’s get cooking! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

Equipment Needed:

• Large capacity food processor (I LOVE my Cuisinart!)
• Spatula
• 8×8″ brownie pan
• Parchment paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk (I have this white and rose gold set and they are SO pretty!)
• Sharp Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board
• Citrus reamer or juicer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Food scale (optional, but recommended! I almost always cook by weight 🙂. It’s more accurate, time-saving, AND less clean up! I have this one in turquoise 😍)
• Freezer

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No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Paleo
• Vegetarian or Vegan
• Pescatarian

5 from 1 vote

Print

These delicious dairy-free key lime cheesecake bars are so easy to make and don't require any baking! They're practically fool-proof! Wow your guests with this simple, healthy dessert at your next party! And not only are they dairy-free, they are also gluten free and paleo!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 hours hrs

Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients 

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 coconut milk
• 3/4 cup 195g raw cashew butter*
• 1/3 cup 79mL freshly squeezed key lime juice (juice of about 10 key limes)
• 1/4 cup 56g coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup 59mL or 80g pure grade A maple syrup (substitute with Pyure Organic Sugar Free Honey Alternative for lower carb)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch sea salt

GARNISH

• 4 key limes sliced into 16 thin slices

Instructions

CRUST

• Before you begin to make the crust, line an 8x8" 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, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Make sure all of the components of the filling are at room temperature before combining. If any of the ingredients are cold it will cause the coconut oil to clump up. If you get any clumps you can gently heat the entire mixture over super low heat over a double boiler until the clumps dissolve.
• Pour the filling over the crust and place in the freezer for about 4 hours or until the filling is completely set.
• GARNISH
• While it's still frozen, remove from the pan by gently pulling on the overhanging parchment and place on a cutting board. Place 16 lime slices on the top where you will be cutting the bars so that each bar has one slice on it (see picture above)
• 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 20-30 minutes before serving to allow them to soften a bit. Store under refrigeration in a sealed container for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in the freezer in a sealed container for even longer! If you store them in the freezer they will need to sit out for about an hour to get to the right consistency before serving. Unless you want them to be more like ice cream bars and then you would probably like it right out of the freezer! 🙂

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Notes

*For the cashew butter I recommend making your own from raw cashews. It's super easy, just place about 300g (0.66lb) raw cashews in a food processor and process for about 10 minutes or until silky smooth! That's it! Just one ingredient and so easy to make. If you'd like to buy it instead, make sure to get a brand with only raw cashews on the ingredients list. No salt or oils or anything else. Something like this one! The most important thing here is to make sure you don't use roasted cashews or roasted cashew butter! That will completely change the flavor of the cheesecake and not in a good way!

Category:

• American
• Dairy-Free
• Dessert
• Easter
• Family Friendly
• Game Day
• Gluten-Free
• Memorial Day / 4th of July / Labor Day
• Paleo
• Party Food
• Pescatarian
• Spring
• Summer
• Vegetarian or Vegan

Author: Kit

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