These strawberry cheesecake bars taste as good as they look.
Featuring a creamy dairy-free filling made from cashews, these bars are a delicious source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and are more satiating than traditional cheesecake. They’re also relatively quick to prepare, requiring just a blender or food processor to create each layer, plus a small saucepan for the final strawberry swirl topping.
These colorful and fruity bars would make the perfect addition to a Fourth of July party this week, but make sure to keep them chilled for the best texture. They will become quite soft if left at room temperature for too long!
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No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars (Paleo)
Makes one 9-inch square pan
Ingredients:
Date Crust:
1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
8 soft dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
Cheesecake Filling:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained (or 1 cup raw cashew butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
Strawberry Sauce:
1 cup diced strawberries
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions:
Line an 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. To prepare the crust, process the walnuts in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade until a fine, crumbly meal is formed. Add in the dates, coconut oil and salt, and process again until a sticky dough is formed. Press the dough into the bottom of the baking dish, and place it in the freezer to set.
To prepare the cheesecake filling, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, and blend until the filling is completely smooth. You may have to stop and scrape down the blender several times to get a smooth result. Adjust any flavors to taste, then pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
To prepare the strawberry sauce, combine the strawberries and maple syrup in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to bubble for several minutes, until it has thickened and has a syrup-like texture.
To create the swirl-effect, spoon the strawberry syrup into horizontal lines across the cheesecake, then drag a clean knife through the filling and topping in a perpendicular direction. Drag the knife back and forth, from top to bottom, several times until the syrup is swirled enough to your liking. Place in the freezer to set until firm, at least 6 hours.
Remove the pan from the freezer and grab the parchment paper to easily remove the cheesecake. Use a sharp knife to slice the bars, and feel free to cut off the curved edges to create perfect serving squares. (I like to use the edges as taste-testing pieces.) Return the bars to the freezer until ready to serve, and keep them chilled in a sealed container for best texture.
They should keep in the freezer for at least a month, if you don’t eat them all before then.
No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Date Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
- 8 soft dates , pitted
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Cheesecake Filling:
- 2 cups cashews , soaked for 2 hours and drained (or 1 cup cashew butter)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
Strawberry Sauce:
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Line an 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. To prepare the crust, process the walnuts in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade until a fine, crumbly meal is formed. Add in the dates, coconut oil and salt, and process again until a sticky dough is formed. Press the dough into the bottom of the baking dish, and place it in the freezer to set.
- To prepare the cheesecake filling, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, and blend until the filling is completely smooth. You may have to stop and scrape down the blender several times to get a smooth result. Adjust any flavors to taste, then pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
- To prepare the strawberry sauce, combine the strawberries and maple syrup in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to bubble for several minutes, until it has thickened and has a syrup-like texture.
- To create the swirl-effect, spoon the strawberry syrup into horizontal lines across the cheesecake, then drag a clean knife through the filling and topping in a perpendicular direction. Drag the knife back and forth, from top to bottom, several times until the syrup is swirled enough to your liking. Place in the freezer to set until firm, at least 6 hours.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and grab the parchment paper to easily remove the cheesecake. Use a sharp knife to slice the bars, and feel free to cut off the curved edges to create perfect serving squares. (I like to use the edges as taste-testing pieces.) Return the bars to the freezer until ready to serve, and keep them chilled in a sealed container for best texture.
- They should keep in the freezer for at least a month, if you don't eat them all before then.
Nutrition
Notes:
- If you don’t care for cashews, I’ve tried making this cheesecake with macadamia nuts with success, as well, but keep in mind that the cheesecake will taste like whatever nut you use. (The other cheesecake definitely tasted like macadamia nuts!) Cashews have the most mild flavor, particularly when soaked in water ahead of time, so that’s why I recommend using them in this recipe– particularly raw cashews, as roasted ones have a more pronounced flavor.
- Feel free to substitute any other nut in the crust that you like.
- I’m sure this topping would work well with any other fresh fruit, so feel free to create any flavor combination that you like! Frozen strawberries would also probably work, as long as they are thawed and drained first. (Or cooked down for longer.)
- You can make the cheesecake filling vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey.
Enjoy!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite cheesecake flavor?
These are perfect for the 4th! I’m a fan of Key Lime. Love the fruity cheesecakes.
Yessss. I love all of your cheesecake recipes! So excited to try a new one 🙂
Megan! Stop the insanity with your brilliant, quick, and tasty desserts! I’m totally kidding…keep ’em coming 😉
This looks awesome and quite tasty. I was excited to see it was paleo (like it would be anything less) since I didn’t see dairy-free in the title. Can’t wait to whip it up for this weekend!
Can’t have dried fruits, anything else that could be used in the crust rather then dates?
Love your recipes!
I am going to make these and then add some blueberries on top for the “blue” for the Fourth of July!
Can you provide nutritional information on your recipes, including the carb count?
I love cheesecake, strawberries, and yes cashews and you don’t even have to bake it? My wife is going to have to make me some of those. We’re on vacation on a beach house on Lake Ontario and I understand she doesn’t want to heat the house up by baking but she’s out of excuses!
I love no bake cheesecakes especially chocolate ones. Megan I tried your raw chocolate cheesecake and made few personal adjustments and that was divine. I already know this recipe will be a hit too.
These look so good! I love your raw chocolate cheesecake! We love anything chocolate in this house! But this strawberry cheesecake looks wonderful & healthy!! You are brillant Megan. Thanks for all your efforts & for sharing with us!!! It is much appreciated. Happy 4th to you & your family. By the way, your little one is soooo adorable with that last picture of him – he’s growing fast. I bet you are seeing more & more of his personality coming out – sweet! 🙂
These are excellent! They are still setting in my freezer but my taste samples of everything were fabulous! Thank you for an amazing recipe:)
You are doing great job, I love this job because I am following the same path in my Yoga Resorts and Centers in Pune India. I love to make simple delicious recipes with local available food varieties in local market of rural area of my Yoga Resorts and Naturopathy Centers.
All the bests
Hemant
These look delicious and beautiful! I plan to make them for the 4th.
Could strawberry jam be used in place of the strawberry sauce?
I love your site. Thank you for all the fantastic recipes!
Yes, I think strawberry jam would work very well in this, too!
Hello I can’t find dates in this time of the year.
Is there something else I can use instead?
I wonder if you couldn’t just use raisins
I think dried figs would work as well Vanessa 🙂
Do you think these could be made in individual silicone cups? For mini version?
This looks delicious! My husband hate coconut oil – would butter work in this recipe instead? Thanks!!
your husband wouldn’t even know there is coconut oil in it. just serve him up a piece I bet he wont knock it back
The cheesecake looks yummy. My son would love this!
Those are beautiful! I am usually not a cheesecake fan, but with these ingredients, I might be swayed 🙂 I love date crusts. The only cheesecake I’ve really enjoyed in the past is pumpkin! I could eat pumpkin everything, year round. And I live in the tropics, where pumpkin is a year-round local crop, so I do!
Do you use the tamper with the vitamix to get the filling layer to blend smoothly? I am having a hard time getting it all to combine without making really odd noises and overheating. Help please! Thanks!
Yes, I always use the tamper when blending anything. It definitely helps! (Soaking the cashews ahead of time helps the blending go smoothly, too.)
Another awesome cheesecake! You are my go to for desserts….my husband and all our company tonight were impressed! Thanks!
PLEASE add a facebook button so we can share your amazing recipies! 🙂
This recipe is so good. I’m blown away at how it tastes just like cheesecake. I will be making this again and again!
Thanks for another great recipe!
Is it possibke to use pecans instead of walnuts in the crust? I’m so excited to try this! I am dairy and gluten free. This looks great!
I made this tonight and test-tasted it before I put it in the freezer. The flavor was spot on for traditional cheesecake! The only thing I did differently is I used blueberries instead if strawberries. I think my husband will like the flavor and he hates all things “healthy”. I do notice the texture is different from traditional cheesecake but you can’t have it all!! I will for sure make this again, next time with strawberries. Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi!
I was wondering, I made a raw cheesecake recipe (which wasn’t from your site and not as good as all yours!!!) and I’m wondering, do I keep it in the fridge or freezer for the leftovers? right now it’s in the fridge so can I freeze it back? or no?
These were wonderful. I made the topping using peach instead of strawberry…excellent. Thankx for the recipe!!
Megan,
These are absolutely AMAZING!! I made them last night, and it was torture to have to wait the 6 hours. I just tried it, and I cannot believe how amazing they taste for being so healthy!! This is the 6th recipe of yours I have tried, and I have loved all of them. Thank you so much for providing these delicious and healthy recipes. It makes eating healthy so much easier!! You ROCK!! 🙂
I am allergic to walnuts what can I replace them with? Pecans perhaps? Thank you 🙂
Hi. I thought you said combining fruit with other foods is not advised. Nowhere in your post is this explained. Would appreciate very much your explanation of including it in this recipe as it seems to go against your entire philosophy. Perhaps is it lumped in with sweeteners being in the neutral category? Thanks!
With special treats, like cheesecake bars, I don’t always practice proper food combining. You can leave the strawberries out for a properly combined treat.
Thanks for your response…appreciate it! I think you are wise not to be too strict. I have heard it said that when things are too rigid, they break. Very thankful to have found your site. I felt in a quandary in wanting to eat more nutritiously yet had been having some digestive problems. I have had excellent luck with food combining in the past and was not sure how to incorporate new foods I have learned about. Your blog is a Godsend. Just discovered your site today and have already pre-ordered your book. Good luck with it!
Aw, thanks! All of the recipes in the book are clearly labeled for food combining purposes, so hopefully that will make things easy for you! 🙂
Omg, i loved loved loveddddddd the taste of this cheesecake! It was amazing!!! I used jarred raw cashew butter and was at first a little nervous because my cheesecake layer was darker than i thought it should be…But the taste was ALL there! An issue i had was that i used a 9×9 pan but the final squares turned out to be pretty thin. Would you recommend doubling the recipe for desired thickness?
Loved the chocolate cheesecake recipe (fabulous cut into small squares and eaten frozen!) but didn’t care for this recipe. Found the walnut crust very overpowering so would substitute a nut with a less distinctive flavour.
This recipe is amazingly deliciously. I was impatient and only left it in the freezer for 3 hours until I did a taste test and it was great! Thank you for the recipe!
Excellent! Made it for a dinner full of non-vegans. They all liked it.
Have made this recipe several times and everyone always loves it. Made it recently with passion fruit as the topping and it was amazing as well. Made it again a few days later. I mean you have to when you have some extra sauce right!?!
Thanks for sharing, Jaleen. The passion fruit topping sounds delicious, too!