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There’s nothing better than cheesecake, and these Healthy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are a delicious, healthy, hand-held alternative to your traditional cheesecake. They’re sweet, they’re creamy, and the blueberry swirl makes for the perfect added touch. Oh, and did I mention… there’s NO cheese in the cheesecake bars?! Yep! They are gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly – the perfect yummy treat to make anytime!
I have a confession to make: it may be winter right now, but I am dreaming of the summer. Maybe it’s the cold weather that makes me feel this way, and an unusually-rainy season, here in the Bay Area, but right now I am wishing that I was somewhere warm, having a picnic with my boys, and not having a care in the world. A girl can dream, right?
But since I can’t make the summer happen with a snap of my fingers (I wish), I had to create a recipe that feels a bit like summer in a bite. These Blueberry Cheesecake Bars take me right back to that summertime feeling, of picnics and sunshine and giving zero cares.
Last year, I shared my Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake Bars and my Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, and friends, you all went WILD for these bars! Who knew that dairy-free cheesecake could be so exciting?! I know that it’s 2022 and there’s a million dairy-free cheesecake recipes out there, but, no pun intended, these recipes really do, “take the cake.” Why is that? Because they are SO GOOD.
These bars are creamy, they’re velvety, they’re rich, they’re delicious. And let me say it again… THERE IS NO CHEESE IN THEM!
In fact, they get their creamy, cheesiness from one of my favorite ingredients: cashews!
When soaked and blended, cashews turn into a creamy consistency that (and is) used as the base for many dairy-free recipes! From my Creamy Vegan Queso to my Vegan Falafel with Cashew Tzatziki to even my Dairy-Free Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream, all of these recipes use cashews as the base, which shows you just how versatile this ingredient can be!
The Secret to Creamy Cashews
You might be wondering, “Nicole, how do I make my cashews creamy?” and have I got some tips for you!! In fact, making a creamy, cashew base is incredibly simple and easy, and takes little-to-no time on your part!
The secret to making your cashews creamy is to soak them. I like to do this overnight, by soaking the cashews in a large bowl of warm water. This is the method that I recommend, because it ensures that they turn out the best!
However, if you are working in a pinch and didn’t get to prep (or don’t have time to), then there’s a simple, easy “hack” to achieving the same result. Simply boil a pot of hot water on the stove, and let your cashews soak in the boiling water for approximately 20 minutes. Then, follow your recipe as instructed!
What You Need to Make These Blueberry Cheesecake Bars:
This may look like a lot of ingredients, but the good news is that almost all of these are pantry staples, meaning that you can use them in many different recipes!
- Raw Almonds: Raw almonds will help form the base of our crust! They give the best flavor while still letting the “cheesecake” part shine, so I highly recommend them here. Also, make sure you use unsalted, raw almonds!
- Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon “Sweet Thins”: I love using these Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon “Sweet Thins” in the crust, because they’re the perfect sweet, grain-free and nut-free graham cracker without any funky ingredients! I linked them for you here. As an alternate, you can use regular graham crackers.
- Medjool Dates: Dates are one of my favorite “superfood” ingredients, because they’re high in fiber and antioxidants, and are naturally super sweet! I love using dates to add a healthy dose of sweetness to my recipes.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt never hurts!
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is an essential ingredient in any dessert recipe, and truly adds so much to the flavor profile!
- Coconut Oil: I recommend using refined coconut oil in this recipe, to help these bars achieve the perfect texture!
- Raw Cashews: As I mentioned earlier, raw cashews are the KEY to achieving the perfect, creamy, no-cheese filling.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Any non-dairy milk works well here! I use almond milk, and I recommend it for the best flavor, but any non-dairy milk is fine.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds natural sweetness without the refined sugars. Yum!
- Lemon Juice + Zest: Lemon and blueberry is a match made in heaven, so naturally, we’re adding in a touch of lemon by using both the juice and the zest.
- Blueberries: I strongly recommend using fresh blueberries in this recipe! Frozen blueberries are okay, but you won’t achieve the same, pretty “swirl” with frozen blueberries (they will likely bleed).
- Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is essential for helping our “swirl” come together!
- Water: And, of course, no “swirl” is complete without a little water to bring it to life.
How to Make These Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- To begin making the crust, start by greasing an 8×8 baking dish well with oil, then add a sheet of parchment paper, so that the bars slip out easily.
- Add the almonds (or cashews) to a food processor and pulse on “high” until the almonds are finely chopped. This should take about one minute.
- Add the remaining crust ingredients to the food processor and pulse for another minute or so, until a sticky paste forms. If it is too dry, you can add in water, a tablespoon at a time, until it achieves the right consistency.
- Transfer the mixture into the baking dish and use your hands to press it down firmly.
- Place the baking dish into the freezer while you make the rest of the cheesecake.
- Next, make the filling. Simply combine all of your filling ingredients into a blender and blend until it’s smooth!
- Then, make the blueberry swirl. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, coconut sugar, and water.
- Simmer your mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently for about 10-12 minutes, until the berries begin to break down and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Now, begin to assemble your cheesecake bars; take the baking dish out of the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling across the top.
- Dollop the cheesecake filling with the blueberry sauce, and use a chopstick to swirl it into the mixture.
- Freeze your cheesecake bars overnight, so they get nice and solidified.
- Once you’re done, slice the bars and enjoy! When you’re not eating them, keep them in the freezer so they stay solid. 🙂
I hope you guys love this recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think! And if you post to Instagram, I repost your remakes on my IG stories! xx
There's nothing better than cheesecake, and these Healthy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are a delicious, healthy, hand-held alternative to your traditional cheesecake. They're sweet, they're creamy, and the blueberry swirl makes for the perfect added touch. Oh, and did I mention… there's NO cheese in the cheesecake bars?! Yep! They are completely gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly, and the perfect yummy treat to make anytime!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- ¾ Cup Raw Almonds can also substitute for cashews
- 2 Cups Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins order them here or substitute 2 cups crushed graham crackers of choice
- 1 Cup Medjool Dates pitted
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil melted
For the Filling:
- 1 ¼ Cups Raw Cashews soaked overnight or in boiling hot water for 20 minutes
- ⅔ Cup Almond Milk OR Non-Dairy Milk
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup
- ⅔ Cup Refined Coconut Oil melted
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- ¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
For the Blueberry Swirl:
- 1 Cup Blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons Water
Instructions
For the Crust:
- To begin making the crust, start by greasing an 8×8 baking dish well with oil, then add a sheet of parchment paper, so that the bars slip out easily.
- Add the almonds (or cashews) to a food processor and pulse on "high" until the almonds are finely chopped. This should take about one minute.
- Add the remaining crust ingredients to the food processor and pulse for another minute or so, until a sticky paste forms. If it is too dry, you can add in water, a tablespoon at a time, until it achieves the right consistency.
- Transfer the mixture into the baking dish and use your hands to press it down firmly.
- Place the baking dish into the freezer while you make the rest of the cheesecake.
For the Filling:
- This is the easy part – simply combine all of your filling ingredients into a blender and blend until it's smooth!
For the Blueberry Swirl:
- In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, coconut sugar, and water.
- Simmer your mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently for about 10-12 minutes, until the berries begin to break down and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Now, begin to assemble your cheesecake bars; take the baking dish out of the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling across the top.
- Dollop the cheesecake filling with the blueberry sauce, and use a chopstick to swirl it into the mixture.
- Freeze your cheesecake bars overnight, so they get nice and solidified.
- Once you're done, slice the bars and enjoy! When you're not eating them, keep them in the freezer so they stay solid. 🙂
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see what you made – tag @kalejunkie
in your posts and I’ll re-share!
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