Vegan Snicker Cheesecake Bars

For those that love snickers and cheesecake, you are going to want to tune into this blog post big time.  If either aren’t good enough on their own already, we’ve actually combined the two to make a dessert with superpowers.  And yes, we just compared this dessert to a superhero.  Don’t say we didn’t warn you, the taste is like nothing you’d imagine, it’s better. Oh and it’s vegan friendly, could it get any better!?

Let’s break this recipe down by layers starting with the crust.  The walnut and date crust, is the perfect consistency with a gooey texture but still crumbly like most crusts should be.  Not to mention better for you with the dates adding an all natural sweet flavor.  Yum! Next is the cheesecake filling.  It can’t actually have cheese in it seeing as it’s vegan friendly, but the combination of nuts, syrup, coconut milk, and oil is the perfect substitution and is just as sweet if not sweeter than we expected.  The final and most important layer is your salty sweet crunchy top.  Homemade date caramel, lightly salted peanuts and a dark chocolate drizzle is the perfect topper.  It’s hard we know, but give them the time they need to harden in the freezer, trust us it’s worth it!

Now that we’ve broken down each layer, it’s easy to see why it’s so amazing.  Each layer made better by the next.  We would like to get real here for a minute though.  Not to burst the happy bubble, these are actually a bit tricky and time consuming.  It’s a lot of step which can be overwhelming, and then the waiting game while they harden in the freezer isn’t to appealing to think about.  We don’t say this to discourage you just a fair warning to mentally prepare yourself.  Please don’t let this deter you from making these, and let us help you.  Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you have and we will do our best to answer them for you. We hope to hear from you, and happy baking everyone!

Inspirational Quote: “Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.” -Bethenny Frankel

Print Recipe

Vegan Snicker Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time

6 hours

Cook Time

6 hours

Servings

people

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup packed (200 g) pitted dates
• 1 1/2 cups (115 g) raw walnuts
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) raw cashews
• 1 tsp optional: vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) full fat coconut milk (or sub another dairy-free milk, such as almond or rice)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbs (45 ml) grape seed or olive oil (or use coconut, but it will impart more coconut flavor)
• 2 tbs (30 ml) lemon juice (1 small lemon), plus more to taste

Toppings

• 3/4 cup packed (150 g) pitted dates (plus water to blend)
• 3/4 cup (109 g) roasted salted peanuts (I like the roasted lightly salted peanut from Trader Joe's)
• 3/4 cup (90 g) chopped vegan dark chocolate (I like the 72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's)
• 1 tbs optional: (15 ml) coconut oil

Prep Time 6 hours Cook Time 6 hours Servings people Ingredients Crust 1 cup packed (200 g) pitted dates 1 1/2 cups (115 g) raw walnuts 1/4 tsp sea salt Filling 1 1/2 cups (180 g) raw cashews 1 tsp optional: vanilla extract 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup 1/2 cup (120 ml) full fat coconut milk (or sub another dairy-free milk, such as almond or rice) 1/4 tsp sea salt 3 tbs (45 ml) grape seed or olive oil (or use coconut, but it will impart more coconut flavor) 2 tbs (30 ml) lemon juice (1 small lemon), plus more to taste Toppings 3/4 cup packed (150 g) pitted dates (plus water to blend) 3/4 cup (109 g) roasted salted peanuts (I like the roasted lightly salted peanut from Trader Joe's) 3/4 cup (90 g) chopped vegan dark chocolate (I like the 72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's) 1 tbs optional: (15 ml) coconut oil

Instructions

1. Add cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let set, uncovered, for 1 hour, then drain thoroughly. Also line an 8x8-inch baking dish* with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the meantime, make crust by adding dates to a food processor. Blend/mix until small bits remain or it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside.
3. Add walnuts and sea salt to the food processor and process into a meal. Then add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms - it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it's too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add more walnuts.
4. Press the crust into the parchment-lined dish (see photo), until uniformly flat. I like to lay parchment paper on top and then press down with something flat - like a liquid measuring cup - and press down so it's firmly packed. Set crust in freezer to set.
5. Next make date caramel by adding 3/4 cup dates to the food processor. Blend until a paste forms, then add hot water a little at a time until it forms a nice caramel-like paste that's spreadable. Try not to add more than 3-4 Tbsp (45-60 ml), which will depend on the freshness of your dates. Set aside.
6. Add your drained, soaked cashews to a high speed blender, along with vanilla (optional), maple syrup, coconut milk, sea salt, oil, and lemon juice. Blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
7. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon for brightness, salt for flavor balance, or maple syrup for sweetness.
8. Pour filling over the crust and tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Then add half of the date caramel in small spoonfuls and swirl with a toothpick or chopstick (see photo).
9. Sprinkle the peanuts on top and tap once again so they gently sink in. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and then seal the top with foil. Freezer for 4-6 hours, or until completely set and firm.
10. When ready to serve, set out cheesecake (to thaw briefly) and top with remaining date paste and a few more roasted peanuts (optional).

Recipe Notes

Adapted From: Minimalist Baker