No Bake Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These no bake Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, super creamy, and completely vegan. Beat the heat with this refreshing small-batch frozen cheesecake recipe all summer long!
Happy belated Canada Day, friends! Despite the quarantine restrictions, I really hope you had a beautiful holiday and are planning something fun for this weekend.
Perhaps it’s a socially distanced barbecue? If so, I really do suggest you take advantage of the summer weather and whip up some of these small-batch, vegan Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars!
Having made three batches of these bars over the past two weeks, I can confirm they are exceptionally delicious. They’re the perfect creamy sweet treat to have on hand in the freezer over the summer – they’re incredibly cooling and have gotten me through at least one heatwave already!
The filling of these bars is similar to my Margarita Tart recipe, only I’ve made them more creamy and cheesecake-like by using coconut cream instead of milk. Plus, that roasted almond and date base is just… ugh… I can’t. It’s so dang good.
I can’t wait for you to try these no-bake strawberry lemon bars. I know they’ll be a summer favourite for years to come!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These lush no bake cheesecake bars are delightfully creamy, tangy, and sweet. You’d never guess that they’re dairy-free!
- As requested by you, this is a small batch recipe. It makes just 4 or 5 dreamy Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars, so you don’t have to worry about finding a ton of space in your tiny freezer.
- They’re vegan, refined sugar free, and gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy a refreshing summer hit!
- No oven required! I don’t know about you, but I hate turning on my oven in the 30ºC weather. So let’s just not.
- This is a no-fail recipe. As long as you have a good blender and a freezer, you can make these cheesecake bars easily!
Ingredients in these no bake strawberry lemon bars
- Fresh lemons: Because we’re using both zest and juice, fresh lemons are necessary for this recipe; both help make the cheesecake filling super tangy.
- Fresh strawberries: It would be hard to make these Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars without them! I prefer to use fresh as they’re easier to blend into the filling.
- Roasted almonds: The roasting process lends a unique flavour to this raw almond crust, making it taste similar to a classic graham cracker crust. If you don’t have roasted almonds, raw will also work.
- Medjool dates: To sweeten and bind the crust together.
- Raw cashews: Perfect for making our dairy-free cheesecake filling thick and creamy.
- Coconut cream: Lends a lovely richness and creaminess to the filling. Coconut milk will also work – just be sure to use full fat.
- Coconut oil: In place of gelatin or agar, coconut oil helps solidify the filling and hold everything together.
- Maple syrup: Our sweetener of choice for these no bake cheesecake bars. You could also use agave nectar.
How to make strawberry lemon cheesecake bars
This Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars recipe is pretty much a no-fail way to do summer desserts. It may look fancy, but I promise this is a super simple recipe to master. Here’s how to do it:
- Make the crust, then chill in the freezer.
- Make the lemon cheesecake layer.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake on top of the chilled crust and freeze.
- Make the strawberry cheesecake layer.
- Pour the strawberry cheesecake layer on top of the chilled lemon layer and freeze.
- Once frozen, slice the cake into 4-5 equal slices.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Serve.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- To prevent the bars sticking to the loaf pan, grease the tin with oil, not butter or coconut oil, and be sure to line it with overhanging parchment for easy removal.
- A high-powered blender will work best for these Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars, but a normal one is fine. You may have to scrape down the sides and blend a bit longer.
- Before adding the strawberry layer, make sure the top inch of the lemon layer is solid. Otherwise you risk both layers swirling together.
- I find it’s easiest to remove the bars from the loaf pan by loosening the sides of the bars with a palette knife first before trying to lift it out.
Looking for more refined sugar free no-bake desserts?
No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
No Bake Espresso Cheesecake
The Best Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Orange Creamsicle Parfaits
Homemade No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
Frozen Margarita Tart
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Parfaits
Watermelon Rosé Sorbet
If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this no bake Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!
Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These no bake Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, super creamy, and completely vegan. A refreshing small-batch frozen cheesecake recipe to enjoy all summer.
Ingredients
Roasted Almond Crust
- 75 g unsalted roasted almonds
- 60 g Medjool dates, soaked and drained (about 3 large dates)
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Lemon Cheesecake Layer
- 75 g raw cashews, soaked and drained (see notes)
- 80 ml coconut cream
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
Strawberry Cheesecake Layer
- 80 g fresh strawberries hulled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut cream
Method
Roasted Almond Crust
- Prepare a 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 inch) loaf tin by greasing it lightly and lining it with non-stick parchment paper. Be sure to leave a bit of an overhang for easy removal.
- Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. You still want some texture, so be careful not to grind into a fine crumb.
- Pit the soaked dates and add them to the food processor along with the salt. Whizz everything together until the mixture begins to clump together into a soft dough.
- Dump the crust dough into the prepared loaf tin and press it down firmly to form a base. Freeze the crust while you get on with the cheesecake layers.
Lemon Cheesecake Layer
- Tip the cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Remove 80ml (⅓ cup) of the lemon cheesecake mixture and set aside.
- Pour the remaining mixture into the tin on top of the crust. Smooth it all the way to the edges and tap a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles. Freeze the lemon layer for 45 minutes.
Strawberry Cheesecake Layer
- Add the reserved lemon cheesecake mixture to the blender along with the strawberries and extra coconut cream. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Once the lemon cheesecake layer has solidified, pour the strawberry layer on top and spread it evenly. Tap the tin on the counter to release any large air bubbles and place back in the freezer for 4-6 hours or until completely set.
15-20 minutes before serving, remove the tin from the freezer and let it sit on the countertop at room temperature. Loosen the edges of the bars from the tin using a knife and then pull the bars out. Slice into 4-5 equally sized bars and serve with whipped cream and extra strawberries.
Notes
- Soaking the dates and cashews will ensure they are soft enough to blend. Add each ingredient to a separate bowl and then cover with boiling water for 30-45 minutes. Drain the water away before using as directed in the recipe.
- These bars will keep sealed in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
