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A slice of paleo, vegan, and gluten free strawberry cheesecake bars on a white plate, topped with whipped coconut cream and strawberry powder.
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4.79 from 14 votes

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free)

These no-bake strawberry cheesecake bars are tangy, creamy, and fruity with a crunchy and nutty crust! Whip up a batch without turning on the oven and share them with all your vegan, paleo, and gluten-free pals!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Chilling time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Dairy-free, gluten free mug cake, grain-free, nom nom paleo, nomnompaleo, paleo, strawberry cheesecake bars, Vegan
Servings: 16
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

Crust

  • cups toasted almond slivers
  • 1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil melted
  • ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Strawberry Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 cups freeze dried strawberries
  • 2 cups raw cashews soaked (See note below on how to soak cashews.)
  • cup full-fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup refined coconut oil melted
  • cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 
  • Whipped coconut cream optional topping

Instructions

Make the crust

  • Place the toasted slivered almonds and coconut flakes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them together until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal.
  • Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Pulse until combined. The crumbs should stick together when you pinch some together between your fingers.
  • Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper and transfer the crust ingredients into the pan. Use an offset spatula to make sure the crust is evenly distributed on the bottom.
  • Place the crust in the freezer while you make the filling.

Make the filling and assemble the bars

  • Toss the freeze dried strawberries into a powerful blender and blend until a fine powder is formed. Remove 1 tablespoon of powder and set aside to dust on top of the bars later, if desired.
  • Add the drained cashews, coconut milk, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the blender. Blitz until very smooth and uniformly pink. Taste for sweetness and tanginess and adjust with additional maple syrup and/or lemon juice if needed.
  • Pour the filling onto the crust in the parchment-lined pan and smooth the top of the cheesecake with an offset spatula.
  • Pop the pan, uncovered, in the freezer. When the pan has cooled for an hour, cover the pan tightly with foil and freeze for at least 4 hours or until set. (I don’t cover these bars right away because there can be condensation that forms on the underside of the foil if covered immediately.)
  • Ready to eat? You can thaw the cheesecake in the fridge for about 2 hours before serving or you can leave it out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before dessert time.
  • Remove the bars from the pan, by pulling up on the parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut the bars into 16 squares. If desired, top the bars with whipped coconut cream and a dusting of the reserved freeze-dried strawberry powder!

Video

Notes

You can quickly soak the cashews in boiling water for 15 to 30 minutes (or in room temperature water for about 4 hours).
Storage Instructions:
Store the leftover cut-up strawberry cheesecake bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also store the bars in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The bars taste great straight from the freezer, but if you prefer a softer and creamier texture, thaw them in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 651mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 0.4IU | Vitamin C: 364mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 8mg