No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake Bars

5 from 2 votes
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These no-bake vegan cheesecake bars are as luscious as they look. They’re made with an easy, raw crust of cashews and dates and the cheesecake filling is cashew and coconut cream- based.

lemon bars with raspberries and cashews on a plate.
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This recipe was slightly updated on July 25, 2023.

We’re no-bake dessert girlies over here at Fit Foodie Finds. They’re the perfect treat when you don’t want to use your oven.

These vegan cheesecake bars are lemon-flavored and made with a chewy date and cashew crust (inspired by our cashew cookie Larabar recipe). The filling is next level. Soak cashews so that they become soft and then blend them nice and smooth with coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, and coconut oil.

What is in these vegan cheesecake bars?

  • Raw cashews: cashews are in both the crust and the filling. Make sure to purchase raw, unsalted cashews as the filling will turn out much better. We tested these with roasted and much preferred raw.
  • Dates: purchasing soft dates is important. Combined with ground cashews, they make up the crust.
  • Coconut cream: for this recipe, we used coconut cream which is slightly different than full-fat coconut milk. You can find this at most grocery stores right by the canned coconut milk!
  • Coconut oil: the coconut oil will help with the setting process because it solidifies at room temperature!
  • Maple syrup: we’re using maple syrup in these as the sweetener.
  • Lemon: we’re going big with lemon flavors in this recipe. You’ll use the juice and the zest.
a bowl of dates, cashews, and lemons.

Ingredient Swaps and Variations

This vegan cheesecake is a great base to use and run with. Don’t love lemon? Use a different citrus such as lime or orange or none at all. You can even make this recipe in a spring-form pan and serve it looking more like classic cheesecake. Or, whip it up in a muffin tin like cheesecake bites.

a few tips

  • Soak your cashews: soaking your cashews is extremely important in order to get the filling silky smooth. You can either quick soak them with boiling water or let them sit on a bowl of water over night.
  • Blend filling until smooth: make sure to blend the filling until smooth. You don’t want any little lumps!
  • Let set in freezer: we found that letting your bars sit in. the freezer for at least 2 hours was important because if it’s too soft, your bars will fall apart when sliced.

FAQ

Why do you have to soak cashews for vegan cheesecake?

In order to make vegan cheesecake filling you must use soaked cashews. Soak the cashews to soften them so you can easily blend them into a smooth cheesecake filling.

What is vegan cheesecake made of?

Vegan cheesecake is typically made of a cashew or coconut-based filling and some kind of no-bake crust such as nuts and dates.

Vegan Dessert Recipes

lemon bars with cashew cream and cashew nuts.

Storage

We recommend storing these bars in the freezer and letting them thaw a bit before eating. Definitely don’t store them on the countertop as warmer temperatures will make them melt and get too soft.

a stack of lemon bars topped with raspberries and nuts.

How to Serve Vegan Cheesecake Bars

These bars are best eaten slightly thawed from frozen. We loved eating thes with whipped coconut cream, but you could also serve them with whipped cream (not vegan). We also highly recommend serving with fresh lemon zest and your berry of choice!

5 from 2 votes

Lemon Vegan Cheesecake Bars

Spring has sprung with these delicious Vegan Cheesecake Bars. That’s right, this Lemon No Bake Vegan Cheesecake recipe is made with real ingredients and doesn’t require an oven.
Prep: 4 hours
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 4 hours
Servings: 12
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Ingredients 

Raw Crust

Vegan Cheesecake Filling

Instructions 

  • Soften the cashews. Place two cups of cashews into a medium bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for at least an hour or overnight. This step is crucial as it softens the cashews so they turn into a creamy filling.
  • Prepare the crust. Add the cashews to a high-speed food processor and blend on low until they turn into a cashew flower. Add the pitted dates and ¼ teaspoon salt. A process on high until the ingredients form a dough that forms a ball.
    peanut butter granola in a food processor.
  • Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper. Gently press the crust evenly into the bottom of the pan. Salt the top of the crust with the flakey sea salt. Set aside.
  • Once cashews have soaked for the appropriate amount of time (cashews should be soft and squishy), strain the water from the cashews. Transfer them to a high-speed blender.
  • Add the coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the blender and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
    a food processor filled with lemons and nuts.
  • When the filling is a smooth consistency, add coconut oil and mix one more time to fully combine all ingredients.
    a food processor filled with cream cheese.
  • Transfer the cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Spread it out evenly with a spatula and garnish with lemon zest. Transfer the pan into the freezer for 1-2 hours to set.
  • When bars are hard and ready to eat. Remove from the freezer and slice them into small squares. Top them with vegan whip and lemon zest.
    lemon bars with cashew cream and cashew nuts.
  • Serve immediately or store them in the freezer until ready to serve

Tips & Notes

  • This recipe was slightly updated on July 25, 2023.
  • When coconut cream comes in a can it is usually separated into a hard coconut cream and coconut water. We only use the coconut cream portion. The only instance this may not be the case is if it is stored in a hot place. Be sure the coconut cream is stored in a cool, dark place. Use the coconut cream and discard the water.
  • We do not recommend using coconut milk for this recipe.
  • Be sure to use raw cashews that have been soaked for at least an hour in hot water.
  • If you end up with a grainy cashew filling, that means you haven’t blended the mixture enough. If you do not have a high-powered blender, this can sometimes be an issue as well.

Watch It

Nutrition

Calories: 402 kcal, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 28 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 21 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.

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About Lee Funke

Lee is the founder of Fit Foodie Finds and based in Minneapolis, MN. She started this website in 2010 as a way to share her love for real food and wellness. The internet has changed so much since then and so has Fit Foodie Finds. Today we're a female-run recipe website publishing hundreds of tried and true recipes developed and tested by our team.

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Donna
Donna
June 3, 2016 7:55 pm

In step 4 of the instructions, do you blend the cashews with the water in which they were soaked, or do you discard the water?

Lexi
May 31, 2016 10:11 pm

Lemon is my FAV right now, and these look so creamy and delish!

Jamie
Jamie
May 31, 2016 12:11 pm

These sounded great, then I started figuring out how much it’d cost to make them. $20 worth of cashews and $17 for the dates. Also ran the nutrition numbers on My Fitness Pal and got 5000 calories, 300g fat, 216g sugar, and 482g carbs. My health and my wallet can’t afford these.

Chelsey
Chelsey
July 23, 2016 7:11 pm
Reply to  Jamie

This is a lovely dessert! I did have one issue through.
Where can I find coconut cream?
I had to make my own coconut cream with creamed coconut and this was not easy to figure out and I believe this also contributed to my dessert being super high in calories. In fact, almost the exact number as Jamie. I had to cut mine into 12 servings and ended with pieces totalling over 400 cal, 47 grams of carbs and 33 grams of sugar…. Ouch… because they tast great! So, since the only difference in my recipe is the coconut cream, can someone tell me where they get it or how they make it to be less calorically dense?
This dessert tastes perfect for me and I would love it to replicate the same nutrition information as the authors.
Thanks!

Cassie Autumn Tran
May 26, 2016 9:32 pm

Saw these on FFF and THM and fell in LURVE. So glad I came today! Lemon bars are soooooooooo dreamy, right? And so is coconut! The two paired together? I’m basically in heaven and it’s fantastic up here ๐Ÿ˜‰

Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment
May 26, 2016 6:05 pm

Lemon and coconut are amazing together. This recipe is totally awesome.

Brittany
May 25, 2016 9:31 am

I have been wanting to try Dana’s vegan cheesecake too so I’m glad to know it’s a win. I don’t usually gravitate toward lemony desserts, but these look AMAZING. Must try!

PS – Glad we’re back in action with the group posts this month. This one is epic!

Rachel @ Athletic Avocado
May 25, 2016 8:30 am

No bake treats are life savers! Mmmmm coconut and lemon are a great combo! I’m SWOONING/DROOLING ๐Ÿ™‚

Alisha
Alisha
May 25, 2016 8:01 am

These look delicious!
Any suggestions for an alternative to cashews in the crust and filling?

Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
May 25, 2016 6:55 am

I am OBSESSED with lemon bars…and that coconut addition? PURE GENIUS. Totally drooling over these. Pinned!

Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It
May 25, 2016 6:53 am

Amazing roundup! Lemon and coconut is like peanut butter and jelly for me. SO DANG GOOD.