These rich and creamy cheesecake bars are neighbor tested and approved. Our nonvegan friends couldn’t believe they weren’t made with dairy cream cheese. If you’ve been craving a bright and fruity dessert with a bit of tanginess, this is for you.—LM + AM
MAKES 16 BARS
CRUST
1½ cups (136 g) or 1 packet vegan graham crackers (we use Nabisco Grahams Original)
6 tbsp (87 g) vegan butter, melted
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1½ cups (169 g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least 4 hours
¾ cup (180 ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp (20 g) lemon zest
¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
1 tbsp (15 g) coconut oil, melted
¼ cup (61 g) vegan cream cheese
½ cup (61 g) fresh raspberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
FOR THE CRUST
Put the graham crackers in a food processor and grind the crackers into crumbs, about 30 seconds. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in the melted butter, salt and water. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool while you make the filling.
FOR THE FILLING
Drain and rinse the cashews and put them in a high-powered blender with the lemon juice, zest, maple syrup and coconut oil. Blend everything on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and creamy. Scrape the sides as necessary. Put the filling in a medium bowl.
Add the cream cheese to the bowl with the filling and stir until it’s combined. You may need to really press the cream cheese into the lemon filling until it’s completely absorbed. Don’t put the cream cheese in the blender with the filling. It will make the filling too wet.
Put the raspberries in the blender and blend until they’re ground up. Then stir them into the lemon filling until they’re evenly distributed.
Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the graham cracker crust, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Best when served chilled.