When the weather warms up, desserts have to be lighter, refreshing, and fragrant. It doesn’t feel good to finish a dessert and then feel like you cannot move for a year. Something about a chocolaty dessert feels heavy, but that’s not the case with this recipe. These zesty orange cheesecake bars are the perfect combination of tart and sweet. The acidity from the orange and lemon balance the sweetness from the raw agave syrup. Plus, there is an unmistakeable underlying nuttiness from the cashews in cheesecake filling.
One thing to keep in mind is that this is a sizable recipe. You’ll have cheesecake bars for days. If you don’t want to feel like you have to eat it all before it goes bad, we encourage you to pre-cut the bars and freeze them. Once frozen, they will stay fresh for up to two months. All you have to do is remove them from the freezer, allow them to defrost for a little, and then enjoy. The firmness from freezing actually makes the texture more similar to actual cheesecake.
- Prep Time:20m
- Total Time:20m
- Serves: 12 servings
- Yield: 12 bars
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Desserts, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 c raw almonds
- 1 c dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- pinch of sea salt
For the Cheesecake
- 3 c raw cashews
- 3/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 c raw agave nectar
- 1/2 c coconut oil, melted
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tsp. orange zest
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
For the Crust
- Add the almonds, dates, and pinch of sea salt to a food processor and blend until you get a crumb-like mixture. It should stick together when you press it.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper (an 8-inch by 8-inch dish should be good). Press the blended crust mixture into the bottom of the dish. Make sure the crust is an even, flat layer.
- Place it in the freezer so it can harden.
For the Cheesecake
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the the crust from the freezer and then pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust.
- Place the dish back into the freezer and let it sit there until it is completely firm. This may take one to two hours.
- Once the cheesecake is firm, remove from the freezer and cut it into bars or squares (you should be able to get about 12).
- When ready to serve, top with optional raspberries and orange slices. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to two days, but you can freeze them for up to two months.
