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–+ servings
Dessert

Vegan Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars

Remember those Philadelphia Cheesecake bars from the early 2000's? They were pretty much the purest form of ecstasy when I was a kid, so I found out how to make them–and, make them vegan!
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Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 40 minutes
Yield8 bars

INGREDIENTS

Graham Cracker Crust
  • 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs (1 sleeve)
  • 6 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1/4 c white sugar
Cheesecake Filling
  • 1 c raw cashews (soaked and drained*)
  • 1 c coconut cream**
  • 8 oz vegan cream cheese (this is the brand I used)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 c maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 200 g fresh strawberries (about 1/2 of a standard container)
Strawberry Topping
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 c water
White Chocolate Drizzle
  • 1/2 c white chocolate chips (melted)

INSTRUCTIONS

Graham Cracker Crust
  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  • Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and press into the pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly as you work on the cheesecake.
Cheesecake Filling
  • Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to food processor along with coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, cornstarch, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon juice, and salt. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth.
  • Pour cheesecake filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears only slightly “jiggly”. When you shake it, only the center should jiggle.
  • Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Strawberry Topping
  • Place all strawberry ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring mixture to a simmer.
  • As it's simmering, mash the strawberries with a fork until they liquify. Continue stirring and checking on the strawberries as it cooks down. It should reach jam consistency after about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Once cheesecake has cooled, remove from refrigerator and slice into 8 bars.
Assembly
  • Using a spoon, scoop out the middle of each bar so there is a well in the center.
  • Spoon strawberry filling into the center.
  • Use a fork to drizzle melted chocolate on top of cheesecake bars.
  • Store cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep fresh for about 3 days.

Notes

*Cashews: to soak your cashews, place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 10 minutes. This will soften the cashews and make them creamier once blended.
**Coconut cream: this is the solid part of coconut milk that hardens at the top of a refrigerated can. Scoop this out, and use the liquid milk at the bottom for something else! You can also buy store bought coconut cream (Trader Joe's makes a good one).