No Bake Snickers Cheesecake – a devilishly decadent dessert that’s free of eggs, dairy, grains, and refined sugars. Make it paleo by swapping peanuts with almonds!
Hi, hello it’s Friiiiday which means it’s time to eat ALL the chocolate.
Not that you need a special day or another reason to eat chocolate. I could easily make up an argument for why you should eat chocolate on any given day of the week, but I’ll spare you the details because there are more important things to discuss: like these snickers cheesecake squares!*high five emoji*
No Bake Vegan Snickers Cheesecake Bars
I’m actually a little sad right now looking at all these pictures and knowing that there’s none left. They were just sooo good.
Vegan cheesecake is the kind of thing that always looks a lot more complicated than it actually is to make. There are all these nuts and crazy things that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see in a regular cheesecake recipe that kind of throw you off.
Once you actually try it though you’ll see how easy it is to make – the most difficult part is to waiting, but maybe that’s just me.
This cheesecake is a combination of a couple of recipes I’ve previously shared. The cheesecake part of this recipe is based off of this raw blackberry cheesecake and the nut butter caramel is from these no bake millionaires I made last year. These are my two most popular desserts on their own, but together they are beyond decadent and delicious. Really though – just try it!
More Vegan Treats You Might Enjoy
- Chocolate Covered Dates
- Healthier No Bake Samoas Cookie Bars
- Healthier Homemade Tagalongs
- Gluten Free Thin Mints
- No Bake Vegan Snickers Bars
- Toasted Quinoa Peanut Butter Scotcharoos
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this recipe! If you have the time, I’d love it it you could leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
No Bake Snickers Cheesecake (Vegan & Paleo)
No Bake Snickers Cheesecake - a devilishly decadent dessert that's free of eggs, dairy, grains, and refined sugars. Make it paleo by swapping peanuts with almonds!
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 1/2 cup packed dates
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans or walnuts
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
NUT BUTTER CARAMEL
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter, or almond butter for paleo
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPINGS
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts or almonds for paleo
- 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate
Instructions
- If you haven’t already add the cashews to a bowl and cover with water. Leave the cashews overnight to use when you need it the next day.
Crust
- Make the crust by adding the dates and the pecans to a food processor or high powered blender. Blitz together until the dates and pecans are broken up into small pieces and come together. If your mixture is too dry add a couple more dates. You may need to stop to scrape the sides down occasionally.
- Press the crust into an 8in x 8in parchment-lined dish, until evenly spread. Use another sheet of parchment paper to place over the crust when pressing in the pan. This will keep the crust from sticking to your hands when you’re trying to press it into the tin.
Nut Butter Caramel
- In a small pot melt the caramel ingredients on a medium low heat for about 2 minutes (the maple, coconut oil, nut butter, vanilla, and sea salt). Make sure to stir while everything melts to keep from burning. Pour the caramel mixture into a small bowl so that it cools faster. Set it aside in the fridge while you make the filling.
Filling
- For the cheesecake layer, begin by draining the water from the cashews and then placing them in a high speed blender or food processor with the remaining cheesecake ingredients. Blend it all together until it becomes smooth. If you need, stop and scrap the sides down to get all the bits mixed in. This should take 60-90 seconds. (If you own a Blendtec, I put mine on the smoothie setting and that did the trick
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of maple if you like it sweet. Keep in mind that the nut butter caramel will add additional sweetness when we add it in later.
- Pour filling over the crust. Dollop half of the caramel mixture across the cheesecake filling and then drag a knife or toothpick across the top to create the rippled effect. Don't worry if it's not pretty because you're going to later drizzle dark chocolate and the remaining caramel over the top of the cheesecake. Take half of the peanuts (or almonds) and scatter them across the pan and press them into the filling
- Cover the cheesecake and place it in the freezer for 4-5 hours to set.
- Remove the cheesecake from the freezer to allow it to thaw slightly before cutting it.
- While it's thawing melt your dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments or over the stove top over a pot of simmering water on a low heat stirring constantly. Remove the chocolate from the heat and let it cool for a minute or two before drizzling it over the cheesecake.
- Drizzle the remaining nut butter caramel over the top along with the melted chocolate and remaining peanuts (or almonds).
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container and keep in the fridge up to one week or in the freezer 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- If you want to speed up the cashew soaking process cover the cashews with boiling water and set them aside for at least 2 hours.
- If you keep the leftover bars stored in the freezer I recommend you take them out and leave them at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften before serving.
- Hands on prep time is about 30 minutes, but these need time to set in the freezer for about 4-5 hours before eating.
Melissa says
Hey Sarah
Your nut butter caramel instructions are different to the nut butter caramel ingredients.
Was it supposed to have coconut oil in it?
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Melissa! I think you might have accidentally skimmed over it! Under the ‘nut butter caramel’ part of the instructions it’s listed in step number one in parentheses with the other ingredients.
I do just say ‘oil’ instead of ‘coconut oil’ in the instructions because I thought that might be implied, but I’ve specified it in the instructions just in case that might be confusing. I hope that helps!
Lisa says
Is it possible to use vegan cream cheese for the filling?
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Lisa! It’s hard to say without testing it myself first. I think you’d probably be able to use vegan cream cheese in place of the cashews, but I’m not sure how much of the other ingredients you’d have to change as well to adjust for taste
Kay-M says
These look soooo good – but, unfortunately, with 24 carbs for just one of 16 servings, they are too sweet for my diabetic husband’s blood 🙁 Guess, he/we will just have to drool!!!
Sarah Nevins says
More for you at least! Thanks Kay 🙂
Eleanor says
Hi there, is there anything you could swap the soaked cashews for as I’m intolerant! Thank you
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Eleanor! If you’re only intolerant to cashews and not other nuts as well you can try using another type of nut in its place. I’ve seen people use almond/macadamia instead of cashews before. If nuts are a no go then you can try using hulled sunflower seeds. Hope that helps!
Kirsten Braddock says
For the photos, did you make more caramel than the recipe calls for? That topping is amazing but it seemed like such a small amount. Also, it was hard to spread since it was so thick. Every layer was delicious. I’m dying to taste the finished product. Your photos are amazing!
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Kirsten! Nope – everything picture is how much I made for the recipe. I’m wondering if maybe you needed to heat up the caramel layer a little more so that it could spread easier?
Hope you loved it in the end! 🙂
maggie says
Hi ! Im making this today! , is it ok if i leave it on the freezer overnight covered and put in on the fridge on the morning while im at work and then do the finishing touches the next day? ( drizzle the nut butter caramel and melted chocolate, and toppings) or can i leave it all the time on the freezer until im back to finish it??
Thank you!!
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Maggie! Either way will work so whichever is easiest for you! If it’s kept in the freezer the whole time it will just need about 15-20 minutes to defrost before you’re able to enjoy it so it’s not too solid to eat. Hope you love it!
Poli says
Your first ingredient is “packed.” What is that?
Sarah says
Whoops! I must have accidentally deleted that when trying to fix another typo! It’s packed dates – thanks for pointing that out to me!
Mo says
Hi! Could I use a springform pan to make these, instead of the 8×8 you listed?
Thank you!
Sarah says
absolutely!
Mo says
Thanks! Made it today, and it was scrumptious! Great recipe!
Sarah says
Awesome! So glad you liked them! Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know what you thought!
Angelita Guy says
Your photos are way too realistic. You are not nice to make us all drool! Can’t wait to try these! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
Haha thanks! *mission accomplished* Hope you love them as much as we do here!
Jo says
I am so impressed by this and it will now be one of my go to desserts all the time! So delicious and am trying really hard not to scoff it all (but I probably could right as it’s healthy yeah) still trying to get my head around something that tastes this good is actually good for me!
Any idea how many calories in this? (I don’t usually calorie count but am interested… )
Sarah says
Hi Jo! Really glad you like it! This is definitely one of our favourites! If you divide the bars up into 16 pieces like I recommend then they come out to about 300 calories each (it will vary slightly depending on whether or not your use pecans/walnuts & what type of chocolate). Because of the nuts/dates they do pack in a punch calorie wise. Though these are definitely healthier than regular cheesecake/snickers bars I think it’s still important to remember not to eat too much – which I know for myself can be tricky because I have such a sweet tooth!
Thanks so much for coming back to let me know what you thought!
Jo says
Thanks for that I cut mine into about 5×5 (25 pieces) and used pecans & peanuts (but will try walnuts and almonds next time) so thanks for the indication for the 4×4 😋 I do love a Snickers and a cheesecake so am very happy to find this healthy refined sugar free version! But yes will keep with the portions (as hard as it is) due to the nuts and dates.
Freezes so well too and delicious frozen (I’m in QLD, Australia so it’s summer here atm)