These easy Vegan No-Bake Chai Latte Cheesecake Bars are super creamy and full of chai spice flavor! A creamy cashew cheesecake filling on a simple pecan date crust made in the food processor. These cheesecake bars are gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and no-bake!
Shall we make a fall-tastic vegan no-bake cheesecake that takes no time at all to make and tastes AMAZING? One that incorporates the flavors of a cozy chai latte into vegan cheesecake bars? I think YES!
As we are entering the cold months, two dessert flavors that automatically spring to my mind are pumpkin spice and chai latte. The warming spices of Indian chai spice are just the epitome of hygge! Combined with the creaminess of a latte? Heaven! If you aks me, chai latte is a combination that brings all the comfort and coziness we crave when we're cold.
This vegan chai latte cheesecake has a melt in the mouth texture, and trust me, it’s pretty much impossible to not go for a second square! These dessert bars are made consist of a coffee-infused and chai flavored cashew cheesecake filling on a no-bake date & pecan nut crust. The different layers come together within mere minutes and you will end up with a delicious cheesecake inspired by our "other favorite coffee shop fall beverage".
The chai latte cheesecake filling of this vegan no-bake cheesecake recipe is super creamy thanks to a combination of soaked cashews, coconut milk, and coconut oil. No dairy needed here, friends!
What is needed? Plenty of spices and a big pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness.
For me, these are just begging for a drizzle of caramel - just like the chai latte, we get at our favorite coffee shop. But you can skip it and just serve with pecan halves and a sprinkle of coconut sugar mixed with chai spice.
How to make Vegan Chai Latte Cheesecake Bars:
Step 1 - Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with coconut oil. In the bowl of a food processor, place dates. Pulse until finely chopped. Add pecans, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2 - Pulse until a sticky dough begins to forms, with small pecan bits remaining. (Do not overprocess or the crust will become unpleasantly oily.)
Step 3 - Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest.
Step 4 & 5 - Drain the soaked cashews, and rinse with cold water. In the container of a blender, combine cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, orange or tangerine juice (if using), vanilla, coffee powder, spices and ¼ teaspoon salt; blend until mixture is silky smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust spices, if desired.
Step 6 - Pour chai latte cheesecake filling into prepared chilled pecan crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula if you have one. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles trapped in the filling. Freeze until completely firm, at least 3 hours.
Step 7 - When the cheesecake bars are all set, run a knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting bars with a sharp knife. Cut into 16 squares (4 x 4). Garnish to your liking. Let thaw at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. I recommend you cut them with a hot knife while still frozen for a clean sharp cut THEN let them warm up a bit.
Forgot to soak the cashews?
If you forgot to soak the cashews, place them in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Storing:
Refrigerate bars in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Serve these with my homemade Coconut Caramel Sauce:
Combine ½ cup full fat coconut milk, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then drop the heat to low and let it simmer energetically. Keep stirring constantly until your mixture begins to both thicken and darken. This should take a minimum of ten minutes. Transfer to a container and let it cool. It will thicken as it cool. Store in the fridge.
Vegan Cheesecake Tips:
- For a chocolate twist, add some cocoa powder to the crust and serve drizzled with a simple chocolate ganache made with coconut milk and chocolate.
- The cashew nuts for the cheesecake filling need to be soaked ahead of time. This is important especially if you do not have a high-speed blender! Why? Well, soaking does not only gives them a silkier, creamier mouthfeel but also helps to make the blending process much easier on your kitchen equipment!
- If you’re in a hurry – don’t worry you can soak them in boiling water instead, then rinse and drain.
- Always remember to store no bake cashew cheesecakes in an airtight vessel, whether you’re chilling or freezing it.
No Bake Vegan Chai Latte Cheesecake Bars
These easy Vegan No-Bake Chai Latte Cheesecake Bars are super creamy and full of chai spice flavor! Creamy cashew cheesecake filling on a simple pecan date crust made in the food processor. These cheesecake bars are gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and no-bake!
Ingredients
For the pecan crust:
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates 150 grams
- 1½ cups raw pecans, chopped 170 grams
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cheesecake filling
- 2 cups unsalted raw cashews soaked in cold water for 4 to 10 hours - 300 grams - see notes in case you forgot to soak them
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk 120 grams
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp 120 grams pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil melted and cooled 60 ml
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice or tangerine juice (or add more coconut milk) 30 ml
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder or instant espresso powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Garnish: coconut caramel sauce see notes for recipe and more pecans
Instructions
-
Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with coconut oil.
-
In the bowl of a food processor, place dates. Pulse until finely chopped. Add pecans, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt and pulse on medium-low speed until a sticky dough begins to forms, with small pecan bits remaining. (Do not overprocess or the crust will become unpleasantly oily.) Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest.
-
Drain the soaked cashews, and rinse with cold water. In the container of a blender, combine cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, orange or tangerine juice (if using), vanilla, coffee powder, spices and ¼ teaspoon salt; blend until mixture is silky smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
-
Pour chai latte cheesecake filling into prepared chilled pecan crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles trapped in the filling. Freeze until completely firm, at least 3 hours.
-
When the cheesecake bars are all set, run a knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting bars with a sharp knife. Cut into 16 squares (4 x 4). Garnish to your liking. Let thaw at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. I recommend you cut them with a hot knife while still frozen for a clean sharp cut THEN let them warm up a bit.
Recipe Notes
Forgot to soak the cashews?
If you forgot to soak the cashews, place them in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Storing:
Refrigerate bars in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Coconut Caramel Sauce:
Combine ½ cup full fat coconut milk, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then drop the heat to low and let it simmer energetically. Keep stirring constantly until your mixture begins to both thicken and darken. This should take a minimum of ten minutes. Transfer to a container and let it cool. It will thicken as it cool. Store in the fridge.
If you tried this Vegan Cheesecake Bars Recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!
Priya Lakshminarayan
Wow they look so good! Love that they are vegan!
Lisa Huff
Ohhh these cheesecake bars look like the perfect holiday dessert!
Nathan
Oh wow, these look DANGEROUS. And the fact that they're vegan is even more so! Can't wait to give them a try 🙂
Emily Liao
Wow, these cheesecake bars were so good! I loved how they were chai flavored as that's my favorite! Will be making this again over the holidays.