No Bake Frozen Cheesecake Bars are creamy, frosty treats perfect for the summer.
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Happy Cheesecake Day!!
I originally created this recipe for an article in Mobile Bay magazine last July, and I thought they would be the best way to celebrate Cheesecake Day.
I mean, what better way to celebrate than with a no bake frozen dessert?!
No bake frozen cheesecake
There is no better way!
Especially when it feels like the devil is sitting on your chest the second you walk outside.
Who wants to turn on an oven just to get a treat?
Not me (which is why I made this easy ice cream cake for my birthday).
Changing the subject... have you ever had a dish somewhere and you still think about it?
A few summers ago, I had dinner with a bunch of girls at Tableau.
The meal was delish, but there was this lemon sabayon dessert that I still crave. The fresh lemon and the fact that it was cold was perfection on a hot June night.
Well, these Cheesecake Bars remind me of that dessert with the frozen texture and pronounced lemon flavor. They are perfectly refreshing and delightful on a hot summer day.
They are also improved from your regular, high in added sugar cheesecake. Dates and some honey are used to naturally sweeten this dessert which make it a little more nutritious.
How to make frozen cheesecake bars
The crust is made with ground almonds and oats + dates. The filling has cream cheese (don't you dare use fat-free! yuck!), dates, Greek yogurt, honey, and lots of lemon juice.
These Cheesecake Bars are a lovely dessert for entertaining because you make them ahead of time.
Just keep them covered in your freezer until you're ready to enjoy them.
Tip: they are best served right from the freezer.
No Bake Frozen Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats not instant or steel cut
- 2/3 cup dates about 8 pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 1/3 cup dates about 4 pitted dates
- 8 oz block cream cheese reduced-fat or full-fat ,softened
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- blueberries optional, for garnish
- lemon zest optional, for garnish
Instructions
To prepare the crust:
- Put almonds in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Put dates in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to 12 hours.
- Line 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, waxed paper or foil. Set aside.
- Drain water from almonds. Put almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until chopped, but not until they turn into butter (about 45 to 90 seconds, depending on your food processor). Add oats, and process until incorporated (about 20 seconds).
- Drain dates, and reserve water. Add dates to the food processor, and process until incorporated (about 30 seconds).
- Add vanilla extract, salt and 3 tablespoons of the reserved date soaking water. Process until the mixture starts to lump together to form a ball. You might need to add an extra teaspoon or 2 of the reserved date soaking liquid to help the mixture come together. You want it to hold together, but not be wet. (Add extra liquid slowly to prevent a soggy crust.)
- Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking dish, and place in the freezer to set while preparing the filling, or for at least 15 minutes.
To prepare the filling:
- Add the dates to the clean bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping periodically to scrape the sides. (May take about 1-3 minutes.)
- Add the cream cheese, yogurt, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt. Process until completely combined and there are no lumps.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the frozen crust and spread in an even layer. Cover lightly with parchment, wax paper or plastic wrap. Freeze until set, at least 8 hours. Remove from freezer when ready to eat, and cut into bars. Top with berries and lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
What to use in this recipe:
Meme
rachel @ atheltic avocado says
Yum I love lemon cheesecake! I love that these use only fresh, whole ingredients! Perfect for summer 🙂 Pinned!
Meme says
Thanks lady! It really is perfect for summer 🙂
Liz - Meal Makeover Mom says
Such a pretty recipe. Can't wait to try it. I haven't done much "baking" with dates ... so it's about time. Shared all around 🙂
Meme says
Thanks Liz! You definitely need to try these! The dates make it sweet without being too sweet - I looove dates 🙂