Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars!
These Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars are a super elegant and delicious dessert. A rich and creamy cheesecake filling is layered over a simple sticky pecan base and topped with a gooey caramel sauce and chopped pecans. This dessert is super satisfying and indulgent, but made with healthy ingredients you can feel good about enjoying over the holiday season.
This entire dessert is packed with an abundance of healthy fats, fibre, and protein that leaves you feeling satisfied. Combining your sweet treats with healthy fats, protein, and fibre allows the glucose to be absorbed at a slower rate, which reduces that sugar spike we often feel after eating sweet treats. These bars are also totally vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
They make a perfect dessert to serve at Christmas dinner, or a great option to bring to holiday gatherings.
For more Christmas treat ideas, try my Double Chocolate Chunk Peppermint Fudge Cookies or my Creamy Hot Chocolate!
Tag me and follow along on Instagram @livesimplyhealthy for more healthy recipes and nutrition tips!
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Pecan Base:
- 3/4 cup dates
- 1 1/2 cups pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 6 hours and drained
- 1/2 cup coconut cream the thick white part from a can of full-fat coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Caramel Sauce:
- 1/4 cup dates pitted
- One 400 ml can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans for topping
Instructions
- To prepare the Pecan Base, add the pitted dates, pecans, and cinnamon in a blender. Blend until fine crumbs form. Firmly press into a lined 9x9 baking dish. Set aside.
- To prepare the Cheesecake Filling, add the soaked and drained cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon to a blender. Blend until fully smooth. This may take up to 5 minutes. Pour the smooth filling over the prepared base. Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
- To prepare the Caramel Sauce, blend the dates with 1/2 cup of the coconut milk until smooth. Pour the date mixture into a pot along with the remaining coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk in the cornstarch while you bring the mixture to a boil. Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes while whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer gently for 20 minutes until thickened, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool before stirring in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
- Remove the cheesecake from the fridge once set completely and cut into 16 bars. Pour the cooled caramel and pecan sauce over the set cheesecake bars. Top the bars with the remaining 1/4 cup of pecans.
- Place the cheesecake bars back in the fridge to set before serving. Store the cheesecake bars in the fridge until a few minutes before serving. You can also store these in the freezer.
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