Cookie and Cream Cheesecake Bars {6 Ingredients}
Nothing beats a creamy and luscious cashew cheesecake with a delightful textural contrast of cookie crust. Made with simple ingredients, and yet packed with lots of flavors and textures, bars cookies and cream cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert or snack.
I am a big fan of cashew cheesecake. It is lighter than a conventional cheesecake but still has a rich flavor and creamy texture.
For the crust in this recipe, I used half cookie sandwiches, and half graham crackers to achieve the perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Among the silky and smooth cashew cheesecake filling, I folded in chopped cookie sandwiches so you will get a little bit of crunch in every bite.
Ingredients For Cookies and Cream Bars
Cashews are the perfect base to make a dairy-free alternative to the traditional cheesecake. Blending them up results in a thick creamy and smooth “cheesecake-like filling.
Medjool Dates are the perfect ingredients for cashew cheesecake. It is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. It provides a rich, caramel-like flavor that complements the cashews beautifully. Additionally, it adds a sticky and gooey texture to the batter, in place of eggs or other binders.
Sandwich Cookies are all about that delightful combination of cookies and the creamy filling. You can use Oreos or your favorite brand of chocolate cookies with vanilla fillings. Honestly, sandwich cookies make EVERYTHING better, like in my Cookie Brownie Bars.
Pea Protein Powder (optional) is my favorite way to give no-bake snacks a little protein boost. Because it also helps absorb the extra moisture in a cashew cheesecake batter. You can also use coconut flour if pea protein powder is not available to you.
Cookie Crust
Graham Crackers may be my favorite crust ingredient lately. You can choose vanilla, honey, or even chocolate flavor.
Sandwich Cookies are also used in the cookie crust here. I used my vegan graham cracker crust recipe but replaced half of the graham crackers with sandwich cookies.
How to Make No Bake Cheesecake Bars
Start by soaking the raw cashews in hot water and a pinch of salt for at least 2 hours. You can also leave it soaking overnight.
Rinse and drain well set aside.
Let’s make the crust first. I tweaked my 2 ingredient graham cracker crust by using half sandwich cookies and half graham crackers.
Now wipe the blender if there are chunks of the cookie crust left. Use the same blender for the cashew cheesecake filling.
What is So Special about the Cookie Crust
You might already know that I love my simple graham cracker crust because it is so perfect for almost all the no-bake desserts. Now I have elevated the flavor even more by mixing in sandwich cookies.
All you need is to blend half graham cracker and half sandwich cookies together until sand like. Then add in dairy free milk to bind them together to create a sticky texture.
it is the perfect combination of vanilla and chocolate. Neither flavor is overpowering.
The icing in the middle of the sandwich cookies gives the crust a little stickiness and more depth of flavor.
Chopped Sandwich Chookies in Every Bite
Not only do you get the thick and creamy texture of the cashew cheesecake, you also get bits of cookies in every bite.
I mean seriously, nothing beats little pieces of cookies in every bite!
How to Store Cashew Cheesecake Bars
These bars are the best to be stored in the freezer. Just like my no bake thin mint cookies!
There is no need to defrost. Because the texture is soft and creamy enough, you can just bite right into them like an ice cream bar.
I do recommend storing them after cutting into your desired size. So when your craving hits, you can just grab one out of the freezer and pop right into your mouth.
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Get the recipe:Cookie and Cream Cheesecake Bars {6 Ingredients}
Ingredients
- 2 cups Raw Cashews
- 1 cup Medjool Dates, pitted
- 1 cup sandwich cookies, ~ 8
- 1/4 cup pea protein powder, optional
Cookies Crust
- 8 graham crackers
- 8 sandwich cookies
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Begin by soaking cashews in hot water for a couple of hours. Drain and rinse. Set aside.
Cookie Crust
- Begin by pulsing graham crackers and sandwich cookies in a food processor or blender until you reach a semi-sand-like consistency. (If there are some small chunks left, it is okay).
- Next, add in the dairy free milk and nut milk and blend until you reach a thicker consistency. It should be sticky when you touch it with your fingers.
- Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, and then press the crust down firmly. Set Aside.
Cookies and Cream "Cheesecake" Filling
- Next, add pitted medjool dates, cashews to the food processor. Blend until it reaches a smooth and thick consistency.
- Optional step: if the batter appears to be too wet and hard to form, add in 1/4 cup of vegan peat protein powder* then blend again until smooth.
- Next, add in the sandwich cookies. Pulse a few times to break them up. Leave as big or small of chunks as you prefer. You may need to use a big spoon or spatula to combine the cookies into the cheesecake.
Assemble the Bars
- Pour the cookies and cream cheesecake mixture on top of the crust.
- Press down and smooth out until bars are even. Garnish with more crushed cookies.
- Freeze for at least 3 hours, then cut into equal squares, and enjoy!
Notes
The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.
