These creamy pumpkin chocolate cheesecake bars are 100% dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo, and require no baking! They’re made with a handful of wholesome ingredients including cashews, pumpkin, maple syrup, and coconut flour. Quick, easy, healthy, and oh-so-delicious!
The festive season is upon us and with it comes lots of holiday parties! I love to contribute with a tasty homemade dessert that shows everyone how healthy treats can be even more delicious than their conventional counterparts! I get such a kick out of people’s reactions when they hear the list of ingredients and learn that there’s no sugar, oil, dairy, or gluten involved!
These creamy pumpkin chocolate cheesecake bars were a huge hit this past weekend. Instead of cream cheese and any form of dairy, we’re using soaked cashews, coconut milk, and cacao butter to achieve that thick cheesecake-like texture. I highly recommend using cacao butter for an out-of-this-world flavor! But I understand it’s a rather expensive ingredient and might not be easy for everyone to find. So if that’s the case, feel free to replace it with coconut oil.
As I’ve explained in the recipe notes, if you’re using coconut oil, you can just melt it directly on low heat. But with cacao butter, it’s best to use the double boiler method. Heating cacao butter directly–even on low heat–can affect and change the delicate flavors! You can find cacao butter online or at your local health food stores.
For the grain-free chocolate crust, we’re using coconut flour, pure maple syrup, a bit of coconut oil, and a scoop of Detox Organics* Chocolate Superfoods Powder. I love how this product adds a chocolatey flavor, in addition to a variety of nutrients. It actually contains 25 different detoxifying and alkalizing ingredients such as dandelion, broccoli leaf, kale, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, ginger, and turmeric, but still tastes delicious! It helps remove harmful toxins from the body while boosting energy and reducing inflammation.
If you don’t have coconut flour or not a big fan of the coconut taste, you can make your crust out of nuts, like this Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Cake, or from a combination of nuts and oats to make it more budget-friendly, such as these Chocolate Blueberry Tarts.
Can’t wait for you to try these luscious pumpkin chocolate cheesecake bars! Leave a comment below if you try them, or tag me in your photos on Instagram and Facebook @nutriholist #nutriholist. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Yields 8 slices
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 scoop Detox Organics Chocolate Superfoods Powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Cheesecake
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2+ hours {See Notes}
- 2 tablespoons cacao butter, melted (or sub coconut oil) {See Notes}
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice {See Notes}
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Directions
- For the Crust: Add all crust ingredients to a large bowl and stir to evenly combine. Press onto the bottom of a 5×10-inch pan lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the cheesecake layer
- For the Cheesecake: Rinse and drain the soaked cashews and throw them into the blender with the melted cacao butter or melted coconut oil and the rest of the ingredients. Blend until completely smooth and pour on top of the crust. Return to the freezer and let it set for 2 hours
- To Serve: Cut into squares and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for long-term storage and thaw for about 30 minutes before serving
NOTES:
- To Soak Cashews: Cover them with warm water for 2 hours or longer (up to 24 hours). If you forget to do so, you can cover them with hot water that was brought to a boil. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then rinse, drain, and use in the recipe.
- To Melt Cacao Butter (Double Boiler Method): Fill a small pot about 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and fit a heat-resistant bowl into the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not reach the water (at least 2″ to 3″ space between the bowl and water). The intention is to heat the bowl with steam and not the water. Chop cacao butter into small chunks and place in the bowl. Once the cacao butter is melted, remove the bowl with oven mitts and let it cool for a few minutes
- To Melt Coconut Oil: Pour it in a small pot over and heat directly over low. Remove from heat after a few minutes when melted
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Alternatively, you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice)
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but all the opinions are 100% my own. I would never promote a product that I don’t personally use and love.
* As a Detox Organics Ambassador, I am happy to offer you a 15% discount on all your purchases from the Detox Organics website! Enter the promo code “nutriholist” at checkout and enjoy!
Leave A Comment