Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Serves 16

Pecan crust:

13 oz. (375g) raw pecans, divided

5 tbsp. coconut sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

6 tbsp. plant based butter, cubed

Vegan cheesecake filling:

5 oz. (140g) raw cashews

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2.7 fl oz. (80ml) melted

coconut oil

4 fl oz. (120ml) full-fat coconut milk

4 fl oz. (120ml) maple syrup

Maple caramel topping:

2 fl oz. (60ml) maple syrup

1 tbsp. almond butter

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

¼ tbsp. salt

What you need to do

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8x8-inch pan with baking paper.

Place 10.5 oz. (300g) of the pecans, the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is finely ground and resembles wet sand. Press the pecan mixture into the baking pan and bake in the hot oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool.

In the meantime, boil the cashews in water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. Add the cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut milk and maple syrup to a high-speed blender and puree until smooth. Spread the cheesecake filling on top of the baked crust.

Chop the remaining pecans and sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake.

Make the maple caramel topping by combining the maple syrup and almond butter in a small pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat, stirring often, then whisk in the vanilla extract and salt and set aside to cool slightly.

Drizzle the caramel over the cheesecake and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours until firm.

When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes.