Nothing screams summer quite like blueberry and lemon- fresh, sweet, tart, and most importantly, colorful has hell to really embrace the season. I’m honestly not a big cheesecake fan, but I had Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars at a wedding shower TWO YEARS AGO, and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since. It was such a refreshing + light flavor combination, perfectly balanced with creamy + decadent filling, and a crunchy + nutty crust. Ultimately, it’s lead us to this day where I’m finally gracing you with my vegan (dairy + egg-free) version of these little sweet treats!
Let’s break this down….these Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars have a graham cracker crust sweetened with a combination of Vitafiber (for less sugar + a dose of prebiotics) and brown sugar (because what recipe does brown sugar NOT make better?!). Cinnamon is added (because duh!) and ultimately, this crust is so good, I really just want to pull it off the bottom of each bar and eat it on it’s own.
Next it’s topped with a cheesecake filling made from protein-packed tofu (don’t freak out, ok! I promise you won’t know it) and Kite Hill cream cheese, which is the only vegan brand I’ve found to like. When you’re zesting the lemons, I know it’s an annoying extra step, but it is SO WORTH IT to get all the lemon flavor from the oils in the skin. And then of course, sprinkle with as many damn blueberries as your little heart desires, because more is more and those babies are loaded with antioxidants!
The best part about these bars is they store in the fridge- so they’re a perfect make ahead dessert for entertaining, or just to have a treat ready to go for when those 9pm cravings for something sweet kick in. If I still haven’t sold you on them, my brother (the anti-vegan + anti-dessert crazy person that he is) WENT CRAZY for these, and even claimed these Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are better than real cheesecake… so they’ve gotta be legit, right?! Anyway, you be the judge, try them out and let me know what you think!
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars {vegan}
Refreshing + light flavor combination, perfectly balanced with creamy + decadent filling, all the while made entirely plant-based!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs - 2 sleeves
- 1/4 cup Vitafiber powder - can sub regular sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 5 ounces vegan (or regular) butter - I only us Miyokos vegan butter!
- For the cheesecake:
- 1- 14ounce package extra firm tofu - room temperature if possible
- 2 8-ounce containers Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese Alternative**** - room temperature if possible
- 1/2 cup Vitafiber powder - can sub 1/4 additional sugar
- 3/4 cup beet sugar
- 1T pure vanilla extract
- 3T lemon zest - from 4 large lemons
- 2 1/2 T arrowroot powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 14T fresh lemon juice - =1 cup minus 2T (about 4 large lemons)
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a food processor, grind the graham crackers until they are crumbs. Add the vitafiber, sugar, and cinnamon, pulse to combine. Last, add the melted butter, pulsing until all the crumbs are moistened.
- In a 9x13inch glass pan, spray heavily with non-stick spray. Pour crust mixture into the pan, and use fingers to press down into an even layer. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and edges are just lightly starting to crisp. LET COOL COMPLETELY ON A COOLING RACK BEFORE FILLING WITH CHEESECAKE! *This can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes. The crust can also be made and baked the night before the cheesecake.
For the Cheesecake:
- Drain the tofu, then wrap in paper towels to squeeze as much moisture out of it as you can. Add to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the cream cheese, blend again until smooth. Add the Vitafiber, sugar, and vanilla, blend until evenly combined.
- BEFORE SLICING: Zest the lemons using a zester or a cheese grater. Add to the food processor with the arrowroot and sea salt. Pulse to combine.
- Add the lemon juice, either pulsing to combine or stirring in evenly by hand.
- Pour half the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust. Sprinkle half the blueberries across the surface area. Add the remaining cheesecake, then sprinkle the top with the remaining blueberries. Bake at 325F 35-45 minutes, until set. Place dish on a cooling rack and allow to cool at room temp, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or over night.
- Slice in to squares. Serve alone or with dairy-free whipped cream and more fresh berries. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Allergens
