After cracking the code on date-sweetened apple butter, we wanted to put it to use in something approachable yet delicious. We settled on cheesecake bars, vegan and gluten-free, of course.
We modified this recipe from some of our previous cheesecakes, but with a twist: swirled with apple butter and topped with an (optional but delicious) maple oat crumble. MAJOR SWOON. The best part? Simple methods and just 10 wholesome ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done!
These bars consist of four simple components:
- A 5-ingredient, graham cracker-like crust
- A creamy, tangy cashew-coconut filling
- Swirls of caramelized apple butter
- And an optional maple oat crumble
The crust is made in a blender and then pressed into a pan. The base is rolled oats, almonds, and sea salt with maple syrup adding sweetness and coconut oil for binding. When combined together, the taste is reminiscent of graham crackers!
For the filling, we used cashews and coconut to make it rich and creamy with arrowroot or cornstarch to help it thicken. Lemon juice adds tang and lemon zest adds tartness to balance the sweetness from the maple syrup.
Apple butter swirls add bites of cinnamony sweetness that further balance the tanginess of the cashew-coconut filling.
The optional crumble topping resembles that of an apple crisp and gives it that final icing on the (cheese)cake!
We hope you LOVE these cheesecake bars! They’re:
Tangy
Apple-infused
Cinnamon-swirled
Perfectly sweet
Delicious
& Have a graham cracker-like crust!
They’re a decadent fall and winter dessert perfect for making ahead and enjoying any time you’re craving something sweet yet wholesome.
More Vegan Cheesecake Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Apple Butter Cheesecake Bars (Vegan/GF)
Ingredients
APPLE SWIRL
- 3/4 cup apple butter (or sub pumpkin butter for another fall flavor variation)
CRUST
- 1 heaping cup rolled oats (ensure gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 1 heaping cup raw almonds
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 4-5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
FILLING
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup coconut cream*
- 1 ½ Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
- 2 tsp lemon zest (~1 lemon zested, as original recipe is written)
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice (~1 large lemon juiced, as original recipe is written)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
CRUMBLE TOPPING optional
- 2 Tbsp rolled oats (ensure gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 3 Tbsp almond flour
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 healthy pinch ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil (melted) or avocado oil
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- If you haven’t prepared your apple butter yet, do so at this time and allow it to fully cool (not included in prep time). Alternatively, use store-bought to save time.
- Add raw cashews (for filling) to a glass measuring cup or mixing bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let rest for 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour ) uncovered. Then drain thoroughly.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Add oats, almonds, and sea salt to a high-speed blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved.
- Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and add maple syrup and melted coconut oil, starting with the lesser end of the range (4 Tbsp or 60 g as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and adding more if it’s too dry. Stir with a spoon to combine until a loose dough is formed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a dough instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil.
- Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking pan and spread evenly. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, such as a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 375 F (190 C) and bake for 4-6 minutes more, or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly, then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to a high-speed blender with coconut cream, arrowroot starch, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, maple syrup, and cinnamon (optional). Blend on high until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. I added a bit more lemon zest for tanginess, or you can add maple syrup for sweetness. It should be a balanced flavor — both lemony and sweet. Set aside.
- To the crust, add a few spoonfuls of your apple butter and spread into a thin layer (it won’t cover it entirely or evenly — that’s okay). Then pour all of the cheesecake filling on top and spread into an even layer. Tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Add the remaining apple butter in small spoonfuls (~1 Tbsp amounts) and use a toothpick or knife to create a swirled effect.
- OPTIONAL CRUMBLE: To a small bowl add oats, almond flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut oil, and maple syrup and mix to combine until a loose crumble forms. If too wet, add more almond flour. If too dry, add more maple syrup. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the cheesecake.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears “jiggly” but not liquidy. It will be a little golden brown on top (especially around the edges) but only slightly. Resist the temptation to overbake.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, then loosely cover with parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6-8 hours or until totally set (preferably overnight).
- To serve, gently lift out of the baking dish and slice into even bars (as the recipe is written, ~16). Store leftovers in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month, though best within the first 2 days.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*In place of apple butter you could sub 1/2 batch easy baked apples (but chop apples instead of dicing). Add half to the bottom of the crust and half on top, then bake as instructed.
Steffi says
Do you think this could be made in a spring form pan, and served like a traditional cheesecake, as opposed to bars? I might try and report back…
Hey Steffi! That should work, but we would suggest doubling the filling!
Petra says
Hi, this recipe is great (even for a beginner like me)! Thank you! :) I followed the instructions and everything turned out perfectly! I waited a very long time to decide to make these cheesecake bars, and I am thankful that I finally made them! It’s a little more work but it’s worth it. :)
We’re so glad you got to try it and enjoyed the result. Thank you for sharing your experience, Petra! xo
ujwal meka says
Hi I was wondering if this could be oil-free. I was also wondering if I could sub out the arrowroot starch(cornstarch + xanthan gum). All I have tapioca starch and potato.
Hi Ujwal, the crust/crumble topping wouldn’t get crisp, but you could try a nut butter in both. Tapioca starch might work, but we haven’t tested it!
Mena says
The cheesecake portion was lovely but I found there to be too much crust. I prepared it in an 8×8 pan and it was almost half crust half filling which I will adjust next time. Otherwise, great recipe, I loved it, thank you!
How strange! We’re not sure why that would happen. Ours was more like 75% filling and 25% crust. We’re glad you still enjoyed it, Mena! xo
Jasmin says
Could you use store-bought apple butter instead?
Yes, that’s fine!
Dana Stanek says
Hi, this looks delicious. Just wondering if I could use almond flour (or oat flour??) instead of the raw almonds for the crust? If so, how much to replace the 1 cup raw almonds?
thanks!
Hi Dana, yes, almond flour should work. We’d recommend starting with 3/4 cup and working up until the crust resembles the photos/video. Hope that helps!
The Vegan Goddess says
I screwed up the crust by making it with cashews instead of almonds. Then I figured I would grind up some almonds and add it to the top of the crust to get the almond flavor but it made it messy for the most part and didn’t really work.
It didn’t come out looking like yours but hopefully the next time it will.
It is still an amazingly delicious blend of flavors and a decadent treat.
Glad you enjoyed the final product! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Theresa says
Could you sub date paste for the maple syrup? If so, how much?
We think so, but haven’t tried it! You may need to add a little water for more liquid. Let us know how it goes!
Cathy A says
I made these using the pumpkin butter recipe. Two days in a row. Brought them to a fall bbq at the farm animal sanctuary i volunteer at and they went so fast my hubby & i only shared one square so i made more for us the next day! So so good. Not too sweet following the recipe, which i prefer. And, i still have plenty of pumpkin butter left, after gifting a jar. Worth the time!
Amazing! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Cathy! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Nicki Escudero says
Mmm, this was my first time using apple butter, and I’m a huge fan! I love the nuttiness of these bars from the almonds. My non-vegan roommate was a fan, too.
I’m wondering — do you think these could be made raw, or what is the reason you recommend baking? I’m just totally curious, since it seems like *maybe* you could do this as a raw version, too?
Thanks so much!
Hi Nicki, we’re so glad you both enjoy them! Thank you for sharing! Baking gives it more of a classic cheesecake taste and texture. If you’d prefer not to bake it, we’d suggest leaving out the arrowroot starch and adding slightly less coconut cream. You can refrigerate it overnight and then if it is still too soft, pop it in the freezer for an hour or two to help it firm up.
Baiba says
Hi Dana,
I have made this cake several times (it’s the best!), but this time I got a request to make it with strawberries. I have loads of mashed strawberries in my freezer. Do you think I could replace the apple butter with them? Or should I sautee the strawberries with some sweetener before swirling them into the cheesecake?
Thanks so much for your fantastic work! My family is happily vegan for years thanks to you! :)
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Baiba! We actually have a recipe coming soon for this =) In the meantime, yes, sauté with sweetener first!
Julia says
This is the first vegan cheesecake I have ever made and it is INCREDIBLE! The steps were so clearly explained and laid out, leaving no confusion on my end, even though there were lots of moving parts. It set up fantastically in the fridge and tasted nutty, creamy, and deliciously apple butter-y. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe! 🍎 😊
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Julia. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Hannah Hearth says
This was great! I am not vegan, and ran out of coconut oil, so I subbed butter in a few places, and it worked great.
My homemade pumpkin butter was moldy 😱 so I had to pivot and use some homemade blackberry jam. Excellent substitution!
Finally, I think my lemon was quite a bit juicier than expected, so these almost tasted like creamy lemon bars, which I absolutely loved.
So all in all, mine were definitely different, but it felt like a foolproof recipe that was super flexible.
like whoa – blackberry jam! Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
Bea says
I made this! It was super tasty. After dessert, I let the rest of the batch on the counter and there was only one left in the morning!
I added the optional cinnamon to the filling which turned it brown rather than white so all the layers were different shades of brown; not as pretty as in the photos.
I also didn’t measure the amount of lemon juice (couldn’t be bothered to squeeze a lemon into a container and measure from there, squeezed it right into the mixing bowl)…so it was quite lemony.
I also also didn’t add any dates to the apple butter, but no regrets on that front, that apply butter is amazing – will be making another batch of the apple butter soon.
All in all, really tasty!
Not sure if i’d make it again unless requested by family but it was fun to try out.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Bea!
Emilia S. says
Hello! I just made this amazing vegan treat, and I am only annoyed that I didn’t make them earlier on the week. I did have to do some swaps, but it still came out fabulous. I had no coconut oil, maple syrup, and coconut cream, so I used tahini, honey, and soy milk respectively. Because the milk is so liquid-y, I cooked it with some cornstarch on the stovetop beforehand. It was quick so no worries!
Thank you so much for the recipe; I can’t wait to try another one this weekend.
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for sharing, Emilia! xo
Alex says
Amazing!! Sooo good! I will make this again and again.
Yay! Thanks for the lovely review, Alex!
Milan Lawrence says
Hello!
I saw this recipe and I knew I had to try it. I followed the directions and this dessert came out perfectly! It has a beautiful mix of apple and cheesecake. It was so delicious! Plus my family liked it! I will make it again in the future. Thanks, Minimalist Baker!! Your recipes never disappoint!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Milan! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sarah says
Looks amazing! I do have a question, do you have to bake it the second time? The filling seems similar to “raw” cheesecake recipes where it chills to set. Thoughts? I plan to make it with a passionfruit butter instead of apple, hi from Tanzania!
Sounds amazing! If you’d prefer not to bake it, we’d suggest leaving out the arrowroot starch and adding slightly less coconut cream. You can refrigerate it overnight and then if it is still too soft, pop it in the freezer for an hour or two to help it firm up. Let us know how it goes!
Sara says
These were absolutely delicious and one of my favorite desserts I have ever made. The apple butter took awhile but it was WELL worth the wait (and ended up with extra too!) Something I would try next time is to make them in a larger pan as the crust was a bit thick in some areas. To be honest mine did not look like the recipe photos, and I was a bit worried for how they would come out, but they came out perfect! Several of my non-vegan & vegan family members wanted more. Thanks for an amazing recipe and perfecting the dessert of my dreams!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them =) Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Sara!
Laura says
Hi. This recipe sounds heavenly, however I am allergic to maple. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute? Thank you!
Hi Laura, agave would be the next best alternative. Let us know how it goes!
Baiba says
Dear Dana,
Once I saw the pics and went through the ingredients it was clear I am making this ASAP.
I am used to your recipes being quick, so just watched the videos and started to cook. I was so surprised that I have to cook the apple butter for 2 hrs :D Well, ok, it’s still morning, so it’s fine. Once that was done, I started on the cake. When I took it out of the oven, I was in for yet another surprise – the cake should be refrigerated for at least 6 hrs. I have never waited for a food like that in my life :D But it was more than worth it!
I must admit that the cake being square doesn’t do it justice – I made it round, it looks as fancy as it tastes that way, so this will be a legit b-day cake on my very lonely b-day party aka Corona style :)
P.S. I suggest to add the apple butter with tsp, not tbsp, so it would be easier to swirl for us beginners :)
6 stars from me
xoxo
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Baiba! We’re so glad it was worth the wait =) Happy birthday! xo
ERodMcG says
Made this last night and it’s to die for! I subbed coconut sugar for some of the maple syrup in the crust so it would dry out faster. I also used some homemade coconut yogurt in the filling for tang. So delicious!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Franki says
I made this recipe this week – it was fabulous! We were surprised by how creamy and delicious it was as it was my first time making or eating a vegan cheesecake, and I shared it with my friends. We did a couple things differently. First of all, we didn’t have any almonds in the cupboard for the base, so I just used pecan instead… I think it may have been even better than it would have been with almonds!? Also, we used a combo of leftover apple sauce and about 3 apples because that was what we had in the house, and next time I would want to make the amount specified in the recipe because dang that apple butter is good. I will definitely be making this again!
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Franki! And agreed – the apple butter is slightly addictive =)
KWB says
This is amazing! My husband could not believe it wasn’t “cheesecake”. Thanks for a great vegan dessert! 😍
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it =) Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Michelle Bridgeman says
Hi, could you use almond flour instead of almonds for the crust? Thanks!
That should work, it may just be a bit more tender because it’s so finely ground and also blanched.
Nic says
Some of the best emails that I receive are new recipes from you guys! I just had to make this last night. I had to make a few substitutions to work with what I had at home. I used pumpkin butter instead of apple butter (amazing) and I had to reduce coconut milk on the stovetop since I did not have coconut cream.. and it worked like a charm!
I also had a gluten/dairy eating family member go back for seconds.
Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Aw, so kind Nic! Love your creative modifications. Thanks so much for sharing!
Anna L Kelly says
This is amazing and I want to make this! What can I sub for cashews? My son is allergic.
Hi Anna, macadamia nuts would be the closest sub! Enjoy =)
Meira says
I want to make this so bad but have ppl in my family who dont eat apples
Can i switch it out with a jam.or compot?
Yes, we think that would be delicious!
Tiina says
Holy moly these sound amazing, I can’t wait to try! What do you think of adding a little vanilla to the filling? Would it clash with the lemon?
We think it would be great!
courtney says
i’m allergic to cashews, but can have other types of nuts. is there something else you think i could use instead? these look amazing btw!!
Hi Courtney, macadamia nuts would be the closest sub!
Anna says
Hello! These look delicious and I’d love to make them. What would be a good substitute for oats (allergy)?
Hi Anna, we haven’t tried it, but maybe try sunflower seeds or buckwheat groats? Let us know how it goes!
Renee says
I can’t tolerate oats or almonds, do you have any ideas on subs for the crust? I would love to try this recipe!!!!
Hi Renee, we’d suggest this date-walnut crust. Hope that helps!
Debbie says
Can you use something besides coconut cream not everyone (my husband) likes the taste of coconut
Hi Debbie, it’s tricky to replicate the thickness of coconut cream. Your best bet would probably be a thick cashew cream or dairy-free yogurt, but we haven’t tried it that way and can’t guarantee results.
DV says
Looks delicious! Would aquafaba work in replacement of coconut oil in the crust? Thanks!
Perhaps! Let us know if you try it!
Fiorella says
This looks so good, but I have a cashew allergy! Is there any other nut I can sub?
Thank you
Hi Fiorella, macadamia nuts would be the closest sub. Hope that helps!
Bella Salud says
Hi Dana. Can I omit the oil in the crust? We are WFPB and do not use oils. Thank you in advance.
Hi Bella, we haven’t tried it this way, but perhaps try subbing nut butter? It’ll probably turn out more tender instead of crisp, but still tasty. Let us know if you try it!
d says
could you sub almond butter for apple butter
Hm, perhaps! But the apple butter adds a nice sweetness. We think another fruit purée would be better if apple butter isn’t available.
Cat says
This looks amazing! I am looking for a substitute for the cashews, I have a cashew allergy. Any thoughts? Perhaps pine nuts or raw sunflower seeds? I’d appreciate any feedback.
Hi Cat, we’d say macadamia nuts or perhaps sunflower seeds, but haven’t tried it ourselves. Let us know if you do!
Shelley says
Do you have raw almonds substitution for the crust?
Hi Shelley, we haven’t tried, but think pecans or walnuts might work (though you may need to reduce the coconut oil if using pecans). Let us know if you do some experimenting!