Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Cheesecake Bars by Rachael Ng @sugaredandstirred

INGREDIENTS

Cheesecake:

12 Emmy’s Organics Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies

1 1/2 cups raw, unsalted cashews

1 can full fat coconut milk, ONLY the solid cream - let your can sit (do not shake it) and scoop the solid cream off of the top. You should have ~1/2 cup of cream

3/4 cup natural, unsalted peanut butter (the kind you have to stir)

1/4 cup coconut oil, measured as a solid

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 lemon, squeezed

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

3 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder - regular cocoa powder works, too, but it will yield a lighter chocolate color

Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle:

2 Tbsp natural, unsalted peanut butter

1 Tbsp dark chocolate chips

1 tsp Dutch-process cocoa powder (for the dark chocolate color)

1 tsp coconut oil

METHOD:

1. Add cashews to a bowl and cover them with water to soak overnight OR pour boiling water over cashews and let them soak, uncovered, for an hour
2. Line 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper (cut big enough to hang over the sides of the dish) and press all 12 of the Emmy’s Organics Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies into the bottom of the dish until you get a tightly-packed, even layer - you can use a flat kitchen object to help you pack the cookies down
3. Transfer baking dish to the freezer while you prepare the cheesecake
4. Drain cashews and add them to a blender or food processor. Add coconut milk solid cream, peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, sea salt, and cocoa powder and blend until smooth
5. Remove baking dish from the freezer and pour cheesecake mixture over cookie crust. Smooth out the top with a spatula and then cover and freeze the cheesecake for ~5 hours or until firm
6. When you're ready to serve, set your cheesecake out to thaw for ~1 hour. After about 20 minutes, you can remove your cheesecake from the dish by pulling up on the parchment paper. Set aside to thaw completely. You’ll know it’s ready when you can easily slice down the middle. 7. Meanwhile, prepare your chocolate peanut butter drizzle by melting the peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and coconut oil, stirring until smooth
7. Cut cheesecake into 10 bars and use a spoon to drizzle each bar with the chocolate peanut butter mixture. Top the drizzled bars with coconut flakes, roasted peanuts, or shaved chocolate
8. Enjoy your chocolate peanut butter vegan cheesecake! And store any leftovers in the refrigerator until ready to eat