No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
These no-bake raspberry cheesecake bars are an easy and delicious treat. The bars combine the rich, smooth texture of cream cheese filling, with a chewy oat crust. It truly makes it the perfect bite. Of course, we can’t forget the raspberry topper to this dessert.
Equipment
- Large and Small bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- 9x9 parchment-lined pan
- Medium pot
- Stand mixer or hand mixer (or both)
- Whisk attachment
- Offset spatula (not required but recommended)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cup small flake oats
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Cream Cheese Filling
- 380 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature (Philadelphia recommended)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Raspberry Jelly
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x9 pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl add steel cut oats, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well combined.
- Add sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the butter. Once melted add to dry ingredients. With a spatula, stir mix all the ingredients together until well incorporated.
- Pour your batter into the prepared pan. With the same spatula evenly press the oats into the pan making sure it fills out all the corners. TIP: if you are having a hard time with the spatula, use a piece of parchment paper laid over the top to help even out the oats.
- Place in oven and bake for 20-25mins or until golden along the edges.
- Once done, place on a baking rack to cool (keep in pan). Once completely cooled whip up cream cheese filling.
Cream Cheese filling
- With a whisk attachment, place cream cheese and vanilla in a stand mixer while mixing on high speed.
- In a large bowl, add whipping cream and whip together with a hand mixer. Start on medium, then high speed. Once the whipping cream starts to thicken, slowly start adding powdered sugar.
- Continue whipping until it reaches stiff peaks.
- Stop the stand mixer with the cream cheese, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the whipped cream.
- Set the stand mixer’s speed to medium and mix together for 30 seconds.
- Once your oat crust is cooled completely add filling to the crust and refrigerate until berry jelly has cooled. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the oat crust (leaving ¼ inch from the top of the pan), with a spatula, off-set spatula or spoon and evenly coat and distribute. Clean edges with a paper towel, finger or tea towel.
Raspberry Jelly
- On medium heat add frozen raspberries and sugar. With a spatula stir occasionally. Once the berries thaw (about 5 mins) add lemon juice and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 min. It should look soupy at this point.
- Reduce heat to low for 3 min
- In a small bowl add cornstarch and 1.5 tbsp of water. With a fork mix the water and starch continuously (slurry). Whisk the berries as you pour in the slurry to avoid any clumps.
- Once well incorporated, increase the heat back to medium-high so it reaches a simmer (continue whisking). Soon as the mixture thickens remove from heat. TIP: A simple test to tell if it is done is to dip your spatula into the berries and run your finger through the sauce. If the streak remains once you swipe your finger it is done. NOTE: Heat activates the starch causing it to thicken. The longer you leave it on the heat the thicker it will get.
- Once complete, let the berry compote rest and come to room temperature in a separate bowl.
Assembly
- Once the raspberries have come to room temperature remove bars from fridge.
- With a clean spatula pour the slightly warm raspberry mixture over top of the cream cheese filling. Gently spread the raspberries over top until a nice even coat forms on the surface. Note: if the raspberries are too hot it will melt the cream cheese filling.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or pop in the freezer for 40mins to set everything together. Then you are ready to serve.