No-Bake Vegan Mango Cheesecake Bars (Gluten-Free)

These vegan mango cheesecake bars are the ideal summer dessert. They’re super creamy, refreshing, easy to make and the perfect crowd pleaser!

Using minimal ingredients, this three-layer mango dessert takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, and the rest is chill time. I love that I can make it and just let it set in the fridge while I get on with my day—no need to check the oven and panic that it may burn.

So, if you want a fuss-free vegan mango cheesecake, this is for you!

The different layers in these vegan mango cheesecake bars

The base

You’ll need only four basic ingredients for this layer—nuts of choice, coconut, dates, and salt.

You can choose whichever nuts you have on hand. I used a mixture of almonds, cashews and walnuts. I wouldn’t, however, use pistachios and peanuts (not technically a nut anyway).

The dates help to sweeten the base as well as bind the nuts and coconut together. If you don’t have access to Medjool dates, you can use normal pitted dates that have been soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, completely drained to make sure there’s no excess water. Use about 6-7 dates in this case. If dates are not possible, substitute it with 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup.

The filling

The filling is made of cashews, vegan cream cheese, and coconut cream. The best combination for making a vegan cheesecake.

Coconut cream is the thick cream that sits on top of a can of either full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. To make sure that it separates, place the can in the fridge overnight. I can normally skip this step if it’s cooler weather.

The lemon juice is there to add some tang, as you would get in a cheesecake. The maple syrup gives a balanced sweetness to this dairy-free mango cheesecake. Cheesecakes, by nature, aren’t too sweet. This is why I have only used ¼ cup of maple syrup in the filling. You can swap it out for agave nectar if you prefer.

The topping

It uses only three simple ingredients – mango, corn starch and lemon juice, it could not be simpler!

Just add the corn starch and lemon juice to a small saucepan to dissolve the starch. Then add in the mango puree and cook until it thickens. Pour it over the base and set it in the fridge!

Tips for making these no bake mango cheesecake bars without gelatine

Even though this mango dessert is so easy to make, there are still a few tips that will help you make them perfect every time.

• Since we’re not using gelatine (as it’s not vegan) and agar powder in this dessert, the use of coconut oil and coconut cream in the filling is essential for the bars to set. I wanted to use an accessible ingredient that will make this recipe much more approachable.
• The amount of Medjool dates that you use in the base will vary depending on how moist they are. If they’re a little more on the dry side, add one more. Mine were very moist and soft.
• If you’re allegric to cashews or don’t want to use them, you can substitute it for macadamia nuts.
• If you’d like to make this cheesecake cream cheese free, just add 1 extra cup of cashews in its place. It will resemble a raw slice rather than a cheesecake, but it will still be delicious.
• If you want less of a coconut flavour, use refined coconut oil in this recipe.
• Using a food processor for each layer is essential for this to work. Don’t be afraid to have it running for a few minutes at a time to reach the right consistency. This is especially the case for the filling. Alternatively, use a high-speed blender for the filling.
• If you’d prefer this recipe to be a cake, no problem! Use an 8-inch cake tin that has been lined with parchment paper and follow the rest of the instructions as normal. Keep in mind that you may need to set it in the fridge overnight.
• Use mango that you would eat raw. Some frozen mango is pretty terrible. When it’s thawed out, it can become even more unpleasant. I speak from personal experience. If you’re using frozen mango, find a brand that is high-quality and try a piece of mango before using it for the topping.
• This dessert can be kept in the freezer for a month if the cream cheese that you’re using is freezer-friendly. The Tofutti one that I used is not, therefore I wouldn’t freeze the cheesecake bars.
• It will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Kitchen tools needed to make these cheesecake bars:

You’ll need the following kitchen tools to make these bars:

• Food processor and high-speed blender (optional for blender)
• Small saucepan
• Silicone spatula
• Parchment paper
• Square baking dish
• Small bowl (to soak the cashews in)
• Measuring cups and spoons

This vegan mango dessert is:

• Gluten-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Dairy-free
• Free from agar and gelatine (note: gelatine is not vegan)
• Super creamy
• Easy to make
• Refreshing
• Perfect dessert for a tropical summer flavour

Other recipes you’ll love: 

1. Almost Raw Vegan Passionfruit Cheesecake
2. Raw Chocolate Orange Cake
3. Baked Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake
4. Rose and Chocolate Raw Slice
5. Raw Vegan Zesty Lemon Slice
6. Easy Vegan Salted Caramel Cheesecake

If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest.

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