No Bake Cheesecake Bars with Amarula Vanilla Spice and homemade blueberry compote. The perfect summer dessert with a crumbly gluten free cookie crust and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling.
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In collaboration with Amarula
Looking for an easy summer dessert? Love cheesecake? You simply MUST make my creamy vanilla cheesecake bars!
These bars are easier to make than a baked cheesecake and have a lovely creamy almost mousse like texture. Take a look at the recipe video to see how easy they are to throw together!
What’s Needed for No-Bake Cheesecake Bars?
For the Cookie Crust
- I used gluten free Digestive biscuits (the nearest equivalent to Graham Crackers in the UK) but you can actually use other types of cookies as well, such as Oreos or Biscoff.
- You will also need some melted unsalted butter to bind the cookie crust.
Cheesecake Filling
- Full fat cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
- Amarula Vanilla Spice – this smooth cream liqueur made with African marula fruit, vanilla and cream adds a wonderful unique taste to the cheesecake. You can also use Amarula in Grown Up Milkshakes, hot drinks, cocktails, or simply sip it over ice
- Powdered gelatine – helps set the cheesecake so that it is easy to slice and keep its shape.
- Double cream (heavy cream) whipped to soft peaks.
Cheesecake Topping
I made a simple blueberry compote to make blueberry cheesecake bars, but you can actually top them with anything you like, from fresh fruit to caramel sauce.
How to Make Cheesecake Bars
Make the base: Line a 8×8 inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper, letting the edges overhang. Don’t grease the tin!
Blitz your cookies into fine crumbs using a mini chopper / food processor and mix with the melted butter
Tip into the prepared baking tin. Use your hands to firmly press the cookie crust to create an even base for your cheesecake bars. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling: Whisk cold double cream until it forms soft peaks and set aside (in the fridge).
Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot water, leave for 5 minutes then stir well to dissolve.
Pour the Amarula Vanilla Spice in a saucepan and heat this over very low heat. Stir in the gelatine and take off the heat. Do not allow the mixture to come to the boil or the gelatine might not set properly.
Beat the softened cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract until combined. Add the gelatine mixture and beat it into the cream cheese.
Add a spoonful of the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining cream until the filling is smooth and no streaks of cream are visible.
Spoon the filling over the chilled base and level using a spatula. Chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-5 hours until the cheesecake sets.
Make the blueberry compote. Combine frozen blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla extract in a saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir in the diluted cornflour (cornstarch) and continue to simmer, stirring gently until the berries have softened and some start to burst. This will only take a few minutes. Leave the compote to cool slightly before serving.
Lift the cheesecake out of the tin using the overhanging paper and carefully remove the paper (helps if you have a cake lifter to assist you).
Slice using a large knife, wiping the knife between each slice. You can cut this into several small slices or fewer larger portions if you prefer. Spoon a little of the blueberry compote over each slice just before serving.
The cheesecake bars can be kept for 2-3 days in the fridge, without the topping, in a covered container. You can also freeze them (well wrapped) without the topping and serve straight from frozen.
Cheesecake Bars Tips and Tricks
Always use full fat cream cheese otherwise your cheesecake might not set properly. In the US you will find brick-style cream cheese which is best for this recipe. In Europe full fat Philadelphia cheese is a good option.
How to make a lump-free cheesecake: Take the cream cheese out of the fridge for 30 minutes before you start this recipe.
A light cheesecake: Folding whipped cream into the cream cheese will make your cheesecake lighter in texture, smooth and creamy. Make sure your cream is cold when you whip it and beat it on a lower speed setting to achieve perfect soft peaks.
Setting your cheesecake bars: I have added a little gelatine to keep the cheesecake filling stable and easy to cut.
Vanilla FTW! If you can, use real vanilla pods or vanilla bean paste in the cheesecake filling for best flavour.
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More Cheesecake Recipes to fall in love with!
- Biscoff Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Peanut Butter Caramel Cheesecake
- Light Quark Cheesecake
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
No Bake Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 225 g (2 cups / 8oz) digestive biscuits or graham cracker crumbs
- 115 g (½ cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 240 ml (1 cup) cream double/ heavy cream
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine
- 3 tbsp boiling water
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) Amarula Vanilla Spice
- 450 g (1 pound) full fat cream cheese , softened
- 240 g (2 cups) icing sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or ideally vanilla bean paste
Blueberry Compote
- 200 g (2 cups) frozen blueberries
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) diluted in 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Make the base
- Line a 8×8 inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper, letting the edges overhang. Don’t grease the tin, it will make lifting the cheesecake out impossible!
- Blitz your cookies into fine crumbs using a mini chopper / food processor.
- Mix with the melted butter then tip the crumbs into the prepared baking tin. Use your hands to firmly press the cookie crust to create an even base for your cheesecake bars. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks and set aside (in the fridge).
- Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot water, leave for 5 minutes then stir well to dissolve.
- Pour the Amarula Vanilla Spice in a saucepan and heat this over very low heat. Stir in the gelatine and take off the heat. Do not allow the mixture to come to the boil.
- Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the gelatine mixture and beat it into the cream cheese.
- Add a spoonful of the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining cream until the filling is smooth.
- Spoon the filling over the chilled base and level using a spatula. Chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-5 hours until the cheesecake sets.
Make the blueberry compote
- Combine frozen blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla extract in a saucepan and cook over low heat.
- Stir in the diluted cornflour (cornstarch) and continue to simmer, stirring gently, until the berries have softened and some start to burst. This will only take a few minutes. Leave the compote to cool slightly before serving.
Slice and serve!
- Lift the cheesecake out of the tin using the overhanging paper and carefully remove the paper (helps if you have a cake lifter to assist you).
- Slice using a large knife, wiping the knife between each slice. You can cut this into several small slices or fewer larger portions if you prefer.
- Spoon a little of the compot over each slice just before serving.
Video
Notes
- Always use full fat cream cheese otherwise your cheesecake might not set properly. In the US you will find brick-style cream cheese which is best for this recipe. In Europe full fat Philadelphia cheese is a good option.
- How to make a lump-free cheesecake: Take the cream cheese out of the fridge for 30 minutes before you start this recipe.
- A light cheesecake: Folding whipped cream into the cream cheese will make your cheesecake lighter in texture, smooth and creamy. Make sure your cream is cold when you whip it and beat it on a lower speed setting to achieve perfect soft peaks.
- Setting your cheesecake bars: I have added a little gelatine to keep the cheesecake filling stable and easy to cut.
- Vanilla FTW! If you can, use real vanilla pods or vanilla bean paste in the cheesecake filling for best flavour.
- Storing: The cheesecake bars can be kept for 2-3 days in the fridge, without the topping, in a covered container.
Nutritional Info
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Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
OMG. These look to die for. Absolutely stunning! Pinned x
Nic says
Thanks for sharing, these look yummy 🙂
Charlotte says
Best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted!!