This cookie dough cheesecake recipe takes edible cookie dough to the next level by transforming it into a decadent, portable dessert that's perfect for any occasion.
Imagine biting into a creamy, dreamy layer of vegan no-bake cheesecake, laced with rich, dark chocolate chips and layered atop a base of chewy chocolate chip cookie dough. It’s so sumptuously rich, you won't believe it's vegan!
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📖 Recipe Overview
- Quick & Easy - You’ll only need to spend about 20 minutes of active time to make these chocolate chip cookies cheesecake bars. The refrigerator does all the rest!
- No Bake - Meaning they’re PERFECT for when you get a chocolate chip cookie craving in the middle of summer and the idea of turning the oven on is too much to bear.
- Rich & Satisfying - Cookie dough + cheesecake = party in your mouth.
- Made With Simple Pantry Ingredients - Chances are you already have most of what you need on hand.
- Completely Plant-Based 🌱- Here in the ATD kitchen we only make vegan desserts.
Are you someone who thinks cookie dough is better than cookies? I see you! 👀 Try my tasty recipes for Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream, No Bake Cookie Dough Bars, Cookie Dough Fudge, and Cookie Dough-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cups next!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
As promised, you only need a few easy-to-find ingredients (most of which are pantry staples!) to make these chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars:
Ingredient Notes
While I love this recipe for chocolate chip cheesecake bars just the way it is written, I want to make sure you have ALL the options to make it work for you. Here are some common ingredient swaps you can make:
- Rolled Oats - Also sold as “old-fashioned oats,” these have the best, chewiest consistency. In a pinch, you can swap in instant oats, but the bars won’t have the same structural integrity if you do.
- Cashew Butter - While the flavor will change depending on what variety of nut butter you use, you are welcome to swap in whatever you have on hand including peanut butter, hazelnut butter, or sunflower seed butter.
- Maple Syrup - I love the flavor of maple here, but you can also use agave nectar or brown rice syrup instead.
- Sea Salt - If you’re using a different variety (e.g. table salt or kosher salt), consult a conversion chart for proper measurement.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips - If you can’t find vegan chocolate chips, consider finely chopping vegan chocolate bars instead.
- Raw Cashews - Soaking raw cashews and blending them gives the vegan cheesecake layer added richness. If nuts are a no-no, swap in raw, shelled sunflower seeds instead.
- Vegan Cream Cheese - My homemade recipe is simple to make, but you’re welcome to use your favorite store-bought version instead.
- Vegan Greek-Style Yogurt or Skyr - If you can’t find any Greek-style yogurt, take plain plant-based yogurt and strain it using a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer for about 12 hours.
- Lemon Juice - Fresh is always best, especially when it comes to citrus juice. In a pinch, you can swap in bottled.
🥣 How To Make Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
These cheesecake chocolate chip cookie bars come together in just a few simple steps:
Step 1: Make Oat Flour. Add the rolled oats to a food processor and pulse until they form a flour consistency.
Step 2: Make Edible Cookie Dough. Add the cashew butter, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, sea salt, and vanilla to the oats and blend again until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Add more non-dairy milk if needed.
Step 3: Fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
Step 4: Make Base Layer & Cookie Dough Balls. Separate ¼ of the cookie dough and roll it into small balls, cover these, and refrigerate until later. Press the remaining cookie dough into the base of the cake pan and smooth it down with your fingers or using a spoon. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
Step 5: Make Cheesecake Filling. Add all of the filling ingredients (except the chocolate chips) to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth and creamy without any lumps.
Step 6: Assembly, Part 1. Pour the filling into the pan and scatter in the remaining chocolate chips.
Step 7: Assembly, Part 2. Swirl the chocolate chips through the filling with a spoon or skewer, then add in the reserved cookie balls.
Step 8: Chill & Serve. Refrigerate for a minimum of 5-6 hours (or overnight) until set. Once set, use a hot wet sharp knife to cut into servings.
🍪 Optional Variations
These chocolate chip cheesecake cookie bars are delightful as written, but there are plenty of ways for you to adapt them to your dietary needs and preferences. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Nut-Free - If you have a nut allergy, replace the cashew butter with sunflower seed butter, raw cashews with raw sunflower seeds, and use non-dairy milk that's nut-free, such as oat or rice milk.
- Gluten-Free - If you have a gluten intolerance, make sure to reach for certified gluten-free oats.
- Add-Ins - Feel free to get creative and add some extra ingredients to the cookie dough layer, such as chopped toasted nuts, dried fruit, or shredded coconut. You can also substitute semisweet chocolate chips for vegan milk, or vegan white chocolate chips,
- Different Crust - You’re welcome to swap in a different no-bake press in crust (e.g. graham cracker, Oreo, or ginger snap) for a different flavor profile.
📝 Recipe Tips
Don’t rush the soaking step. Raw cashews need a minimum of 4 hours soaking in room temperature water to soften enough to blitz into cheesecake goodness.
Quick Soak option: If you forgot to soak your cashews, shorten the soak time to just 30-60 minutes by using boiling water instead.
Use the right equipment. Investing in a high-powered blender (e.g. Vitamix) or a food processor will ensure your no-bake cheesecakes turn out silky smooth every time. Also, using a kitchen scale is the easiest way to have consistently delicious results.
Line your pan. Take it from me: parchment paper makes life MUCH easier.
Wipe your knife between each cut to ensure clean, sharp, professional-looking slices.
💬 FAQs
So long as it’s *edible* cookie dough that is safe for raw consumption, yes! If it’s not, you should bake the cookie base first before layering on a no-bake cheesecake layer, or opt for a baked cheesecake recipe instead.
Unlike traditional cookie dough, edible cookie dough is formulated without raw eggs (which can harbor salmonella) and without raw wheat flour (which can harbor bacteria like e. coli).
While some edible cookie doughs call for heat-treated flour (which means heating the wheat flour to 165F to kill any lingering bacteria), here we use rolled oats which are perfectly safe to eat raw.
These cheesecake cookie dough cookie bars will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the fridge.
Absolutely! They should keep well in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. To serve, simply defrost in the fridge overnight.
🍰 More Vegan Cheesecakes
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Description
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 250 g (3.09 cups) rolled oats
- 200 g (¾ cup) cashew butter
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) pure maple syrup
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) non-dairy milk, more as needed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 100 g (½ cup) vegan chocolate chips
Cheesecake
- 200 g (1 ½ cup) cashews, soaked *see recipe notes
- 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) vegan cream cheese
- 150 g (⅔ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt or Skyr
- 80 g (¼ cup) pure maple syrup
- 50 g (¼ cup) coconut oil, solid
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 50 g (⅓ cup) vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare: Line the base and sides of a 9” rectangular pan with parchment paper. You can also use a 7” or 8” round pan.
- Make oat flour: Add the rolled oats to a food processor and pulse until they form a flour consistency.
- Make the cookie dough: Add the cashew butter, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, sea salt, and vanilla to the oat flour and blend again until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Add more non-dairy milk if needed.Transfer the cookie dough to a large mixing bowl and fold the chocolate chips.
- Separate ¼ of the cookie dough and roll it into small balls, cover these, and refrigerate until later. Press the remaining cookie dough into the base of the cake pan and smooth it down with your fingers or using a spoon. Refrigerate while you make the filling
- Make the cheesecake: Add all of the filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth and creamy without any lumps.Pour the filling into the pan and scatter in the remaining chocolate chips. Swirl the chocolate chips through the filling with a spoon or skewer, then add in the reserved cookie balls. Refrigerate for a minimum of 5-6 hours (or overnight) until set.
- Serving and storage: Once set, use a hot wet sharp knife to cut it into servings.They will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the fridge. They should keep well in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. To serve, simply defrost in the fridge overnight.
Notes
- Soaked cashews: soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse, and drain. You can also quick-soak your cashews by soaking them in boiling water for one hour.
- Use the right equipment. Investing in a high-powered blender (e.g. Vitamix) or a food processor will ensure your no-bake cheesecakes turn out silky smooth every time. Also, using a kitchen scale is the easiest way to have consistently delicious results.
Nutrition
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