Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place 2½ cups pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Step 2

Add butter and pulse until mixture is finely ground and resembles wet sand. Press the pecan mixture into a well-greased or parchment lined 8 X 8 pan. Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly colored and fragrant. Set aside until cool.

Step 3

Place the drained and rinsed cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut milk, and maple syrup in a high powered blender and puree until creamy and smooth. This process may take up to 5 minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Pour cheesecake filling on top of crust.

Step 4

Chop the remaining 1/2 cup pecans and sprinkle on the cheescake.

Step 5

If using maple syrup topping, combine the maple syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often until thick, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract and sea salt and let cool slightly. Drizzle over the cheesecake topping.

Step 6

Place in the fridge/freezer for at least 4-6 hours until firm. These will set up better in the freezer, but will need to thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes until ready to cut.