strawberry szn! no-bake strawberry cheesecake pretzel bars
don't think about... turning the oven on! + live video recap 🍓
If I had to pick a favorite season for fruit, strawberry season wins every time. There’s nothing better than those super sweet, juicy berries, especially when you turn them into a dessert. The smell of freshly chopped strawberries always brings me back to my grandmother’s kitchen where I would help her make strawberry shortcake as a kid—a dessert we always make around this time of year. And the inspo for today’s recipe!
Today’s new recipe, No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pretzel Bars, is built around my strong love for strawberries. A mouthful, I know, but worth every word (and every step). They’ve got a salty-sweet pretzel crust, a creamy cheesecake layer that sets without cracking, and a dreamy layer of sweet strawberry compote on top.
I’m not going to lie, these bars do take some patience. They’re definitely not a “throw it together in 10 minutes” type of dessert, but you won’t have to use your oven and most of the time is just chilling time! They’re also freezer-friendly so you can make them ahead of time and store in the freezer until you’re ready to serve, or pull them out for your daily sweet treat. Perfect for any summer celebrations coming up!
The recipe is below and this week’s Youtube video shows you exactly how to make them! Just click below to watch now.
Make the pretzel crust. Our base for these bars is a delicious combo of pretzels (gf or regular), butter (vegan or regular), and a dash of maple syrup. It’s so simple, and such a fun twist on a traditional cheesecake crust. You want to really grind everything up as finely as possible. This will help tightly pack the crust making for a strong base.
The “cheesecake” filling. I use the quotations around this one because the recipe was developed using dairy-free cream cheese, but you can very easily swap for regular! When whipping you’re looking for a super light and fluffy texture which is why it’s key to have your cream cheese at room temp before starting. Like cheesecake but no-bake!
Time for the strawbs. The obvious star of these bars! The strawberry compote sounds like it would be hard to make, but it’s really simple! I used fresh strawberries, but you can swap for frozen, just defrost them first and slightly reduce the amount of water used—start with a few tablespoons and slowly add more—since frozen fruit can hold more liquid than fresh.
And now we wait. I know quick, easy, delicious recipes are my thing, but I promise it is necessary and so worth it for this fun summer dessert! Plus, these are stored in the freezer anyways so you can make them in advance and they’ll still be perfect.
No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pretzel Bars
makes 16 bars | prep time: 45 minutes | chilling time: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
For the Pretzel Crust:
3 cups gluten-free salted pretzels
2/3 cup vegan butter, melted (or regular unsalted butter)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
For the “Cheesecake” Filling:
16 ounces non-dairy cream cheese, softened (or regular cream cheese)
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons milk of choice, if needed to thin
For the Strawberry Compote:
2 1/2 cups diced strawberries (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons tapioca flour, or arrowroot flour, or cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
🍓 get the detailed recipe instructions here
📷 watch the video tutorial here
🍴 grab all the kitchen tools I used here
what I’m prepping
Peach Crisp Baked Oats — from the June Meal Prep Plan this week!
Zucchini, Corn, and Orzo Pasta Salad — also from the plan, super easy to customize
what I’m loving
Porcelain Berry Box — for holding your extra strawbs! and so adorable in the fridge
Straw Bucket Hat — in addition to my spf this summer… plus so cute and 25% off!!
what I’m recommending
My cutting board — you guys always ask about my cutting board! got looks of strawberry chopping action this week
Supporting local bookstores — have to include it this week! ❤️ thanks to those of you who shopped small & pre-ordered locally. you can order a signed copy from Trident here!
live video recording: DTAD Q&A!
ICYMI I went live this week and answered your questions about my cookbook, Don’t Think About Dinner—including a BTS of what the entire process has been like! Thank you so much for your support this week with my cover reveal and book announcement ❤️ You guys are the best and I’m so grateful!! If you haven’t pre-ordered yet, you can still order here.
I hope you all have a lovely week, and be sure to stay tuned over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to see what I have for y’all this upcoming week!
This was a big win for the whole family!
I’ve been following for about 2 months. I had my first recipe that just wasn’t me or it flopped, not sure. The strawberry dessert was not my cup of tea. I wasn’t crazy about the texture being frozen and all. Way too sticky. Probably just me, I’m a texture eater.