Salted caramel pretzel cheesecake bars, decorated as Reindeers for Christmas are the perfect Holiday treat. A buttery biscuit, pretzel base has a salted caramel cheesecake filling, topped with luscious caramel sauce, pretzel antlers, a cherry nose and chocolate detailing. No-Bake, No-Egg, No-Dairy and easily made gluten-free.
No-Bake Reindeer Cheesecake Bars
Imagine delighting your guests this holiday season with these absolutely adorable, festive, and not forgetting delicious reindeer cheesecake bars. No-Bake Reindeer Cheesecake Bars are not only delicious but also irresistibly cute, decorated to look like reindeer for a touch of Christmas magic. Each bar has a buttery biscuit, salted pretzel base, smooth and creamy vegan “cheesecake” layer, and a thick layer of gooey salted caramel. The salty-sweet combination, along with fun reindeer faces made using pretzels for antlers and glacé cherries for the noses, will make these treats a gorgeous addition to your holiday dessert table. Easy to make and no oven required—these treats are bound to be a Christmas hit! Happy Baking!
Looking for more festive recipes, check out my:
- Best EVER Vegan Christmas Pudding
- Vegan Peppermint Christmas Tree Cake
- Vegan Pine Cone Truffles
- Gluten-free Vegan Mini Yule Logs
- Vegan Black Forest Sheet Cake
- Easy Vegan Gingerbread Steamed Pudding
- No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Orange Cheesecakes
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Here are some reasons why you’ll absolutely love my no-bake reindeer cheesecake bars –
- Ultra creamy – Made using dairy-free cream cheese and soaked cashew nuts, they blend up into the creamiest cheesecake filling ever!
- Vegan – This recipe is 100% vegan / plant based, doesn’t contain any animal ingredients.
- Easily made gluten-free – Swap out gluten / wheat biscuits and pretzels for gluten-free versions. The filling and caramel is naturally gluten-free so no adjustments needed there.
- Super cute – The reindeer decoration is simple yet effective, sure to put a smile on anyones face.
- Fun for the family – A super fun dessert for all the family, little and big kids alike to get involved in making and decorating.
- Salty and sweet combo – The combo of salty and sweet is heaven. The salt from the pretzels pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the cheesecake filling and caramel sauce.
- Great make ahead dessert: Prepare them in advance and store them in the fridge, so they’re ready to decorate and serve when you need them.
- No-Bake: No need to turn on the oven with this recipe! These bars are simple and easy to prepare, ideal for busy schedules (which is everyones over the Holidays).
Cheesecake bar ingredients:
- Biscuits / cookies : You want to use plain biscuits / cookies for the base. I wouldnt recommend cream filled, simply plain. Alternatively, you can use gluten-free.
- Pretzels: Use mini salted pretzels for inside the base and for decoration. Again, you can use gluten-free to make this recipe wheat / gluten-free.
- Dairy-free butter : My go-to vegan block butters are Flora Plant Butter and Naturli Vegan Block.
- Cashew nuts : Make sure the nuts are soaked in water to soften before using. Details of this step is in the method.
- Dairy-free cream cheese : Use a good quality vegan / dairy-free cream cheese such as Violife, Miyoko’s or Kite Hill for example.
- Icing / powdered sugar : Sift before using to remove any lumps.
- Coconut cream : Use the thick white cream from a can of coconut milk.
- Caramel: Make a batch of my vegan caramel sauce in advance, adding in a sprinkle of some flaked sea salt (optional, but adds to the salted caramel flavour of the dessert).
- Dairy-free white and dark chocolate:
- Glacé cherries: Cut in half and place on top for the reindeer nose. If you don’t like glacé cherries, you can use fresh cherries or a red sweet / candy.
Recipe tips and tricks
Here are some tips and tricks to make my no-bake reindeer cheesecake bars as delicious and foolproof as possible:
- Coconut cream: For a smooth, creamy filling, use full-fat coconut cream from a can of coconut milk. Drain the clear liquid from a can of coconut milk and only use the thick, white cream.
- Soak the cashew nuts overnight: Soak the cashews overnight or for at least 4 hours in water. This softens them and ensures a silky-smooth texture, and helps them to blend easy.
- Salt the caramel: Salted caramel can vary by taste, so start with a pinch and taste as you go. Use my homemade Vegan Caramel Sauce, make a batch and add in as much or as little salt as you like. I opt for a flaked sea salt for optimal flavour.
- Chill the base / crust: After pressing the biscuit / pretzel crust into the tin, chill it for at least 10 minutes. This helps it firm up, making it easier to spread the filling over the top.
- Use a loose base / push up tin: This makes removing the bars super easy. Also line with grease proof paper and leave an overhang so you can lift the entire block out to slice cleanly.
- Freeze for cleaner slicing: If you want perfect cheesecake slices, freeze the bars for about 20 minutes before slicing. Use a warm knife (dip in hot water and wipe) for neat cuts.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage. They’re delicious straight from the fridge or slightly softened from the freezer.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram , TikTok and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
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No-Bake Reindeer Cheesecake Bars
- Total Time: Overnight
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
No-Bake and Vegan salted caramel cheesecake bars, decorated as reindeer for the holidays. Easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 110g of dairy-free butter
- 250g of plain biscuits / cookies
- 50g of salted pretzels
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling
- 200g of cashew nuts (see step 1 for prep details)
- 500g of dairy-free cream cheese
- 150g of icing / powdered sugar
- 10g of coconut cream (See notes)
- 50g of vegan caramel sauce (homemade, or store bought)
- 1 teaspoon of flaked sea salt
Ingredients for the toping
- Mini salted pretzels (2 per cheesecake bar)
- Glacé cherries (1 per cheesecake bar)
- 80g of dairy-free dark chocolate
Instructions
Method (cheesecake)
- Line the base of a loose base, 8×8 square cake tin with grease proof paper. Add the dairy-free butter into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the biscuits and pretzels to a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers and should hold its shape. Press the mixture in the lined tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble.
Method (cheesecake filling)
- The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.
- Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream, caramel and sea salt. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.
- Pour the thick mixture into the tin on top of the biscuit base. Tap the cheesecake onto the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Place into the fridge overnight to set.
Method (decorations)
- While the cheesecake is still in the tin, pour over the caramel sauce, spread out using the back of a spoon or of-set spatula until a flat, even layer.
- You want this to be set before lifting out the cheesecake and cutting into bars, or the caramel will ooze over the sides making very messy bars.
- Cut the cheesecake into bars.
- Refer to photos for example of decorations – Decorate each individual bar with two pretzels for the antlers and half a glacé cherry for the nose.
- Line a small tray with baking paper. Melt the dairy-free white chocolate either on the hob using a bain-marie method or in the microwave until smooth, and transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe small circles of the white chocolate on the lined tray, these are for the eyes.
- Freeze for 10 minutes while you melt the dark chocolate.
- Melt the dark chocolate. Transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
- Pipe a small dot in the middle of each white chocolate button. Set in the fridge / freezer to set.
- Place two eyes either side of the cherry.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Soak the cashew nuts in a bowl of water overnight to help soften them ready for blending. Make sure the water is covering the nuts. Be sure to drain all the water before adding into the blender.
What is coconut cream? Only use the thick white cream from a can of coconut milk. Drain the liquid and only use the white cream.
- Prep Time: Overnight
- Category: cheesecakes
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
I love how creative and festive this dessert is! The step-by-step instructions and tips make it feel so achievable, even for someone who isn’t usually into intricate decorations. The reindeer faces will definitely make my holiday desserts unforgettable!”
nice aiticle
Hi ! Thank you for the recipe. Is it really only 10g of coconut cream ? It doesn’t seem much to me..
Author
It’s the perfect amount just to help with texture xx
Excited to try this recipe as a treat for family with dietary restrictions.
Can the cashews be omitted or swapped out for a nut free alternative for someone with a nut allergy?