These no-bake almond butter cheesecake bars are simple to prepare, delightfully rich, and an excellent peanut-free option for anyone with a peanut allergy. It’s summer—no one wants to heat up the kitchen, and these bars require no oven.
As a parent of a child with a peanut allergy and a professional baker, I’m always developing desserts that we can all enjoy together. These bars aim to capture the creamy, slightly tangy texture we love in peanut-butter-based treats, but using almond butter instead. The result is a luxuriously smooth cheesecake filling layered over a chewy chocolate crust.
The texture of the filling depends a lot on the almond butter you choose. Some brands separate or are gritty; others are ultra-creamy and work beautifully in no-bake fillings. I prefer a very smooth almond butter with just almonds listed as the ingredient—no extra oils or stabilizers—because it blends easily into the cream cheese for that silky mouthfeel. Use your favorite creamy almond butter for best results.
How to Make No-Bake Almond Butter Cheesecake Bars
Make the Chewy Chocolate Crust
This crust comes together quickly and has a dense, chewy texture similar to a fudgy brownie. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang so you can lift the bars out easily for slicing later.
Melt the butter and set it aside. Dissolve the espresso powder in hot water. In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, and dark brown sugar. Stir in the melted butter and the espresso mixture to form a thick dough. Press the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Make the Almond Butter Cheesecake Filling
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar using a hand mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure there are no lumps. Add the creamy almond butter and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the vanilla and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form—by hand this takes about 3–5 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the almond butter and cream cheese mixture in two additions, gently folding to preserve the airy texture. Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled chocolate crust, spread it evenly, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Make the Chocolate Topping
About 15 minutes before serving, melt the dark chocolate with coconut oil in 20-second microwave intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the chilled cheesecake and return the pan to the freezer for about 5 minutes, or until the chocolate sets. Top the bars as you like—chopped toffee, pieces of almond butter cups, or a sprinkle of flaky salt all work nicely.
When the chocolate has set, run a sharp knife around the edges and lift the dessert from the pan using the parchment overhang. Slice into 6 large bars or 12 smaller squares. Keep the bars refrigerated; they stay best when served cold and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
No Bake Almond Butter Cheesecake Bars
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- Author: Elizabeth Buuck
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20 minutes + Chill Time
- Yield: 12 Cheesecake Squares
Description
No-bake chewy chocolate crust topped with a creamy almond butter cheesecake filling and a dark chocolate layer.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chewy Chocolate Crust
- 1 C (100 g) Almond Flour
- 2 TBSP (12 g) Dark Cocoa Powder
- 2 TBSP (30 g) Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 TBSP Salted Butter, melted
- 2 tsp Instant Espresso Powder
- 2 TBSP Hot Water
For the Almond Butter Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz (half block) Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 C (110 g) Creamy Almond Butter
- 1/4 C (55 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 C (65 g) Heavy Cream
- Pinch of Salt
For the Chocolate Topping
- 1 C (150 g) Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 TBSP Coconut Oil
Instructions
For the Chewy Chocolate Crust
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- Melt the butter and set aside.
- Stir the espresso powder into the hot water until dissolved.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and dark brown sugar.
- Fold in the melted butter and espresso, forming a thick dough.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and chill in the fridge while you make the cheesecake filling.
For the Almond Butter Cheesecake Filling
- Cream the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with a hand mixer until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the almond butter and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with vanilla and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the almond butter mixture in two additions, gently combining to keep the mixture airy.
- Pour the cheesecake filling onto the chilled crust, spread evenly, and chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
For the Chocolate Topping
- About 15 minutes before serving, melt the chocolate with coconut oil in 20-second microwave intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Pour over the chilled cheesecake and freeze until the chocolate sets, about 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve chilled.
Notes
You can substitute an equal amount of creamy peanut butter (not natural varieties where the oil separates) if peanuts are not an issue for you.
If you enjoyed these No-Bake Almond Butter Cheesecake Bars, try the Almond Butter Tahini Brownies for another almond-forward treat.