Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars
Creamy, sweet, chocolatey, and packing all the crunch you crave, Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars are the perfect sweet treat to end any special meal with. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just because, these festive layered bars won’t last long.
Some duos are an instant classic for a reason, including strawberries and chocolate. Whether it’s Dairy Free Chocolate Hazelnut Dipped Strawberries or this easy and luscious no-bake dessert, it’s always a crowd pleaser. Combining a crispy, crunchy granola crust with layers of flavor, this fun dessert will make the entire family fall in love.
Ingredients
Not only is this no-bake cheesecake easy to make, but Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert bars is also easy to shop for. Using pantry staples like instant chocolate pudding this comes together with complete ease.
- Grandy Organics Dark Chocolate Coconola – This certified organic granola is completely grain free. In addition to being Gluten Free it is also paleo and vegan. It combines coconut chips with seeds, nuts, and dark chocolate. It’s small batch created in a solar powered bakery with certified fair trade ingredients including coconut, cashews, and dark chocolate.
- Dairy Free Cream Cheese – The base of the tangy, creamy strawberry cheesecake layer. Use your favorite brand.
- Strawberries – This is the perfect dessert to make during strawberry season. Used in both the cheesecake layer and also to top the dessert.
- Powdered Sugar – Easily dissolves into the cream cheese and gives just enough sweetness to accent the sweet strawberries.
- Dairy Free Heavy Cream – Makes the chocolate layer extra rich and decadent.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding – Take the help of the grocery store and whip up your favorite instant chocolate pudding.
- Dairy Free Whipped Topping – What is a dessert bar without a fluffy and creamy topping? Make homemade Dairy Free whipped cream or use your favorite whipped topping.
How to Make Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars
There is nothing like the ease of a no-bake dessert. This is the perfect sweet confection to make with your kids, letting them get in the kitchen and be involved in every aspect of assembling these cheesecake bars. The hardest part is the wait while it sets up in the freezer!
Time needed: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Layers of granola, strawberry cheesecake, and chocolate make this a new instant classic.
- In Crust We Trust
Set aside 1/2 cup of granola. Sprinkle the rest evenly over the bottom of a 7×10 baking dish.
- Strawberry Cheesecake
Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, strawberries, and half a cup of Dairy Free heavy cream to a bowl. Mix until smooth and fully combined. Pour over the top of the granola.
- Chocolate
Add the remaining heavy cream and chocolate pudding to a bowl. Mix on high until it is thick, creamy, and set. Pour over the top of the strawberry cheesecake layer.
- Top it Off
Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chocolate layer and smooth it out.
- Chill
Allow your no-bake cheesecake bars to refrigerate for at least an hour. You can do this the night before.
- Garnish
Garnish your cheesecake bars with the reserved granola and strawberries. Slice and enjoy!
Variations
Have fun playing with the flavors of this recipe. You can swap out the chocolate pudding for vanilla pudding. Strawberries aren’t in season? Try a different berry such as blueberries. You can create your favorite combination of flavors.
Substitutions
This recipe is completely Dairy Free. However, you can use full dairy cream cheese and also heavy cream.
In addition, you can also replace the Dairy Free heavy cream with Dairy Free milk. Make sure that it is unsweetened.
Storage
No-Bake desserts such as these Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars are the ultimate make ahead. Whether you’re looking for something to serve at a Galentine’s Day party or takeover to a Super Bowl event, they never last long.
You can make these and keep them refrigerated for up to five days. Because of the liquid in the strawberries any more time than that and the strawberry cheesecake portion risks getting too wet.
Tools
This recipe fits a 7×10 baking dish. Because of the layers you will want to make sure that it is at least 2 1/2″ high. It is also recommended that you use a hand mixer or stand mixer for the chocolate pudding portion of these dessert bars. Mixing them at high speed will help the pudding to set more easily.
Top Tip for Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars
Using Dairy Free milk with instant pudding requires a little more work in order to get the pudding to thicken and set. Make sure that you are beating your pudding at high speed. It also helps if the Dairy Free milk or cream is icy cold. This also works with using a lower fat dairy milk with pudding mixes.
Dairy Free Strawberry Chocolate Dessert Bars
Equipment
- 1 7×10" baking dish with at least 2 1/2" sides
- 2 mixing bowls
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 9 oz Grandy Organics Dark Chocolate Coconola
- 16 oz Dairy Free cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 3/4 cups Dairy Free heavy cream can substitute with Dairy Free milk
- 5.1 oz instant chocolate pudding
- 8 oz Dairy Free whipped cream or whipped topping
Instructions
- Set aside 1/2 cup each granola and strawberries for topping.
- Spread the remaining granola into the bottom of a 7×10 baking dish. The sides should be at least 2 1/2".
- Add the creamed cheese, powdered sugar, strawberries, and 1/2 cup heavy cream to a bowl. Mix until smooth and combined.
- Spread over the top of the granola.
- Add the chocolate pudding and remaining heavy cream to a bowl. Mix on high until thickened.
- Spread the chocolate pudding over the top of the strawberry cheesecake.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chocolate pudding.
- Allow to refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Top with reserved granola and strawberries.
- Slice and enjoy!