Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices (Vegan Gluten-Free)

These Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices have a no-bake brownie base topped with a smooth minty green cheesecake filling topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate. They are easy to make, naturally vegan and gluten-free.

These are the ultimate way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Nothing beats a chocolate mint cheesecake slice, especially one that’s made with plant-based wholefoods and comes together so effortlessly. With a little forward planning, (the layers need time to chill) these choc mint bars make the best dessert.

How delicious are these cheesecake slices?

They are pretty special as they are:

• Rich, chocolatey and fudgy
• Refreshing and light
• Minty and smooth
• Easy to make in a blender and one dish
• Naturally vegan and gluten-free
• Made from natural ingredients (no food colouring needed)
• Fun to make for celebrations or all year long

If you are ready to make these straight away, skip ahead to the recipe card below, or, let’s first discuss the ingredients and method in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

The recipe is divided into three layers: the no-bake brownie base; minty cheesecake layer and dark chocolate topping.

For the fudgy brownie base:

• Dates: medjool dates work best as they are the softest and jammiest which helps to make the base fudgy and hold together but dried dates will also work. We soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes first to make them squishy.
• Oats: make sure these are gluten-free where needed and they add a boost of fibre and goodness to the brownie base.
• Almonds: or you can use another nut like cashews, pecans or walnuts but I like almonds for their flavour. These are blitzed with the oats to form a fine meal-like consistency.
• Cocoa powder: or cacao powder adds the rich chocolate element to this base. Any chocolate powder is fine as long as it’s 100% cocoa/cacao, although you can jazz it up with hot chocolate powder (which does tend to have added sugars).
• Salt: to bring all the flavours together.

For the second layer, the minty cheesecake filling:

• Cashews: this is a cashew-based cheesecake as I love the texture. Soak the cashews in fresh water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour before blending up. I do not recommend swapping these nuts for anything else.
• Coconut cream: you can either use a carton of coconut cream (or I often use thick coconut yoghurt which is basically all cream) or you can chill 1 tin of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight and then scoop off the solid cream part and weigh out 120g.
• Spinach: this is the surprise ingredient that makes the cheesecake filling green. Don’t worry you cannot taste it and it does not add any unwanted texture. If you like the taste of matcha you can add 1 tsp matcha powder (or more, depending on your powder – I like the one from Perfect Ted and you can save with code: Nourishingamy) but do not swap the spinach for kale or rocket or any other greens as these add a taste and are not great for the consistency.
• Lemon juice: for a bit of tang. Lime juice will also work.
• Maple syrup: for a little bit of sweetness. This middle layer isn’t overly sweet but it needs to have some sweetness to it. Other syrups like agave, oat, rice or vegan honey will work instead.
• Coconut oil: make sure you use melted or softened coconut oil so it blends in well to the cheesecake middle. Once left to chill, this sets the cheesecake to a soft but firm texture.
• Desiccated coconut: this adds another coconut element without being overpowering in texture or taste.
• Peppermint extract: this is the best way to infuse the filling with the mint flavour. Make sure you use American peppermint rather than mint extract (which taste more like toothpaste than the flavour you’d want for a dessert.) A little goes a long way and so start very small and taste as you go. The flavour will intensify as it chills, too.

Finally for the top layer:

• Dark chocolate: I used the delicious dark mint chocolate from Divine Chocolate which has lovely pieces of mint inside and a really rich flavour. Other dark or even dairy-free milk chocolate will also be delicious here.
• Coconut oil: this is not essential for the topping but does make the chocolate more glossy, shiny and easier to spread out.

How do I make these Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices?

This dessert is easy to make in just a few steps and you can see a recipe video here:

• Make the brownie base: blend together all the ingredients. Make sure the dates have been drained and soaked and then blend away.
• Press the base into the tin: I used an 8-inch square tin for these bars. Chill while you…
• Make the cheesecake: soak and drain the cashews ad blend together with all the other ingredients.
• Pour the cheesecake over the base: and spread out evenly. Chill in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil: and pour over the base. Don’t worry if the cheesecake isn’t set yet, you can make some swirl patterns to mix the two layers together.
• Chill in the freezer for 4 to 6 hours: or overnight.
• Slice into bars: using a hot sharp knife and enjoy.

Are these cheesecake slices gluten-free and nut-free?

Yes, these are naturally gluten-free, just make sure that your oats are gluten-free. These bars are sadly not nut-free as the cheesecake uses cashew nuts, but for other cheesecake filling ideas without nuts, try the filling for my Chocolate Plum Mini Cheesecakes or Chocolate Orange Mousse Tart.

How long do these Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices last?

Once made and sliced, keep these slices in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to thaw for 30 minutes before eating, or eat at room temperature, too.

What other cheesecake and no-bake desserts can I make?

I hope you are going to love these Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices and for more no-bake ideas, how about my:

• No-Bake Almond Caramel Brownies
• Chocolate Plum Mini Cheesecakes
• Mini Mocha Cheesecakes
• Coconut Granola Tart
• No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Slices

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Slices so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these slices, I‘d love to see so please tag me in them, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With green cheesecake love x