No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars
Who could ask for a tastier dessert than these No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars? Let us answer that: not us, that’s for sure. Plus, this recipe is EASY and it comes together in minutes! (There’s just a bit of freezer time at the end to firm things up.)
This recipe came to be when we ran across a boatload of unbelievably plump and juicy organic blackberries for a price too reasonable to pass. We quickly started testing out how to showcase those sweeties in more ways than a cobbler or crumble.
Not that there’s anything wrong with baking a cobbler or crumble with your berries, no sir. By all means, cobblers and crumbles make for fabulous, comfy-cozy, desserts. But something we noticed while rinsing the blackberries made us want to create a dessert to showcase the lovely deep purple color of blackberry juice.
Who knew that blackberries mixed with cashew cream would make an unbelievably bright and beautiful purple color? Well, now, we ALL know.
The coolest thing about this dessert (besides the groovy color) is that it’s no-cook and served cold! Woot-woot! We live in a hot climate, people. Let’s hear it for desserts that require no oven time! Even the fabulously sweet and crusty bottom layer of these bars require no baking.
By the way, if fresh blackberries aren’t available, try this recipe with any berry you happen to have on hand. Either fresh or frozen berries work well!
How Do No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars Taste?
No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars taste a little cheesy, thanks to the cashews. And it’s wonderfully nutty, due again to the cashews as well as the slivers of raw almonds.
Of course, No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars are fruity, thanks to the plump blackberries. And dare we say that our No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars tastes rather juicy? Because juicy, they are!
Is This a Healthier Dessert?
Yes. Yes. YES! But mind you, it is still a dessert. This recipe is intended to be enjoyed as an occasional treat rather than a meal. We encourage you to experience all that you eat, mindfully.
You may describe this as a healthier dessert because instead of empty calories from refined and heavily processed, ingredients, all of the items in this no-bake, dairy-free, and gluten-free dessert are 100% natural and unrefined.
In a serving of this treat, there is a significant amount of iron, fiber, Vitamin C and even protein!
Woot-woot for a plant-based lifestyle!
For those who want to know more about why we would venture to describe this creation as healthier, we invite you to please pass us the berries and check out Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen at Nutritionfacts.org.
Are There Other Refreshingly Healthier-Type Desserts to Try?
Why yes, there are other refreshingly healthier-type desserts you should try! For one, might we interest you in a bite of Mango and Forbidden Rice? The mango in this dessert brings the sweet and the hit of basil we include, well, it ties everything together with a luscious green bow! Oh, and this recipe can be served for breakfast or dessert. Now that’s healthy!
Or how about our Banana Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins? If these fruit-filled muffins could speak, they’d have nothing but good things to say! They’d say nice things because that’s what they’re made of, natural, good-for-you, ingredients that taste as fresh as they sound.
And last but not least, how about some, warm from the oven, whole food plant-based Blueberry Crumble? It’s not every day that you get to enjoy a quick and easy 30-Minute Blueberry Lemon Oat Crumble, but now it can be! Why? Because this crumble is not like the old ones that are basically sugar and all-purpose flour with a few random pieces of fruit. No, no, no! Au contraire! This crumble delivers a boatload of plump, juicy, nutrition-packed fruit!
Sharing is Caring
Though it may sound cliche, sharing what you know and enjoy about living a plant-based lifestyle ultimately means that you care about the well being of others. Here are some ways that you can encourage those who are seeking a better way of eating to give plant-based, vegan living a try.
You can encourage others by leaving a kind word or two here on the blog or anywhere else you see our recipe mentioned. Your kind words encourage others to give plant-based recipes a go!
We know this to be true because we too were once at the very beginning of changing the way we thought about food. And just like everyone else we searched high and low for somewhere to begin!
You can also encourage others to try plant-based eating by sharing our recipes on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Pinning a recipe, or talking about it and sharing a link on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram reaches people that are hungry for answers. Those that see your shared post are looking for solutions that, quite possibly, only a changed diet can effectively address.
It’s such a pleasure to be even a small part of helping someone else find this way of thinking about food. So thank you, in advance, for caring enough to share!
Happy Eating!
No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars
- 15Prep:
- 0Cook Time:
- Yield: 8 Servings
If you enjoy creamy treats, you’re going to love these gorgeous, purple bars! And fluffy, lite, blackberry bars taste just a little bit cheesy, thanks to the cashews. Slice this no-bake, quick chill dessert into about eight, equal-sized portions and enjoy! Freeze a few in a ziplock bag or another covered container to enjoy a healthier dessert another day! And if you enjoy nutritious, fruit-filled, gluten-free, whole-food plant-based, oil-free, vegan desserts as much as we do, be sure to try these recipes: Best Ever Oatmeal Chia Banana Bread Banana Blueberry Muffins Mango Basil Forbidden Rice Coconut Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw cashews, soaked and divided as the recipe describes - We purchase this brand of cashews in bulk.
- about 12 Medjool dates, pitted, plus two additional Medjool dates, pitted - We purchase this brand in bulk because they're always moist, juicy and ready to use!
- 1 tbsp of freshly ground flax seeds or flaxseed meal - We prefer to use whole flax seeds and grind them fresh for the most nutritional benefits.
- a pinch of sea salt, to taste - We like to use pink Himalayan salt whenever possible.
- about 1 cup of fresh or frozen and thawed, blackberries or another berry
- 1 cup of raw unsweetened coconut chips or flakes
- about 3/4 to 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- an optional, but lovely, 2 to 3 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- additional berries, almond slices, lemon wedges, or coconut shavings for optional garnish
Instructions
- Begin by soaking your cashews for a few hours in room temperature water or quick soak in hot water for as little as about 15 minutes or so. And if your Medjool dates are hard and dry, pit and soak those for a minute or two, as well. If you use the brand we suggest, there will be no need to soak them. While these ingredients soak, line a loaf-size pan with parchment paper.
- Once your cashews have soaked, drain 1 cup of the cashews and place them in a food processor along with the 12-pitted Medjool dates and the ground flaxseeds or flaxseed meal. Pulse blend until the ingredients combine into a chunky texture. Taste and add just a pinch of salt to preference. Press the chunky mixture firmly into the bottom of the parchment-lined loaf pan to form the base or crust. Place the crust in the freezer to chill.
- Now, clean out the food processor, and then place the other cup of soaked and drained cashews into it along with the two additional pitted dates, berries, coconut flakes, vanilla, and optional, but lovely, lemon juice. Process these ingredients until you achieve a smooth and fluffy, cream-like, texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you think it needs salt, be sure to remember that you may have added some salt to the crust. Be mindful when it comes to salt, but do taste and adjust to preference. Desserts often need just a pinch of salt.
- Now, remove the crust from the freezer and top it with the berry cream fluff. Spread the berry fluff evenly across the crust using a knife, spatula, or even the back of a spoon. Cover and return to the freezer for about an hour or so to firm up for slicing. When you're ready to eat, remove from the pan using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. And, using a damp or wet knife, slice the bars into equal portions. Top each piece with a few blackberries and almond slices. Coconut and lemon wedges also make a lovely garnish for these dreamy bars. These bars keep well in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days when covered and sealed in an airtight container. They also freeze nicely and stay fresh for weeks when frozen. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Any fresh berry, or thawed from frozen, should work beautifully in this recipe.
- If you tend to use a large number of dates, you will appreciate this bulk offering of 15 pounds that is the same as getting about 5 pounds free. Similarly, if you use a lot of coconut chips, this is a terrific deal that gives you almost one pound free compared with other brands.
Nutrition
% DV
- Total Fat 21.1 g 32 %
- Saturated Fat 8.3 g 41 %
- Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
- Sodium 74.3 mg 3 %
- Carbohydrates 23.9 g 8 %
- Fiber 4.1 g 17 %
- Sugar 12.1 g ---
- Protein 7.2 g 14 %
- Vitamin A 1 %
- Vitamin C 8 %
- Iron 16 %
- Calcium 3 %
No-Bake Blackberry Dream Bars
BY VEEG.CO
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw cashews, soaked and divided as the recipe describes - We purchase this brand of cashews in bulk.
- about 12 Medjool dates, pitted, plus two additional Medjool dates, pitted - We purchase this brand in bulk because they're always moist, juicy and ready to use!
- 1 tbsp of freshly ground flax seeds or flaxseed meal - We prefer to use whole flax seeds and grind them fresh for the most nutritional benefits.
- a pinch of sea salt, to taste - We like to use pink Himalayan salt whenever possible.
- about 1 cup of fresh or frozen and thawed, blackberries or another berry
- 1 cup of raw unsweetened coconut chips or flakes
- about 3/4 to 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- an optional, but lovely, 2 to 3 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- additional berries, almond slices, lemon wedges, or coconut shavings for optional garnish
Instructions
- Begin by soaking your cashews for a few hours in room temperature water or quick soak in hot water for as little as about 15 minutes or so. And if your Medjool dates are hard and dry, pit and soak those for a minute or two, as well. If you use the brand we suggest, there will be no need to soak them. While these ingredients soak, line a loaf-size pan with parchment paper.
- Once your cashews have soaked, drain 1 cup of the cashews and place them in a food processor along with the 12-pitted Medjool dates and the ground flaxseeds or flaxseed meal. Pulse blend until the ingredients combine into a chunky texture. Taste and add just a pinch of salt to preference. Press the chunky mixture firmly into the bottom of the parchment-lined loaf pan to form the base or crust. Place the crust in the freezer to chill.
- Now, clean out the food processor, and then place the other cup of soaked and drained cashews into it along with the two additional pitted dates, berries, coconut flakes, vanilla, and optional, but lovely, lemon juice. Process these ingredients until you achieve a smooth and fluffy, cream-like, texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you think it needs salt, be sure to remember that you may have added some salt to the crust. Be mindful when it comes to salt, but do taste and adjust to preference. Desserts often need just a pinch of salt.
- Now, remove the crust from the freezer and top it with the berry cream fluff. Spread the berry fluff evenly across the crust using a knife, spatula, or even the back of a spoon. Cover and return to the freezer for about an hour or so to firm up for slicing. When you're ready to eat, remove from the pan using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. And, using a damp or wet knife, slice the bars into equal portions. Top each piece with a few blackberries and almond slices. Coconut and lemon wedges also make a lovely garnish for these dreamy bars. These bars keep well in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days when covered and sealed in an airtight container. They also freeze nicely and stay fresh for weeks when frozen. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Any fresh berry, or thawed from frozen, should work beautifully in this recipe.
- If you tend to use a large number of dates, you will appreciate this bulk offering of 15 pounds that is the same as getting about 5 pounds free. Similarly, if you use a lot of coconut chips, this is a terrific deal that gives you almost one pound free compared with other brands.
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[…] Vegan No Bake Blackberry Bars. Everybody always appreciates how this dessert is so purple, naturally! Using fresh or frozen blackberries, make your no-bake, barely fussed, healthier dessert wishes come true – it tastes like cheesecake, thanks to wonderfully creamy cashews, woot-woot! […]
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