6 large dates, pitted and soaked in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes, soaking liquid reserved (about ¾ cup packed dates)
3 Tablespoons melted unrefined virgin coconut oil
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 Tablespoons brown rice syrup or raw honey
¼ cup creamy raw or roasted almond butter or raw cashew butter (for nut-free, try omitting and if something is needed, try a mild tahini)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
unsalted butter or unrefined virgin coconut oil for greasing baking dish
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs* (about 14 standard crackers pulverized in a food processor)
6 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
pinch sea salt
For the Filling:
1⅓ cup unsweetened whole milk Greek yogurt**, at room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese or almond milk cream cheese, at room temperature
⅔ cup pure Grade A maple syrup
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2½ Tablespoons arrowroot powder
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 x8–inch pan with coconut oil or butter and line with unbleached parchment paper, leaving a tab on either end for easy removal.
Prepare date caramel sauce: process all sauce ingredients + 2 Tablespoons date soaking liquid in a blender until completely smooth.
Prepare the crust: in a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press down firmly, making an even layer. You can use the bottom of a cup to do this. The better you press the crust, the better it will hold together.
To make the filling, combine yogurt, cream cheese and maple syrup in the bowl of the food processor and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, arrowroot, vanilla and salt and continue to process until batter is smooth and combined, about a minute more.
Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Drizzle spoonfuls of caramel sauce (you’ll use about half the amount of sauce) across the top of the batter. Swirl it in with the tip of a paring knife.
Bake until set, but still jiggly like Jell-o, about 47 to 55 minutes (51 minutes in my oven). Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, and refrigerate until chill to serve. Cheesecake can stay refrigerated for a week.
Notes
*Use GF graham crackers for a GF/Passover-compliant version. Kinnikinnick has GF graham crackers and a GF graham cracker crumbs product. Check Vitacost or your local grocery store. ThriveMarket.com sells Schar GF graham crackers, Pamela's GF graham crackers, as well as Mi-Del GF graham cracker crust (you can bake the cheesecake in the pie plate or remove from the aluminum tin and transfer to your own baking dish.). Or don't use graham crackers and use a vanilla wafer or similar. **Or use an equal amount of firm tofu. I haven't tested it with a different yogurt, but I imagine some of the thicker DF yogurts like the Kite Hill coconut yogurt would work well.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/salted-caramel-cheesecake-bars-recipe/