15 Cheesecake Bars To Try
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These cheesecake bar recipes are a perfect dessert to bring to a potluck or dinner party! These 15 cheesecake bar recipes are a must try!
As much as I love making a full-sized cheesecake I love a cheesecake bar even more because of it’s simplicity. There’s no water bath needed for one thing. And I can bake these cheesecake bars in a regular baking dish, and no need to get out the springform pan either.
And if you’re new to making cheesecake, a cheesecake bar is a great place to start as a beginner!
So here are 15 cheesecake bar recipes to try when you need a really good dessert that’s simple to throw together.
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Table of contents
Cheesecake Bar Recipes To Try
Here are 14 easy cheesecake bars you have to try. From classic, to chocolate, lemon and more!
Serving Suggestions
You can simply enjoy these plain or feel free to dress them up! I love serving with homemade whipped cream on top and fresh fruit. But you can try using canned fruit filling, like cherry pie filling!
Or drizzle on some chocolate ganache or caramel sauce!
Storage Instructions
You want to store these cheesecake bars in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them.
You can freeze for up to 3 months. I like to wrap any bars in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in plastic bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. I did find that the crust and topping will soften slightly.
Recipe FAQs
The edges of the cheesecake bars should be set, but the middle of the bars should have a slight wobble. The bars will continue to set up as they cool.
I like to cut with a large clean knife. And make sure to wipe off the knife in between each slice so you get a neat cut.
This is probably due to overmixing or overbaking. Overmixing will cause too much air to be incorporated. The bars will puff in the oven and then collapse after cooling causing crack. And overbaking can cause cracks. Take the bars out when the bar edges are set but the middle is slightly jiggly.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more cheesecake, then be sure to my strawberry cheesecake with a Golden Oreo crust. It’s a favorite in my family! And one of my all time favorites I make every year is my key lime cheesecake.
And you can’t forget about my lemon cheesecake topped with lemon curd, or my Biscoff cheesecake made with Biscoff cookie butter.
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Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs about 12 crackers
- ¼ cup (53 g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted
For the vanilla cheesecake layer:
- 16 ounces (2 packages, 454 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make crust:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Line a 8×8-inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Or you can place in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms. 1 ½ cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs ¼ cup (53 g) packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Bake the graham cracker crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven cool while you prepare the lemon cheesecake filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make cheesecake batter:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese and sugar together one medium speed until smooth. 16 ounces (2 packages, 454 g) cream cheese, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Add in the sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the filling on top of the crust and spread into a smooth layer.
- Bake in the preheated 325°F oven, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle of the bars are still soft in the center. The bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Cut into bars and serve.
Notes
- Storage: You want to store these cheesecake bars in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them.
- Freezing: You can freeze for up to 3 months. I like to wrap any bars in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in plastic bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. I did find that the crust and topping will soften slightly.
- Graham crackers – If you can’t find graham crackers, you can use digestive biscuits or Nilla wafers.
- Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar for the graham cracker crust but granulated sugar or dark brown sugar will also work.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter but salted butter will also work.
- Cream cheese – Make sure your cream cheese is softened so it blends up smoothly. And use full-fat cream cheese in the blocks for best texture.
- Sour cream – I used full-fat sour cream but a plain full fat Greek yogurt will also work.
These are such a great idea for a potluck or just when you have lots of guests over – and such yummy flavors to try from. Can’t wait to dive into a few of these soon!
Thank you for your kind words! I’m glad you find the cheesecake bars perfect for gatherings. Enjoy trying out the flavors, I know you and your guests will love them!
Yum, so many delicious cheesecake bar recipes to try here! I’m going to work through them all. Thank you!
Thanks so much! I’m excited to hear you’re planning to try all the recipes. Happy baking!
I made the Nutella cheesecake bars and OMG were they delicious! Perfectly chocolatey and creamy!
Thank you for trying the Nutella cheesecake bars and sharing your feedback! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them. They really are a chocolatey, creamy treat!
This is a fabulous list of cheesecake bars and I want to try every one of them. They all sound amazing.
Thanks for your kind words! I’m glad you’re excited to try the cheesecake bars. Happy baking!
Well now I’m craving cheesecake! The white chocolate raspberry looks amazing and I can’t wait to try some of the recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your comment! I’m glad the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars caught your eye—they’re a favorite!