German Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
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The perfect combination of chopped pecans, coconut, and cream cheese in these German chocolate cheesecake bars makes it the best snack your whole family will surely love. They are rich, chocolatey, and very easy to make! Make ahead, refrigerate, and serve.
I’ve used cream cheese to prepare cheesecakes, cheesecake brownies, snickers bars, cookies, and frosting. Now, I will combine it with a chocolate cheesecake with a coconut pecan topping for delicious, rich, and easy German chocolate cheesecake bars!
This simple and easy-to-follow simple dessert recipe and prepare it ahead of time!
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See Also:
- Cheesecake Brownies are like having two desserts in one! With fudgy brownies and a cheesecake swirl on top, I know you are going to love these!
- If you’re a fan of Snickers candy bars, then you are going to love these Snickers Cheesecake Bars with an Oreo crust!
- Calling all peanut butter lovers with these Buckeye cheesecake bars! These bars have an Oreo crust, peanut butter cheesecake layer, and a chocolate ganache on top.
Why Youโll Love This German Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
- Rich And Chocolatey – The combination of cream cheese, Oreo cookies, and melted chocolate makes these cheesecake bars delicious, decadent, and super-rich.
- Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert- You can prepare the German chocolate cheesecake bars and prepare ahead of time It can last about 4 days in the refrigerator.
Ingredients Needed
To make delicious easy German chocolate cheesecake bars, you will need the following ingredients:
- Oreos – For the cookie crust
- Butter – I used unsalted butter, but salted butter will also work.
- Cream Cheese – Personally, I prefer using full-fat. It is the best option if you want a smooth and silky consistency in your chocolate cheesecake bars. Also, choose blocks of cream cheese instead of the tub variety.
- Sugar
- Eggs – Make sure they are at room temperature before using.
- Vanilla
- Heavy cream
- Chocolate – I used Ghiradelli chocolate bars, and then chopped them for a rich, chocolate filling.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work for the coconut pecan mixture.
- Evaporated milk – Do not use condensed milk – they are not the same ingredients and will result in a different consistency for the topping.
- Pecans – You can use a rolling pin or food processor for chopped or diced items like pecans.
- Coconut – I prefer sweetened coconut but unsweetened coconut will also work for the coconut mixture.
How To Make German Chocolate Cake Bars
Follow this easy German chocolate cheesecake recipe to prepare a delicious dessert your entire family will love.
1. Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF/180ยฐC.
Prepare your baking pan. Grease the baking pan with cooking oil spray. Or line the baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and then spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Make cookie crust
In a food processor, crush Oreo cookies into crumbs. Place crumbs into a small mixing bowl. Stir in melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
Press the oreo crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
Bake the cookie crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven cool while you prepare the cheesecake filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325ยฐF (163oC).
3. Mix 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 on medium speed until smooth.
Add in the heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. Place chocolate in a small sauce pan and melt over low heat. Or you can melt it in the microwave. Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between every 30 seconds until melted. Stir melted chocolate into cheesecake batter until smooth and combined.
Pour filling on top of the crust. Bake in the preheated 325oF oven, for 30 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. While the bars are cooling, make the coconut pecan filling.
4. Make Coconut Pecan Topping
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and evaporated milk. Whisk until mixture boils. Once boiling, continue to whisk for about 5 minutes until thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Allow to cool before spreading on cheesecake bars.
Spread coconut pecan filling over cooled cheesecake bars before serving. Smooth with a spatula if necessary. Transfer to the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes.
After, let your easy German chocolate cake cheesecake bars cool completely. Serve and enjoy with your family.
Add In Ideas
- Chocolate Chips Or Chunks: Add semisweet, dark, or any chocolate chips or chunks to your German chocolate cake bar batter to make it more decadent and richer.
- More Coconut and Pecans: Sprinkle shredded coconut or pecans into the Oreo cookie crust before baking.
- Ice Cream Or Whipped Cream: Serve your German chocolate cake cheesecake bars topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Recipe Tips
- For faster chopping, you can use a food processor or chopper. It is quicker and more convenient, especially if you are chopping many pecans and coconut.
- I use 8×8 baking pan but you can use a 9×9 baking pan. Check out my complete list of types of baking pans.
- Let your cheesecake bars cool completely before cutting or they will fall apart.
- Your cream cheese should be soft and at room temperature to have rich, silky, and smooth cheesecake bars.
Recipe FAQs
You can store leftover German chocolate cheesecake bars at room temperature for up to 5 days. Transfer them into an airtight container. You can also store it in your fridge.
Yes, you can freeze these cheesecake bars for up to 3 months. Before freezing, wrap cool cheesecake bars and transfer them into an airtight container or a freezer bag. If you are using freezer bags, squeeze out excess air to avoid freezer burn. To thaw, transfer frozen cheesecake bars into the fridge overnight or at room temperature for faster thawing.
More Cheesecakes To Try!
If you’re craving more cheesecake then be sure to try my homemade lemon cheesecake topped with a fresh lemon curd! Or my Biscoff cheesecake. The cheesecake has a Biscoff cookie crust, and topped with more cookie butter!
Or if you’re looking for another great no bake bar, try my no bake banana pudding cheesecake bar recipe!
And you can’t go wrong with a classic cherry cheesecake with a homemade cherry topping! And if you’re craving more cheesecake bars, be sure to check out my 14 cheesecake bar recipes!
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Don’t forget to grab a copy of my cookbook, Cheesecake For All Seasons! It’s an easy to download digital e-book with over 50 delicious cheesecake recipes, toppings, tips and tutorials for you to master making cheesecake at home!
German Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the chocolate cheesecake filling:
- 24 oz (3 8-ounce blocks) cream cheese softened to room temperature 680g
- ยพ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 8 ounces dark chocolate melted
For the coconut topping:
- ยผ cup (ยฝ stick; 57g) unsalted butter
- ยฝ cup (107 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 4 ounces (120ml) evaporated milk
- ยฝ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (85 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- ยฝ cup (63 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
Make cookie crust:
- Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF (190ยฐC). Line a 8×8-inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a food processor, crush Oreo cookies into crumbs. Place crumbs into a small mixing bowl. Stir in melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms. 24 Oreo cookies 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Press the oreo crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Bake the cookie crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven cool while you prepare the cheesecake filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325ยฐF (163ยฐC).
Make chocolate cheesecake filling:
- 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. 24 oz (3 8-ounce blocks) cream cheese softened to room temperature ยพ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- Add in the heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream 3 eggs
- Chop chocolate into small pieces. Place chocolate in a small sauce pan and melt over low heat. Or you can melt in the microwave. Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between each 30 seconds until melted. Stir melted chocolate into cheesecake batter until smooth and combined. 8 ounces dark chocolate
- Pour filling on top of the crust. Bake in the preheated 325ยฐF oven, for 30 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. Once cheesecake bars have cooled, top with coconut pecan filling.
Make coconut pecan filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and and evaporated milk. Whisk until mixture boils. Once boiling, continue to whisk for about 5 minutes until thickened. ยผ cup (ยฝ stick; 57g) unsalted butter ยฝ cup (107 g) packed light or dark brown sugar 1 large egg yolk 4 ounces (120ml) evaporated milk
- Remove from the heat and with a spatula or wooden spoon stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans. Allow to cool before spreading on cheesecake bars. ยฝ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup (85 g) sweetened shredded coconut ยฝ cup (63 g) chopped pecans
- Spread coconut pecan filling over cooled cheesecake bars before serving. Smooth with spatula if necessary. Transfer to the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Storage: You can store leftover German chocolate cheesecake bars at room temperature for up to 5 days. Transfer them into an airtight container. You can also store it in your fridge.
- Freezing: Yes, you can freeze these cheesecake bars for up to 3 months. Before freezing, wrap cool cheesecake bars and transfer them into an airtight container or a freezer bag. If you are using freezer bags, squeeze out excess air to avoid freezer burn. To thaw, transfer frozen cheesecake bars into the fridge overnight or at room temperature for faster thawing