Enjoy everything you love about cheesecake packed into this easy Cheesecake Bars Recipe. Cheesecake bars make a creamy and delicious dessert with very little work.
This easy Cheesecake recipe is so creamy and decadent for a treat that is great anytime of year. This new cheesecake bars recipe is super easy and makes the best dessert or snack.
Grab a cup of hot coffee and one of these cheesecake bars for the best afternoon treat. If you love cheesecake as much as we do, you should try our Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe, Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, or our Churro Cheesecake Recipe.
More fun desserts to try are Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars Strawberry Cheesecake Tacos and Air Fryer Cheesecake.
Keto fans might like Keto Cheesecake Recipe.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for the holiday, but honestly, we make it year-round. From the homemade crust to the easy cheesecake filling, you will love how rich and creamy this dessert turns out.
Dessert bars are so much fun, and I also make Magic Cookie Bars Recipe, Pumpkin Bars Recipe , Pumpkin Dream Bars and Sweet Potato Pie Bars.
We also love 89 Thanksgiving Cheesecake Recipes.
Ingredients
Ingredients For the Crust
- Graham Crackers. Crushed into crumbs.
- Brown Sugar. Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe is easy to make.
- Butter. Melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Cream Cheese. Softened at room temperature.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- All Purpose Flour. Carefully spoon the flour into the measuring cup.
- Large Eggs. Room temperature.
- Sour Cream. Add the perfect amount of tanginess to the filling.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract.
- Lemon Juice. Fresh lemon juice is so much better.
Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.
Variations
- Crust – Change the crust from graham cracker crust to a crescent dough, Oreo Cookie crust or a different type of cookie. You can still combine these ingredients with melted butter and brown sugar.
- Drizzle different Syrups –You can drizzle with chocolate syrup, chocolate ganache or caramel syrup.
- Fruit Based Sauce – A fruit-based sauce would also be delicious on this cream cheese bars.
How to Make Cheesecake Bars
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
Step 2 – Crush the graham crackers in a food processor to make graham cracker crumbs.
Step 3 – Mix together the crust ingredients including sugar in a medium size mixing bowl. Then press this mixture into the bottom of the square baking pan.
Step 4 – Then cream together the cream cheese, flour and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 5 – Reduce the speed to medium and add in the sour cream, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Mix the cheesecake batter until smooth.
Step 6. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the crust.
Step 7. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until set and slightly firm. Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. Make sure to use a sharp knife.
Pro Tips
- Smaller Bars – The flavor is so rich in flavor. I like to cut the cheesecake in smaller portions.
- Baking Cheesecake – When preparing your cheesecake mix, don’t overmix the eggs. Also, avoid sudden temperature change to the cheesecake. Let set in oven for a few minutes before removing.
- Food Processor – You can use a food processor to crush up the graham crackers to make the crust.
- Mixer – Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to combine the cheesecake ingredients. Make sure sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to combine all the ingredients.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – Before preparing the cheesecake, make sure the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Line Pan – We recommend lining the pan with parchment paper. Once the cheesecake has cooled, then you can remove and cut them easily.
- Water Bath – In this recipe, you do not need to do a water bath after baking the cheesecake.
Toppings
- Cinnamon
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Fresh Fruit
- Check out more Cheesecake Toppings
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. Chill the bars for a minimum of 4 hours but overnight is ideal so that they can fully set.
Then use a plastic throw away knife to cut the cheesecake bars, cleaning the knife after each slice.
Yes, Cheesecake Bars can be placed in the freezer if stored properly. Frozen cheesecake bars will last about 3 months in the freezer. This is a great option if you would like to begin your holiday baking.
Wrap cheesecake bars tightly – Keep bars free from any air or moisture.
Wax Paper – Wrap bars in wax paper completely.
Second Wrap – Then wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap to ensure no freezer burns or no air gets in.
Freeze – Store in the back of the freezer so that it stays the same temperature while in the freezer.
Serving – When you are ready to serve, remove from freeze and let thaw on the counter for about 2 hours. Serve at room temperature if you prefer.
Cheesecake is done when the center is set and will have a slight jiggle to it. Allow cheesecake to cool completely. As the cheesecake cools, the center will set.
Store cheesecake bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Make sure they have cooled completely before storing in the container. They will last up to 5 days if stored properly.
This is the perfect dessert to make in advance. Because you want to allow cheesecake time to cool, I try to make this dessert the night before serving. Then when I am ready to serve you can add your favorite topping.
I love desserts that I am able to make in advance. We tend to make more desserts during the holidays. Plus, I am usually busy with holiday cooking, so I make desserts that I can prepare 1 to 2 days in advance.
More Easy Cheesecake Bars
- Oreo Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Slutty Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
- Easy Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites Recipe
- German Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
- Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Make this classic cheesecake recipe today for a decadent treat. Please leave a comment once you make it. I love to hear from you.
Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 8 full Graham Crackers crushed into crumbs
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 4 Tbsp Butter melted
- 1/8 tsp Salt
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz Cream Cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/8 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Crush up the graham crackers in a food processor to make graham cracker crumbs.
- Mix together the crust ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. Then press this mixture into the bottom of the 8X8 baking pan.
- Then cream together on high with a hand held mixer or stand up the mixer, the cream cheese, flour and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed to medium and add in the sour cream, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Mix until well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto of the crust in the 8X8 baking pan.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until set and slightly firm.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. Chill the bars for a minimum of 4 hours but overnight is ideal so that they can fully set.
- Enjoy!