My cheesecake bars are easy to make and oh-so-delicious. I make them with just 8 ingredients to keep things simple, and they don’t sacrifice on flavor at all. The crust tastes like my favorite sugar cookie, and the filling is rich, creamy, and tangy. This cheesecake bar recipe is a total classic that I love to make for any occasion.
Cheesecake Bars Recipe
I love homemade cheesecake, but it is really a labor of love. These cheesecake bars take all the pain out of making cheesecake since I don’t have to bother with a fancy springform pan or a water bath. I baked a simple shortbread crust, topped it with a rich and creamy filling, and baked it to perfection. Plus, I love that it’s easy to cover up any mistakes with a yummy topping! My cheesecake bars are the perfect not-too-sweet treat for the holidays and beyond.
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How to Store
Store leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving cold or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- Use brick-style cream cheese, not the kind in the tub.. I recommend taking them out of the refrigerator about an hour before starting this recipe.
- These cheesecake bars are done when the center no longer jiggles when shaken.
- It’s important to let the cheesecake bars first reach room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator. The dramatic change of temperature from hot to cold will cause the dessert to crack if you skip this step.
- Don’t worry if your cheesecake cracks; you can cover it up with toppings!
- You should allow the bars to chill for at least 8 hours.
Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter slightly melted (2 sticks)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature (3 bricks)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 8×8 Baking Pan
- Hand Mixer
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch baking pan (at least 2 inches in depth) with parchment paper. Have parchment paper slightly higher than the edges of the pan to make the cheesecake bars easier to lift out once they have cooled. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the flour, slightly melted butter, sugar, and salt together until smooth.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Use a spatula to spread this evenly in the bottom of the prepared cake pan. If the dough is sticky and won’t spread evenly, spray the spatula with nonstick cooking spray to help smooth out the crust batter.
- Place crust in fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F while the crust chills.
- After 30 minutes, use a fork to poke a few holes into the crust then place in oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove crust from oven and allow crust to cool for 15 minutes before adding in cheesecake batter.
- Reduce oven heat to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on high speed until smooth.24 ounces cream cheese, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, on high speed until fully combined. Use spatula to scrape down sides of bowl.3 large eggs
- Beat sour cream and vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter until fully combined.½ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour cheesecake batter into the cake pan over top of the crust.
- Place the cake pan on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake looks set (middle should only have a very slight jiggle). Placing the cake pan on a baking sheet is important in case there’s any overflow.
- Remove cheesecake from oven and let cool to room temperature. There may be a few slight cracks in the top but that’s okay. You can cover those later with delicious toppings.
- Once cooled, wrap the cheesecake (still in the cake pan) well in food-safe plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight) before removing from pan and cutting into squares.
- Removed chilled cheesecake from pan and cut into 16 squares. Serve cold.
Notes
How to Make Cheesecake Bars Step-by-Step
Mix the Crust: Line an 8×8-inch baking pan (at least 2 inches in depth) with parchment paper. Have parchment paper slightly higher than the edges of the pan to make the cheesecake bars easier to lift out once they have cooled. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of slightly melted unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt together until smooth.
Chill the Crust: Use a spatula to spread this evenly in the bottom of the prepared cake pan. If the dough is sticky and won’t spread evenly, spray the spatula with nonstick cooking spray to help smooth out the crust batter. Place crust in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Bake the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F while the crust chills. After 30 minutes, use a fork to poke a few holes into the crust then place it in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
Cool the Crust: Remove crust from oven and allow crust to cool for 15 minutes before adding in cheesecake batter.
Beat the Cream Cheese: Reduce oven heat to 325°F. In a large bowl, beat 24 ounces (3 bricks) of softened cream cheese and 1½ cups of granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth.
Add the Eggs: Beat in 3 large eggs, one at a time, on high speed until fully combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the Sour Cream: Beat ½ cup of sour cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter until fully combined.
Cover the Crust: Pour cheesecake batter into the cake pan over top of the crust.
Bake the Cheesecake: Place the cake pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake looks set (the middle should only have a very slight jiggle). Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, wrap the cheesecake (still in the cake pan) well in food-safe plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight) before removing it from the pan and cutting it into squares.
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