Cheesecake Bars
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Dense and creamy with a hint of lemon and a crisp graham cracker crust, these cheesecake bars are an easy and delicious alternative to NY cheesecake.
Cheesecake is one of the most crowd-pleasing desserts you can make, but baking one at home can be a project. Traditional cheesecakes need to be baked in a water bath to prevent curdling and cracking, and it can be tricky to tell when they’re done. This cheesecake bar recipe, however, is a whole different story. Dense and creamy with crisp and buttery graham cracker crust, the bars are not only a cinch to make (with a prep time of only 20 minutes!), but they also rival the very best New York cheesecake out there. They also have a high crust-to-cheesecake ratio so if you’re a crust-fan like me, you’ll love them.
“Just made these and oh. my. god. Perfect if you don’t want to make a whole cheesecake.”
What You’ll Need To Make Cheesecake Bars
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Form the base of the crust, providing a sweet and slightly crunchy texture.
- Butter: Binds the crumbs together and, when melted, performs like glue creating a cohesive crust.
- Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and adds a rich, caramel-like flavor to the crust.
- Cream Cheese: Forms the creamy and dense texture of the cheesecake bars, providing richness and flavor. I recommend Philadelphia brand (and make sure to use full-fat cream cheese).
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the filling, balancing out the tanginess of the cream cheese.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps to stabilize the filling and prevent cracking while baking. It also makes the filling a bit lighter and fluffier.
- Sour Cream: Adds tanginess and creaminess to the filling and contributes to its smooth texture.
- Large Eggs: Bind the filling together and provide structure, resulting in a dense and creamy consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the filling with its warm and aromatic notes.
- Lemon Zest And Lemon Juice: Infuse the filling with a very subtle hint of lemon flavor, adding brightness and freshness to the cheesecake bars.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by making the graham cracker crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter.
Stir, using your fingertips if necessary, until well combined with no lumps of brown sugar remaining.
Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the batter. In the bowl of an electric mixer (either a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer with beaters), beat the room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, and flour together until just smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt.
Beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you mix. Do not over-mix.
Pour the batter into the warm crust.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set but still a little jiggly in the center (it will continue to cook as it cools). An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1″ in from the edge, should read 180°F-190°F. Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
Before serving, use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares, wiping the knife clean with a damp cloth between slices. Serve cold and enjoy!
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
Cheesecake bars keep nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake (cut or uncut) on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake bars from the freezer, wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil, and place in a freezer bag. Seal and return to freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the foil before thawing.
The lemon flavor is subtle, but if you don’t want to include it, it’s perfectly fine to omit it (it doesn’t have any impact on the texture of the cheesecake).
Although cheesecake bars are much less finicky than standard cheesecake, I don’t recommend adding anything to the batter.
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Cheesecake Bars
Dense and creamy with a hint of lemon and a crisp graham cracker crust, these cheesecake bars are an easy and delicious alternative to NY cheesecake.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs, from 10 whole crackers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 16 ounces (2 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon packed freshly grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil (so that there is an overhang on at least 2 sides) and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined, using your fingertips if necessary to be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with beaters or the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the slightly cooled crust. Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is set but still a little jiggly in the center. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1" in from the edge, should read between 180°-190°F.) The cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools. Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- Use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares, wiping the knife clean with a damp cloth between slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Note: The cheesecake bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake (cut or uncut) on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Seal and return to freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the foil before defrosting.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1 square
- Calories: 248
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 166 mg
- Cholesterol: 77 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Hi Jenn
I am bringing dessert to our family Easter dinner as I just finished canning 4 batches of pie filling. I really have been craving some cheesecake and this recipe seems like the perfect solution to satisfy my craving and use some of the pie filling that I made. I’m wondering if I can mix the pie filling with the cheesecake mixture and bake it that way or if this is a terrible idea and I should just put the pie filling on top of the cheesecake while it chills? The pie filling I made is cherry/raspberry and I used Clear Jel thickener as recommended by the canning recipe it’s nice and thick which is why I wondered if I could actually mix it in with the cheesecake mixture…
Thanks in advance for the advice!
Hi Adrienne, While these cheesecake bars are a little more forgiving than your typical cheesecake, cheesecake, in general, can be pretty finicky so I wouldn’t fiddle with the recipe at all. Your safest bet is definitely to put the filling on top. Hope that helps and happy Easter!
Hi! I just took these cheesecakes out of the oven and they smell delicious! However, is it possible to not refrigerate the bars for a whole 6 hours? I am dying to try them!!
Thanks.
🙂
Were you able to hold off? Hope they turned out well!
Delicious!! I made these for our Super Bowl party and they disappeared immediately. The filling was so creamy, and the crust was the best graham cracker crust I’ve ever had. I used half the amount of lemon juice and peel since I’m a cheesecake purist – it added a nice touch but I may leave out completely next time. Thanks for another winner Jen!
Most amazing cheesecake square ever. The crust was so delicious and the cheesecake was melt in your mouth. I topped it with lemon curd and it was next level. I served this to the fam and it went from a loud conversation at the dinner table to silence as they were eating this. Everyone wanted seconds. Definitely keeping this recipe forever! Thanks Jenn!
I made them without the lemon. Delicious! Everybody loved them.
These turned out heavenly! Interestingly the cream cheese packages are smaller in Europe, which I only realized when I started baking. So I added 100g ricotta cheese and oh my, the texture was amazing. This led me to your Italian cheesecake recipe, which I will be trying next. A die hard ricotta fan here 🙂
I made these once and they were great! Just made them again and forgot to put the crust in the oven for 10 minutes prior to adding the mixture. What should I do?
Hi Jill, The crust might not hold up as well but they will still be very delicious.
Could I make these with sugar substitute instead of sugar?
Hi Susan, I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say how it would impact the recipe – I’m sorry! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it with one!
I thought this was very good for taste and size, but not exceptional like some of the ones that I have tried. I must admit I have made it on a couple of occasions to some really good reviews. And I do think it is better the next day! I have served it with fresh fruit sauce and by itself.
Hi Jenn – I’ve made this recipe 5 times over the last 6 months. It’s a hit with everyone & one of our absolute favourites. I like to freeze them & take one out when I want a special treat 🥰 Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve never been able to make it so the cheesecake doesn’t crack – do you have any suggestions for fixing this? I always try to follow your recipe religiously & even used a scale for the metric measurements last time. Not sure where I’m going wrong.
Hi Lily, It sounds like they may be a bit overbaked. You may want to check your oven temperature for accuracy. Here are some tips for how to do it.
Hi Jenn. Just wondering if you think your berry sauce would compliment these cheesecake squares?Btw, your recipes are the best. My husband & I have enjoyed every recipe we have tried & so has our company. Thanks so much for sharing.
Yes, I think the berry sauce would be great here! And so glad you enjoy the recipes. 💓
Would it be okay to double or triple the lemon zest & juice for extra lemon flavor?
Hi Meri, It’s fine to double or triple the zest, but not the juice. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I took it out of the oven after 40 minutes, and it was set all over and not jiggly in the middle. Also, the corners had slight cracks. Should I toss this one and make another one or will it be fine?
(I also made the berry sauce and tasted it, and it was incredible.)
Thank you,
Jenny
Hi Jenny, I think they are probably fine. Have you chilled them and tasted one yet?
Yes, I did, and they seem perfectly fine. I rarely ever eat cheesecake, so I don’t remember how it is supposed to taste. What may seem fine to me may not be acceptable to a chef. So, I just wanted your opinion before serving them to guests. Thank you for always responding quickly. Love your recipes.
Glad they turned out well – hope your guests enjoyed them too!
HI JENN
ANOTHER WINNER, CHEESECAKE BARS. I MADE THEM IN A 7×9 Pyrex pan and they are scrumptious.
I left out the salt as my husband is on a very low salt diet.
I just ordered from Amazon sodium free baking powder and baking soda so I can continue to bake for him and me too! everything has sodium, the cream cheese, etc. but I do my best
Lynda