If you’re craving cheesecake but are short on time, try these simple cheesecake bars. They come together in a flash without a water bath and have all the velvety, tangy, sweet cheesecake goodness you’re looking for! I love serving these dessert bars at parties because they’re universally loved and can be dressed up with so many different toppings.
Cheesecake bars need to chill for several hours in the refrigerator to set completely, so they’re a convenient make-ahead dessert option, too. Simply make the bars a night or two before you plan to serve it, and store it in the fridge! All that’s left to do is to slice, add toppings, and serve. For more cheesecake recipes, try my Basque cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, and no-bake pumpkin cheesecake.
Ingredients
Crust — for the crisp graham cracker crust, you need graham cracker crumbs, light brown sugar, and melted unsalted butter.
Cream cheese — as I recommend for all my cheesecakes, including my classic cheesecake recipe, use brick-style full-fat cream cheese, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub or a lower-fat cream cheese.
Sugar — granulated sugar sweetens the batter in this easy recipe.
Sour cream — sour cream adds tang and makes the filling unbelievably creamy. Swap it for full-fat Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream on hand.
Lemon juice — fresh lemon juice adds a subtle citrusy kick that cuts through the richness of the cream cheese.
Vanilla — vanilla extract adds a mouthwatering aroma and flavor to the cheesecake bars.
Eggs — eggs add richness and structure to the filling.
How To Make Cheesecake Bars
1. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Drizzle the melted butter all over and stir well.
2. Spray an 8×8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on at least 2 of the sides. Place the crust mixture in the prepared pan and use a flat-bottomed glass to press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Set the crust aside for about 45 minutes to cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325°F.
3. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer (electric mixer) on high speed until fluffy and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the white sugar and beat until well combined.
4. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. If any small pieces of cream cheese remain, continue to mix until it is smooth.
5. Add the eggs and beat at low speed just until combined.
6. Pour the cream cheese filling over the cooled crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are slightly puffed and the middle is nearly set but still wobbles slightly. Let it cool completely for about 2 hours on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing into bars.
Can I Make A Larger Batch?
Yes! To make a larger quantity of cheesecake bars, double the recipe and use a 9×13-inch pan that has been greased and fully lined with parchment paper. The bake time should be about 35 minutes, but check for a set center and puffed edges before removing it.
Variations And Toppings
- Add more lemon flavor: When folding the lemon juice into the filling, add up to 1 teaspoon of lemon zest if you love the flavor of lemon.
- Make a swirl: For a decorative and delicious swirl on the bars, dollop ⅓ cup of caramel sauce, strawberry jam, or your favorite fruit jam over the batter in the pan and swirl it with a knife.
- Switch up the crust: For a different twist, leave out the graham crackers and use ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, or Biscoff cookies. You can also use Oreos like I do in my Oreo pie crust recipe.
- Add fruit toppings: Top the cheesecake bars with the delicious fruit and nut toppings I use on my blueberry cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, or pecan pie cheesecake.
- Serve with other easy toppings: There are so many delicious options for serving cheesecake bars! Whipped cream and fresh fruit are a classic choice. Or, spread on some dulce de leche, caramel sauce, chocolate ganache, fruit preserves, or lemon curd.
How To Make Ahead And Store
Since the cheesecake bars need several hours to chill, this is actually an excellent make-ahead recipe! Let it chill overnight in the fridge to give it plenty of time to set, then slice and add your toppings when you are ready to serve.
Store leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- To make graham cracker crumbs: Place 11 whole sheets of graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until the sheets are broken down into fine crumbs. You can then add the sugar and butter straight to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until it is well combined, rather than transferring the crumbs to a large bowl.
- To make sure the crust is ready to bake, pinch the crust mixture between your fingers and thumb. It should hold together. If it is sandy and falls apart, add 1 more tablespoon of melted butter and stir to combine, then try the pinch test again. The amount of butter needed can vary depending on whether you use boxed crumbs or make your own from graham cracker sheets, so I always do the test to ensure my crust will hold together nicely.
- You can use a stand mixer to make the filling. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment or whisk attachment until you add the eggs. Incorporate the eggs at low speed just until combined.
- This recipe also works in a 9×9-inch baking pan. The bars will be slightly thinner and may cook more quickly. Start to check the bars for doneness after 25 minutes in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can freeze the unsliced or sliced cheesecake bars. After they have chilled completely, place the cheesecake on a baking tray and freeze until solid. Then, wrap it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, store in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Slices will thaw in the refrigerator in a couple of hours, but if it’s unsliced, let it thaw for 4 to 8 hours in the fridge.
The key to clean, picture-perfect slices is to use a clean, sharp knife. I prefer using a large chef’s knife, and I wipe it clean with a paper towel between each cut. The filling and crumbs will stick to the knife and clump up if you don’t clean it between slices, creating rough and messy edges.
Cheesecake bars bake in much less time than a big cheesecake. Plus, I designed the recipe to be baked crack-free without the need for a water bath!
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this cheesecake bars recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- 8×8-inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (180g, from 11 large graham cracker sheets)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (85g)
For the Filling:
- 2 (8-ounce/ 226g) packages cream cheese room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature (80g)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on at least 2 of the sides.
- In a large bowl, stir to combine the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Drizzle the melted butter all over and stir well to combine. (Pinch the mixture between your fingers and thumb. If it holds together on it’s own, the crust is ready. If it is sandy and falls apart, add 1 more tablespoon of melted butter and stir to combine.)
- Place the mixture in the prepared baking pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Set aside for about 45 minutes to cool.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer on high speed for 1 minute until fluffy and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar and beat for 1 minute until well combined.
- Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds, until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. If any small pieces of cream cheese remain, continue to mix until it’s smooth.
- Add the eggs and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds or just until combined.
- Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are slightly puffed and the middle is nearly set. (It should move just slightly.) Let cool completely for about 2 hours on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until very cold.
- Slice into bars and serve topped with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or chocolate ganache, if you like.
Notes
- To make graham cracker crumbs: Place 11 whole sheets of graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until the sheets are broken down into fine crumbs. You can then add the sugar and butter straight to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until it is well combined, rather than transferring the crumbs to a large bowl.
- To make sure the crust is ready to bake, pinch the crust mixture between your fingers and thumb. It should hold together. If it is sandy and falls apart, add 1 more tablespoon of melted butter and stir to combine, then try the pinch test again. The amount of butter needed can vary depending on whether you use boxed crumbs or make your own from graham cracker sheets, so I always do the test to ensure my crust will hold together nicely.
- You can use a stand mixer to make the filling. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment or whisk attachment until you add the eggs. Incorporate the eggs at low speed just until combined.
- This recipe also works in a 9×9-inch baking pan. The bars will be slightly thinner and may cook more quickly. Start to check the bars for doneness after 25 minutes in the oven.
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