Cheesecake bars are THE dessert I make each time I want one thing that impresses with out stressing me out. They bake up faster than a standard cheesecake and skip the additional steps like water baths and springform pans. These simple vanilla cheesecake bars are creamy, tangy, and completely sliceable. And as soon as they’re chilled, you possibly can high them with no matter you like most, together with recent fruit, jams, or a drizzle of melted chocolate!
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cLASSIC vANILLA Cheesecake Bars
I make the cheesecake filling on this recipe with a mixture of cream cheese and Greek yogurt. The cream cheese retains it wealthy and creamy, whereas the Greek yogurt provides some tang and helps lighten it up. And whereas a no-bake cheesecake is scrumptious, baking these cheesecake slices is what provides them their construction. You may slice them cleanly, choose them up along with your fingers, and transport them simply for potlucks, events, or as an on-the-go deal with! They’re a scrumptious make-ahead dessert that’s excellent for novices AND skilled dwelling bakers to take pleasure in.
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper. There must also be some overhang across the edges. This helps you take away the cheesecake bars as soon as chilled, and in addition helps keep away from cracking as they cool.
- Use room temperature cream cheese. I don’t advocate making an attempt to make a cheesecake filling with chilly, straight-from-the-fridge cream cheese. It’s simply too robust to combine with the opposite elements! Let it sit out for about half-hour so it softens up. The Greek yogurt must also be at room temperature to assist every thing mix collectively right into a silky clean filling.
- Press the graham cracker crust into your baking dish. I like to make use of the underside of a glass to do that. It makes the bottom even and retains it from crumbling whenever you slice the bars. Don’t overlook to press it into the corners of your dish.
- Use any taste of graham cracker you wish to make your graham cracker crust! Cinnamon, chocolate, honey, you identify it. You may also swap out the graham crackers for an additional crisp cookie, like vanilla wafers or chocolate sandwich cookies (as utilized in our peanut butter pie).
- Swirl some jam, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts into your cheesecake combination for one thing totally different. I personally choose these cheesecake slices plain as a result of I can high them with no matter I’m craving within the second (see a few of my topping strategies below the step-by-step pictures beneath!)
- For clear cheesecake slices, wipe your knife in between cuts.
Cheesecake Bars
Price $5.51 recipe / $0.61 serving
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Collect all elements and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring there’s some overhang for simple elimination.
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In a meals processor, mix Graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter, and pulse till the combination is mixed however not too wonderful!
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Press crust combination evenly into the lined 8×8 baking dish.
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Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then take away from the oven and permit to chill. Cut back the oven temperature to 325°F.
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In the meantime, utilizing a hand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese on a low-medium velocity till clean. Add the Greek yogurt, white sugar, and vanilla extract and beat till clean, scraping down sides of bowl as wanted.
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In a small bowl, stir collectively the cornstarch and chilly water till clean. Add this to the cream cheese combination and blend till properly mixed.
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Pour the cream cheese filling into the baked crust, spreading it into a good layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes or till the middle is only a bit wobbly.
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Permit to chill fully at room temperature after which refrigerate for at the least 4-5 hours or in a single day, till fully chilled and agency.
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As soon as chilled, use the parchment overhang to elevate the cheesecake from the pan. Slice into bars, serve, and luxuriate in!
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Meals Processor
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Hand Mixer
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8×8†Baking Dish
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 5gFats: 22gSodium: 255mgFiber: 0.3g
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the best way to make Cheesecake Bars step-by-step pictures
Collect your entire elements and preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Make sure that there’s some parchment paper overhang across the edges of the dish to make eradicating your cheesecake bars simpler after baking.
Make the cracker crust: Add 6 graham crackers, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, and three Tbsp melted unsalted butter to a meals processor. Pulse the elements till mixed however not too wonderful. There ought to nonetheless be some texture (see my subsequent picture for reference).
Press the cracker crumbs into your lined 8×8 baking dish. I like utilizing the underside of a glass to press the crust evenly, however you can even use your fingers!
Bake: Place the baking dish into your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Take away the crust from the oven after 10 minutes and permit it to chill. Cut back the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the cheesecake filling: In the meantime, add 16 oz. room temperature cream cheese to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese on low-medium velocity till clean. Now add ½ cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the bowl and beat till clean. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl as you combine so every thing can incorporate.
Add 2 Tbsp cornstarch and ¼ cup chilly water to a small, separate bowl. Stir collectively to make a cornstarch slurry after which add this to your cream cheese combination. Combine properly till mixed.
Make the bars: Unfold the cream cheese combination over your baked crust in a good layer.
Bake: Now bake for 35-40 minutes or till the middle of your cheesecake is a bit wobbly.
Cool: Permit it to chill in your dish to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at the least 4-5 hours or in a single day till chilled and agency.
Slice and serve: As soon as fully chilled, take away the cheesecake from the baking dish utilizing the parchment overhang, after which slice it into 9 bars. Get pleasure from!
Topping and Serving Solutions!
These cheesecake slices have a basic vanilla taste, in order that they’re scrumptious as is, however I DO love including some additional toppings! I went with blueberry sauce, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream with orange zest and slices within the pictures right here. However listed here are some extra yummy choices to attempt (go together with what you’ve already received in your kitchen!):
- Raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar
- Caramel sauce
- Blackberries with honey
- Melted darkish or semi-sweet chocolate (let it harden right into a crisp chocolate shell on high!)
- Strawberry freezer jam or strawberry sauce
- Canned fruit like cherries, peaches, pineapple, or mandarin
- Peach sauce
Storage Directions
You may retailer your do-it-yourself vanilla cheesecake bars in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. As for freezing, wrap every slice individually and freeze for as much as 2-3 months. Allow them to thaw within the fridge earlier than serving.