The Best Cheesecake Bars
A recipe delicious enough to convert non-cheesecake lovers
I don’t eat cheesecake a lot but these bars are absolutely delicious and have quickly become one of my favorites! They have a thick graham cracker crust and a silky, creamy, slightly tangy cream cheese filling. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Cheesecake:
2 - 8 oz. bars of cream cheese, Philadelphia regular cream cheese is preferred as it creates the best texture
1/2 c + 6 tbs white sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c sour cream
2 eggs
Crust:
1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
5-6 tbs melted salted butter
4 tbs white sugar
Instructions:
Allow all cold ingredients to come to room temperature. This is important because if the cream cheese is cold or comes into contact with something cold, it seizes up and won’t mix, leaving clumps of cream cheese in your cheesecake.
Preheat your oven to 325 and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter from the “crust” ingredients list until the mixture resembles wet sand. Depending on the texture and moisture level of your graham cracker crumbs, you might need to adjust the amount of butter, so play it by ear and go by texture. You want the mixture to be wet enough that it can stick together to form a crust.
Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of your pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Take the crust out of the oven and set it aside to cool.
While the crust is cooling, mix the cream cheese and sugar from the “cheesecake” ingredients list for 1-2 minutes or until fully combined. You can mix by hand or use a mixer.
Add the sour cream, vanilla, eggs and salt and continue to mix until fully combined and no lumps remain.
Pour your cheesecake mixture into the crust (it’s okay if it’s still a little warm) and place it back into the oven for 35-45 minutes. Oven temperatures can vary, so start checking on your cheesecake after about 30 minutes. The cheesecake will be done when the edges are set but the center is jiggly. There shouldn’t be any browning other than a very slight browning around the edges. You don’t want it to overbake! If you aren’t sure if your cheesecake is cooked yet, take the temperature of the center of the cheesecake. If it’s 160+, it’s cooked!
Let your cheesecake cool completely on the counter (this will take 1-2 hours) then place in the fridge to chill for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
Slice into bars and enjoy!
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