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    🏠Home » Recipes » Appetizer and Party Recipes

    Cheesecake Bars

    Nov 13, 2020 · Modified: Apr 14, 2021 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 14 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.62 from 13 votes

    Perfect for any occasion, these creamy New York cheesecake bars will impress your friends and family. Scaled to a smaller occasion but easy to double or freeze.

    Image of a cheesecake bars being held

    Jump To:
    • 📋Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳Recipe Size
    • ❄️Storage
    • 📖Party Treat Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    • Pro Tips

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    Most of our gatherings we host are now smaller, so a huge amount of the sweet treat is a bit of a waste. This is a cut-down version of one of the most common cheesecake bar recipes on the internet.

    I did my usual research and found lots of similar recipes. This is good since that means it's solid. I chose the King Author version to adapt since it was already smaller.  A little change here and there—more cinnamon, less vanilla, made the lemon optional, and I had exactly what I wanted.

    My Rating

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    Evil good. An excellent bar. Great for a gathering or the family.

    📋Ingredients

    Like all cheesecakes, things work much better at room temperature. So let the eggs and cream cheese rest at room temperature for an hour or so if possible.

    The cream cheese should be of good quality and full fat. This is not health food, so don't try to save a few grams of fat.

    I left the lemon juice as an option. You may also add ½ teaspoon of grated lemon peel.

    👨‍🍳Recipe Size

    This makes an 8 by 8 cake as written. It will make 16 small 2-inch squares, which are great at a party but small. I do a bit bigger and calculate 12 pieces.

    A double recipe fits nicely in a 9 by 13 baking dish. A double batch will take about 10 minutes longer to bake.

    Please use the parchment paper, or you will probably destroy the bars by removing them from the pan.

    ❄️Storage

    Store refrigerated covered for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

    📖Party Treat Recipes

    Easy Lemon Bars

    Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Easy Cheesecake Cupcakes

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Appetizer and Party Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Holiday Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Note: all pictures are for a double batch. All instructions and recipe card are for a single batch.

    cream cheese with eggs and ingredients for bars

    Allow the cream cheese to rest at room temperature for several hours before starting. Preheat oven to 375°. Note:  pictures are a double batch. The discussion and recipe card are for a single batch.

    baking pan lined with crossing sheets of parchment paper

    Prepare 8 by 8 baking dish by lining with parchment paper. Use two sheets and cut to fit in a crossing pattern. Use dots of butter in the corners of the dish to help them stay down. They need to hang over a little since you need them to remove the bars from the pan.

    crushing graham crackers in bag with a glass

    Crush 8 sheets of Graham crackers. Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter. Mix to combine. Melt 5 tablespoons butter and add.

    pressing crust into prepared pan with bottom of a glass

    Mix well and press into the bottom of the prepared dish and allow to run up the side about ¼ inch. Bake for 8-10 minutes to firm up. When done baking the crust, decrease the oven temperature to 325°.

    beating cream cheese with sugar in a glass bowl with an electric mixer

    With a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine 1 pound of cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Add in 3 eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add optional lemon juice if using at this point. Mix well.

    pouring batter into prepared pan with crust

    Pour into a baking dish.

    baked cheesecake bars in pan showing browning edge with shimming center

    Bake for 30-40 minutes until the edge is set and just starting to brown some. The center will still appear soft. You can check the temperature; it should be 180° about one inch from the edge.

    cheesecake bars on a blue plate

    Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold before cutting.

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    📝Recipe

    Image of a cheesecake bars being held

    Cheesecake Bars

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Perfect for any occasion, these creamy New York cheesecake bars will impress your friends and family. Scaled to a smaller occasion but easy to double or freeze.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.62 from 13 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 12

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric

    Crust

    • 8 sheets graham crackers
    • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 5 tablespoons butter
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt - only if using unsalted butter
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice - optional

    Batter

    • 1 pound cream cheese
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 3 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Note: images are for a double batch. Allow the cream cheese to rest at room temperature for several hours before starting. Preheat oven to 375°.
      cream cheese with eggs and ingredients for bars
    • Prepare 8 by 8 baking dish by lining with parchment paper. Use two sheets and cut to fit in a crossing pattern. Use dots of butter in the corners of the dish to help them stay down. They need to hang over a little since you need them to remove the bars from the pan.
      baking pan lined with crossing sheets of parchment paper
    • Crush 8 sheets of Graham crackers. Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter. Mix to combine. Melt 5 tablespoons butter and add.
      crushing graham crackers in bag with a glass
    • Mix well and press into the bottom of the prepared dish and run up the side about ¼ inch. Bake for 8-10 minutes to firm up. Decrease the oven temperature to 325° when done.
      pressing crust into prepared pan with bottom of a glass
    • With a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine 1 pound of cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Add in 3 eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.
      beating cream cheese with sugar in a glass bowl with an electric mixer
    • Pour into a baking dish.
      pouring batter into prepared pan with crust
    • Bake for 30-40 minutes until edge is set and just starting to brown a bit. The center will still appear soft. You can check the temperature; it should be 180° about one inch from the edge.
      baked cheesecake bars in pan showing browning edge with shimming center
    • Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes then refrigerate until cold before cutting.
      cheesecake bars on a blue plate
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. This uses an 8X8 pan but 6X9 will be fine.
    2. A double recipe fits in a cake pan size dish of 9X13. This will take about 10 minutes longer to cook.
    3. Your cooking time will vary by your oven and the pan used so watch for the end points discussed.
    4. This work much better if the eggs and cream cheese are room temperature.
    5. It will be near impossible to get out of pan in good shape without the parchment paper. I like to use longer pieces so I can lift it out of the pan when done.
    6. A few dots of butter in the pan will hold the parchment in place and prevent shifting while you assemble this.
    7. Great to top with a little fruit of your choice.
    8. Cool at room temperature first helps prevent cracking.
    9. Good refrigerated covered for about 3 days and frozen for 3 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Cheesecake Bars
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 323 Calories from Fat 180
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 20g31%
    Saturated Fat 12g60%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 86mg29%
    Sodium 255mg11%
    Potassium 35mg1%
    Carbohydrates 28g9%
    Fiber 0.4g2%
    Sugar 22g24%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 700IU14%
    Vitamin C 0mg0%
    Calcium 40mg4%
    Iron 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Dessert
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published April 4, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    More Appetizer and Party Recipes

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    • Extra Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
    • Candied Almonds or Other Nuts
    • Spicy Candied Bacon

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    1. Stephanie

      December 24, 2020 at 11:51 am

      Hi! I'm looking forward to making these today but I have only graham cracker crumbs, not sheets. Also, there's not really a standard size so some manufacturers make them smaller than others. Do you know how many cups/grahams/oz of crumbs I need? Thanks. Your recipes are great. For Christmas tomorrow, I'm making cinnamon roll cake. 🤩

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        December 24, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        Hi Stephanie,

        8 sheets of Graham crackers will make about 1 cup of crumbs.

        Enjoy the cheesecake bars and have a good holiday.

        Dan

    2. Carla Johnson

      November 13, 2020 at 11:10 am

      I really don't like graham cracker crust - could I cut it in half and make a really thin crust? I would definitely use the parchment paper to get the cheesecake out of the pan. I haven't made the bars yet.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        November 13, 2020 at 12:19 pm

        Hi Carla,

        Welcome to the blog. There are many ways to make a crust. I suggest checking the crust with oreo cookies at this post. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/easy-chocolate-chip-cheesecake/ You also could use other cookies like snickerdoodles. That entire crust would be the perfect fit for this recipe in an 8 by 8 pan (Both are about 64 sq inches).

        Thinner is probably not a good idea since most will be using these as finger food and it will fall apart.

        Enjoy you cheesecake.

        Dan

    3. Jamie

      June 04, 2020 at 4:32 pm

      Dr. Dan, I am curious, could this recipe be doubled to make a half sheet sized cheesecake?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        June 04, 2020 at 4:37 pm

        Hi Jamie,

        Welcome to the blog.

        I don't think I would but it probably would work. I'm thinking of the distance of the center to the edge increasing from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches and it may not get done. But it is thin so in all probability, it would work. If you do it, please post and let me know. But I would do two pans instead.

        Dan

    4. Joanna

      February 02, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      Hi Dr. Dan,
      Just finished making cheesecake and it puffed up a lot, almost to where it might overflow. I followed instructions exactly. Also top got really brown ( baked on 375 for 45 min). Did I do something wrong? Whip the eggs to long? Thanks for all your recipes! Also just made the mango pineapple salsa and that turned out great!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        February 02, 2020 at 1:30 pm

        Hi Joanna,

        Welcome to the blog.

        Sorry you had an issue. You probably answered your own question. The filling is just mixed until combined. The whipping adds air and will make things fluffy. And air expands with heat so just mix well.

        We are having mango salsa for the game also....

        Dan

      • Carol

        December 19, 2020 at 8:16 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Joanna, I noticed that you said you baked this at 375. That may be the reason the top got so brown. The recipe says to bake at 325. Just the crust gets baked at 375. Hope this helps. That is a really great recipe and I've made it many times.

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        December 19, 2020 at 8:49 pm

        Hi Carol,

        Thanks for the "catch". I should reread recipes before replying.

        Have a great holiday.

        Dan

    5. Halfadime7

      January 08, 2018 at 5:46 pm

      An ABSOLUTE success, Doc! BINGO, spot on and wonderful. My husband LOVES cheesecake and couldn't wait to try this. I made it last night so it had to be in the fridge overnight. When I got up this morning he'd already been at it. He said it's the best cheesecake he's ever had, and he's from NY. You've given us another WINNER!

      Reply
    6. Darlene

      April 05, 2017 at 4:42 pm

      Your instructions say sour cheese but I'm assuming you meant sour cream instead.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        April 05, 2017 at 11:22 pm

        Yep, fixed and thanks for the proof read.

        Dan

    7. Laura Pasquale

      April 05, 2017 at 4:19 pm

      Dr Dan, These look great I cannot wait to make them!

      Reply

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