Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake is a classic dessert that is sure to please a crowd and these Cheesecake Bars are the perfect way to enjoy that delicious cheesecake flavor in bar form. They have the most delicious graham cracker crust and the smoothest cheesecake.

These Cheesecake Bars only take a handful of basic ingredients and can be made in a standard 8 x 8 pan. I love them on their own, but you can top them off with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, and more!

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED.

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Cream Cheese: It’s important that the cream cheese is softened. Make sure to leave it out before you start baking so it has time to soften.
  • Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.

• Measuring Your Ingredients:
  • I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.

• Check out My Favorite Baking Tools to see what I use when I bake.

Now let's bake! Blend graham crackers in a food processor until they are a fine, sandlike consistency. Add in melted butter and sugar and blend until the crumbs start to clump together.

Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment that overhangs the edges and spray that parchment lightly with cooking spray. Use a small measuring cup sprayed with cooking spray to carefully press the crumbs down until they cover the bottom of the pan and are compact. Chill until needed.

Preheat oven to 325º. Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer with a large bowl to beat together the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until combined.  Add in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and continue to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Carefully pour the cheesecake batter on top of the graham cracker crust and use an offset spatula to spread it around so it is level. Bake for 35-40 minutes until it has a slight wiggle in the center.

Let cheesecake cool completely at room temperature. Once cool, carefully run a butter knife along the sides of the pan and gently lift the cheesecake out by the overhanging parchment.

Cut the cheesecake into 9 bars by cutting it at 2.5" and 5" both ways. Enjoy!