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Slice of cheesecake bar with a bite taken out of it.
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Cheesecake Bars

Classic cheesecake bars are creamy, velvety smooth and deliciously tangy with a thick graham crumb crust. Perfect for serving at potlucks or parties - these are made without using a water bath and turn out perfectly every time. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cheesecake Bars, Cheesecake Squares, New York Cheesecake Bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Chilling 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 5 minutes
Servings 15 pieces
Calories 263kcal
Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch glass, ceramic or pyrex bars

Ingredients

Crust*

  • 2 cups graham crumbs*
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted

Filling

  • 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese* softened to room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed - do not use juice from a bottle
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream*
  • 3 large eggs*
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 325F degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 inch glass, ceramic or pyrex pan.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the graham crumbs and brown sugar. Then stir in the melted butter.
  • Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan to create an even layer.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, but leave the oven turned on.

Cheesecake Filling

  • In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstacrch until soft. Ensure that there are no lumps in the bottom or along the sides of the bowl.
  • Carefully mix in the lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream.
  • With the mixer on low speed, beat in the eggs 1 at a time until the mixture is just combined. Be careful not to continue mixing after the eggs are incorporated.
  • Pour the filling over the cheesecake crust and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top looks just set.
  • Turn the oven off and open the oven door. Cool the bars in the oven (turned off) for 30 minutes. Then remove the bars from the oven and cool on the counter until they're room temperature.
  • Cover the pan and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.
  • When ready to serve, remove from the oven and slice with a sharp knife (I do not recommend using a table knife).

Notes

  1. For a thinner crust, feel free to use 1 ½ cups graham crumbs, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
  2. If you can't find graham crumbs/crackers - they can be substituted with Digestive biscuit crumbs. 
  3. Cream cheese, sour cream and eggs should be room temperature before getting started. Take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making the crust.
  4. Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use lite or spreadable.
  5. Store bars in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
  6. Nutrition information is meant as an estimate only. It is based on 1 bar, assuming that the recipe is sliced into 15 equal pieces. 

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 1mg