This Cheesecake Bars Recipe is smooth, creamy, and layered over a thick graham cracker crust. Top with fresh berries and whipped cream.
author’s note
You Won’t Believe How Easy These Cheesecake Bars Are!
I’ve tested so many cheesecake-inspired recipes, from this decadent chocolate cheesecake to Twix cheesecake bars to lemon cheesecake cookies, but these classic cheesecake bars are the ones I keep coming back to.
They remind me of the bakery-style cheesecake squares I used to get as a treat growing up. They’re thick, tangy, and just sweet enough. I started testing this version after a friend brought over a store-bought cheesecake, and I realized how much better homemade tastes. It’s creamier, more flavorful, and that buttery graham cracker crust? Completely irresistible.
Every time I make a batch, someone asks for the recipe before they even finish their slice!
What You’ll Need To Make These:
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Graham Crackers | Use digestive biscuits or vanilla wafers if you’re out of graham crackers. Process into fine crumbs for the best crust texture. |
| Butter | Melt and let it cool slightly before mixing, or the crust can turn greasy. |
| Cream Cheese | Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese — not whipped or low-fat, which change the texture. Make sure it’s at room temperature for a smooth batter. |
| Sugar | Regular granulated sugar adds the perfect sweetness without overpowering the tang. |
| Flour | A touch of flour stabilizes the filling and helps it bake up beautifully without cracking. |
| Sour Cream | Adds creaminess and tang. You can swap in Greek yogurt (full-fat) if needed. |
| Lemon Zest & Juice | Adds brightness! Optional, but I always use it. You can skip it for a pure vanilla cheesecake flavor. |
| Eggs | Room temperature eggs blend better into the batter and keep the texture silky. |
| Vanilla Extract | Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for richer flavor. |
Cheesecake Bars Recipe Tips
- Use room-temp cream cheese: cold cream cheese makes the batter clumpy.
- Don’t over mix batter: too much air can make the cheesecake rise, fall, and crack.
- Mix batter slowly and in one direction: This stops extra air from getting in.
- Let the baked bars cool fully at room temp: chilling too soon can cause cracks or moisture.
Featured Comment
“These were so good! I am cheesecake OBSESSED so these were exactly what I was looking for!”
– Eden
Storage
- Storage: Store cheesecake bars in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap bars tightly in plastic, then put in a sealed container. Freeze for 2–3 months.
- Thaw: Thaw in the fridge overnight, then let sit out for 20–30 minutes before serving.
More Dessert Recipes:
Cheesecake Bars
Enjoy smooth and creamy vanilla Cheesecake Bars with a sweet graham cracker crust. Top them with fresh berries, berry sauce, caramel, or caramelized sugar for a delicious twist. Enjoy!
Video
Ingredients
Crust
- 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese full-fat, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup sour cream full-fat, room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 large lemon optional
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Berry sauce optional, see note 1
- Toppings as desired see note 2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and place the oven rack in the middle position. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Leave enough of an overhang to pull out the bars and lightly spray with cooking spray. Melt butter and set aside to cool to room temperature. Zest lemon with a zester to get 1 teaspoon zest. Juice the lemon using a citrus juicer to get 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Set aside. Blend graham crackers well until no chunks remain.
- In a medium bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until completely combined, then press the crust firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. I like to compress the crust with the bottom of a flat measuring cup. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, remove, and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Beat in a constant circle going the same way. Use a spatula to scrape the edges and add in the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt. Beat on low speed until it’s just combined and smooth. Be careful not to overmix. Again, beat the mixture in a constant circle going the same direction.
- Use a spatula to scrape every bit of the batter onto the slightly cooled crust. Smooth the top into an even layer. Bake for 37–43 minutes at 325°F or until the filling is set but ever-so-slightly jiggly in the center. The cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools. After the bars are baked, turn off the oven, open the oven door, and let the cheesecake stand in the open oven for 30 minutes. Slowly reducing the temperature reduces the risk of cracks. After 30 minutes, transfer the Cheesecake Bars to a wire cooling rack. After 1 hour, cover tightly and refrigerate until the bars are completely chilled through, 6–8 hours.
- Use the overhang to lift the Cheesecake Bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with berry sauce or refrigerate, without sauce added, until ready to serve. To get clean slices, run a knife under hot water for a few seconds, wipe to dry, make 1 slice, and repeat.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Berry Sauce Recipe:
- 2 (16-ounce) packages frozen triple berry medley, slightly thawed
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pour just over 2/3 of each bag of (slightly thawed) frozen berries into a medium pot. Store the rest of the berries in a small bowl in the fridge.
- To the pot, add in lemon juice and sugar and bring the berries to a very gentle boil over medium heat. Cook the berries until they are very syrupy, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the berries to slightly cool, then transfer to a blender; pulse the berries to get a smooth puree.
- Pass that puree through a fine-mesh strainer and use the back of a wooden spoon to push the mixture through. You should just be left with seeds in the strainer, and that’s what you’ll discard.
- When ready to serve this sauce over the Cheesecake Bars, stir the reserved berries into that smooth sauce and spoon right on top of the bars. You want to top the bars right before eating, so if you won’t be eating it immediately, store the berry sauce in the fridge separately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cheesecake Bars Topping Ideas
- Crushed cookies or candy: Top with crushed Oreos or your favorite candy.
- Fresh berries: I love fresh berries with homemade whipped cream.
- Berry sauce: Use the one in the recipe card or top with blueberry syrup.
- Lemon topping: Add lemon curd with blueberries or blackberries.
- Chocolate or caramel sauce: Adds depth to the cheesecake’s simple flavors.
Searching for HOURS for the perfect cheesecade bar and now I have found it.
Your instructions are excellent and thankyou for putting in grams measurements. AWESOME AWESOME bars…
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Cate! 🙂
Once of the best cheesecakes I’ve made! Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear it! Thanks Stephanie 🙂
This cheesecake is soooooo easy to make and we love the topping…could totally eat it with a spoon!
My hubby loves cheesecake and this looks so good! I’ll be making it for sure.
These were so good! I am cheesecake OBSESSED so these were exactly what I was looking for!