These Cheesecake Bars with their silky smooth filling and buttery graham cracker crust are a simple way to make classic cheesecake for a crowd. Top these bars with your favorite fruit-based sauce, caramel, or even chocolate ganache for so many ways to customize them.
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Chill Time 8 hourshours
Total Time 9 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Ingredients
For the crust:
3cupsgraham cracker crumbsabout 22 full graham crackers crushed in food processor
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are moistened. Evenly press crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric
mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Add in eggs one at a time, thoroughly incorporating each egg before adding in another. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl from time to time to make sure the filling ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and free of lumps.
Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until the cheesecake filling is smooth and the sour cream is fully incorporated. Pour the cheesecake filling directly over the crust. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the center appears to be set. You may see some minor cracking around the edges of the bars, this is totally expected. (Mine took 45 minutes to bake.)
Remove cheesecake bars from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. After cheesecake is cooled to room temperature, place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours before serving.
To serve, cut into squares and top with cherry pie filling, whipped cream with fresh berries, or a simple chocolate ganache.
Notes
Full-fat cream cheese and sour cream are recommended for this recipe