1990s-present - Cream cheese brands, bakery-case cooks, and potluck bakers adapting cheesecake into bar form

Cheesecake Bars

Name: Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs; 5 tablespoons melted butter; 3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar; 24 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup sour cream; 3 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional; 1/2 cup jam, fruit topping, or chocolate ganache, optional

Creamy cheesecake baked over a graham cracker crust, chilled, and cut into tidy bars for easy serving.

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Difficulty

Moderate

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

40 minutes

Total time

5 hours including chilling

Servings

16 bars

Region

United States potlucks, bakeries, and refrigerated dessert cases

Era introduced

1990s-present

Introduced by

Cream cheese brands, bakery-case cooks, and potluck bakers adapting cheesecake into bar form

Recipe tools

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The Story

Cheesecake bars translate a full cheesecake into the American bar-cookie format: easier to bake, easier to chill, and easier to carry to a potluck. Cream cheese brands helped normalize home cheesecake baking, while refrigerated snack bars and bakery cases made cheesecake squares feel familiar in the 1990s and after. The basic form is a graham crust, a creamy filling, and optional fruit or chocolate topping.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
1/2 cup jam, fruit topping, or chocolate ganache, optional

Equipment

Oven
Parchment paper
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Heat oven to 325 F and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment.
Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar.
Press crust firmly into the pan and bake 8 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.
Beat in sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice if using.
Pour filling over crust and smooth the top.
Bake until edges are set and the center jiggles slightly, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool, then chill at least 4 hours.
Top if desired and cut into bars.

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Cheesecake Bars

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Ingredients

Equipment

Directions

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