Cheesecake bars

The most delicious traditional cheesecake bars you’ve ever had! This recipe calls for an extremely creamy and subtly tart cheesecake filling, layered above a simple, buttery graham cracker crust. To further elevate this dish, garnish with salted caramel or chocolate ganache!

Setup Time: twenty-five minutes

Passive (Relaxing) Time: six hours

Cooking time is 55 minutes.

Time total: 7 hours, 20 minutes, 20 seconds

Ingredients for the crust:

1. 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled;
2. 18 graham crackers (270 grams).

To make the filling,

1. take 32 ounces of thoroughly softened room temperature cream cheese.
2. 1/2 cup (114 grams) of room-temperature sour cream and
3. 2 cups (400 grams) of granulated sugar
4. Half a dozen big eggs, room temperature
5. 4 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice,
6. and 1/2 tsp sea salt

Chocolate ganacheganache

1.  (use a 1:1 ratio) Butterscotch sauce Salted caramel sauce
2.  Fruit preserves Whipped cream Fresh fruit

Guidelines for cheesecake bars

Prepare the crust:

• Set oven temperature to 350°F. With an overhang, line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Pulse the crackers in a food processor until they are coarsely crushed. Once the butter has been added, pulse to moisten.
• Using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan that has been prepared.
• Bake for about ten minutes, or longer if using a glass dish, or until aromatic.
• Transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
• Lower the oven’s setting to 325°F.
• To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a large basin with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This should take at least one minute. Blend until mixed after adding each egg one at a time, followed by the sour cream. Scrape down the bowl’s sides. Blend in salt, lemon juice, and vanilla until well blended. Avoid over-mixing.
• Evenly distribute batter over chilled crust. To let off air bubbles, tap against the counter many times. Bake at 325°F for 40 to 45 minutes (longer if using a glass dish) or until the center is just set and the sides are puffy and slightly cracked. Move to a rack to finish cooling.
• Cover with Before cutting into squares, cover with foil and chill for a minimum of six hours or overnight.
• The cheesecake can be prepared two days in advance and chilled, or it can be frozen for up to two months in an airtight container.