Best 5 Light Easy Cheesecake Bars Recipes

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In the realm of delectable treats, light and easy cheesecake bars stand as a testament to the culinary brilliance that can transform simple ingredients into an extraordinary dessert experience. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, embarking on a culinary journey to create these airy and luscious cheesecake bars is an endeavor that promises both gustatory delight and an effortless preparation process. With minimal ingredients and a touch of culinary magic, you can whip up a batch of these heavenly bars that will tantalize taste buds and leave you craving more.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CHEESECAKE BARS



Cheesecake Bars image

Dense and creamy with a hint of lemon and a crisp graham cracker crust, these cheesecake bars are an easy alternative to NY cheesecake.

Provided by Jennifer Segal

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h35m

Yield 16 squares

Number Of Ingredients 13

1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs, from 10 whole crackers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
16 ounces (2 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ cup sour cream
3 large eggs
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon packed freshly grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil (so that there is an overhang on at least 2 sides) and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined, using your fingertips if necessary to be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
  • Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with beaters or the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not over-mix.
  • Pour the batter into the slightly cooled crust. Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is set but still a little jiggly in the center. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1" in from the edge, should read between 180°-190°F.) The cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools. Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
  • Use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares, wiping the knife clean with a damp cloth between slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Note: The cheesecake bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake (cut or uncut) on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Seal and return to freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the foil before defrosting.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 square, Calories 248, Fat 16 g, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Sugar 20 g, Fiber 0 g, Sodium 166 mg, Cholesterol 77 mg

CHEESECAKE BARS



Cheesecake Bars image

Rich and creamy as cheesecake, but much easier to make!

Provided by Frances Mann

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Bar Cookie Recipes     Cheesecake Bar Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 10

⅓ cup butter, softened
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
¼ cup white sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).
  • To make Pastry: Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and chopped nuts and stir until mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside 1/4 cup to use as a topping.
  • Press pastry mixture into 8-inch square pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.
  • To make Filling: Beat together the white sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix well. Spread filling mixture over baked crust. Sprinkle reserved mixture on as a topping.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack and refrigerate. Serve with fruit.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 72.6 calories, Carbohydrate 6.4 g, Cholesterol 16.7 mg, Fat 4.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 1.2 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 33.7 mg, Sugar 3.5 g

LIGHT & EASY CHEESECAKE BARS



Light & Easy Cheesecake Bars image

Fresh hints of lemon in the tender crust and creamy filling of these berry-topped treats. -Patricia Nieh, Portola Valley, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 50m

Yield 1-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
1 large egg
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
18 fresh raspberries, halved

Steps:

  • Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; coat with cooking spray and set aside., In a small bowl, beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add flour and salt; mix well. Press into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cream cheeses and remaining sugar until smooth. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in lemon zest and remaining lemon juice. Pour over crust. , Bake 14-18 minutes longer or until filling is set., Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Using foil, lift bars out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut into squares, then triangles. Garnish with raspberries.,

Nutrition Facts : Calories 153 calories, Fat 7g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 31mg cholesterol, Sodium 216mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE BARS



No-Bake Cheesecake Bars image

No-bake cheesecake is an excellent dessert for cooks with a lot of friends and not a lot of time. Unlike a traditional cheesecake, the no-bake variety is eggless, making it smooth, light, and all about the dairy. This version includes tangy Greek yogurt and a bit of whipped cream for added loft. Serve big squares with in-season fresh fruit or a dollop of fresh jam.

Provided by Samantha Seneviratne

Categories     cookies and bars, dessert

Time 20m

Yield 24 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

18 whole graham crackers (about 9 1/2 ounces/269 grams)
8 tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds/678 grams full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup/185 grams confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (1-17.6 ounce/500 grams container) full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup cold heavy cream

Steps:

  • Line a 13-inch-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. In a food processor, or in a resealable plastic bag, crush the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs (but stop before you have dust). You should have about 2 1/4 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar and salt, and stir until evenly moistened. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press them down into an even layer on the bottom. Transfer to the freezer while you prepare the filling.
  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the yogurt just until combined, about 30 seconds. In a separate bowl, beat the cream until you have stiff peaks. With a large rubber spatula, fold the cream into the cream-cheese mixture. Transfer the filling to the prepared crust and spread it out into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Keep the bars refrigerated until serving.
  • To serve, cut the bars away from the two exposed edges of the pan with a sharp knife. Use the parchment overhang to very carefully transfer the bar to a cutting board. (Be careful: The crust is tender.) Cut into squares to serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 267, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 179 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams, TransFat 0 grams

EASY LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS



Easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars image

Lemon cheesecake crescent bars.

Provided by Art Araya

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Bar Cookie Recipes     Cheesecake Bar Recipes

Time 4h10m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough (such as Pillsbury®)
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup white sugar
½ (21 ounce) can Lemon Pie Filling
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, or to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Unroll both pieces of crescent dough. Lay one piece on the bottom of the prepared pan. Set second piece aside.
  • Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup white sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon pie filling, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla extract. Pour over crescent dough in the baking pan and cover with the second piece of dough. Pour melted butter over top and sprinkle with remaining white sugar.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack until completely cool, about 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  • Dust with confectioners' sugar and cut into 24 bars.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 220.5 calories, Carbohydrate 22.2 g, Cholesterol 41.7 mg, Fat 13.3 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 3.4 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, Sodium 212.3 mg, Sugar 14.5 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality cream cheese. This will ensure that your cheesecake bars are smooth and creamy.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start mixing it. This will help it blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
  • Don't overbeat the cream cheese. Overbeating can cause the cheesecake to become grainy.
  • Use a springform pan to bake the cheesecake bars. This will make it easy to remove them from the pan.
  • Bake the cheesecake bars in a water bath. This will help to prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
  • Chill the cheesecake bars for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow them to set properly.

Conclusion:

These light and easy cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert for any occasion. They are creamy, delicious, and sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. With just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a dessert that will impress your friends and family. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy dessert, give these cheesecake bars a try.

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