Cheesecake Squares Recipes

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add flour, and mix until just combined; set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining dough into bottom and 1/4 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla; mix to combine.
• Spread filling in crust; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

CHEESECAKE BARS

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.

BAKED CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
• To make the crust: In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Gradually blend in flour and walnuts. Mixture will be crumbly.
• Set aside one cup of crust mixture. Press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
• To make filling: in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar. Add in egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla until well blended.
• Spread the filling over warm crust. Sprinkle top with remaining crust mixture. Bake for another 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool on wire racks before cutting.

CHEESECAKE BARS

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.

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the butter, cornstarch, flour and vanilla until smooth. Fold in sour cream. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1 hour or until almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. , Chill several hours or overnight. Top each serving with fruit if desired.

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Crimp overhang under rim of pan.
• In a food processor, blend graham crackers with sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until moistened.
• Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and pat in gently (wipe processor bowl clean, and reserve for making filling). Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. While crust is baking, make filling.
• Make the filling: Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice; blend until smooth.
• Pour mixture onto hot crust in pan; smooth top. Return to oven, and bake until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken), 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). Use foil overhang to lift cheesecake out of pan. With metal spatula, lift cheesecake from foil; cut into 16 squares.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine wafer crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press firmly onto bottom of foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Carefully spread jam over crust.
• Mix cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl until blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; spoon over jam.
• Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Serve topped with strawberries.

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Line a 9-inch-square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Put 1 stick butter, the granulated sugar and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Add the egg and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture is thick like hot fudge sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and chopped walnuts. Spread in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 45 minutes.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese, 4 tablespoons butter, the vanilla and salt in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until stiff, then beat in the heavy cream until fluffy. Spread over the crust, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make the topping: Put the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Quickly spread the chocolate over the filling. Top with whole walnuts and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

FAVORITE CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat margarine and brown sugar till light and fluffy.
• Add flour and walnuts; mix well.
• Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture; press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of 8" sqaure pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese (nuke for 15 seconds to soften), garnulated sugar and vanilla; mixing at medium speed and electric mixer till well blended.
• Add egg; mix well.
• Layer 1/2 cup Smarties or M&Ms over crust; top with cream cheese mixture.
• Combine remaining candy, chopped and reserve crumb mixture; mix well.
• Sprinkle crumb mixture over cream cheese mixture.
• Bake at 350 degrees, 20 minutes.
• Cool.

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300F; spray 8x8 pan with non-stick pan spray, set aside.
• In food processor, combine brown sugar, nuts, and flour.
• Add melted butter& blend until crumbly (or combine all with a pastry blender).
• Reserve 3/4c for topping; press remainder firmly in prepared pan.
• Bake for approx 10-12 minutes.
• Meanwhile beat cream cheese and sugar in a medium bow; add remaining ngredients and beat until smooth.
• Pour cheese mixture onto crust; top with reserved crumbs and bake another 25-30 minutes.
• Cool; cut into squares.

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with the baking spray and line with parchment paper, allowing at least 2 inches of overhang on the two long sides. Lightly coat the parchment with the baking spray.
• Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor or gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Add the melted butter and pulse until evenly moistened. Press the mixture about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared cake pan, then press to cover the bottom evenly. Bake until the edges just become golden and the crust is fragrant, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Use your fingers to rub together the sugar, lemon zest and salt in a small bowl until the mixture is fragrant. Gradually add the sugar mixture to the cream cheese on low speed, then raise the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, then beat for another few seconds to combine.
• Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla on low speed until combined. Mix in half of the beaten eggs and until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and paddle well and then mix in the remaining half of the beaten eggs on low speed just until combined.
• Pour the batter over the freshly baked warm crust and spread smooth. Place the lemon curd in a resealable plastic bag and snip a corner. Pipe lines of the lemon curd across the batter (alternately, spoon small dollops of curd across the batter.) Use a toothpick to swirl the curd and batter together slightly.
• Place the baking pan in a slightly larger baking pan or roasting pan. Place in the center of the oven. Very carefully pour about 1 inch of steaming hot water into the larger pan to create a water bath. Gently slide the oven rack back in place and close the door. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the center barely jiggles, 42 to 45 minutes. The temperature at the center of the cheesecake should be about 150 degrees F.
• Once baked, turn off the oven, prop open the door and allow the cheesecake to cool down inside the oven for 45 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before refrigerating for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, use the parchment overhang to pull the cheesecake out of the pan. Peel down the sides of the parchment and cut into 24 bars. Serve immediately or store tightly covered for up to 3 days.

HOLIDAY CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix graham crumbs, butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 30 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Cut into bars. Decorate with gels and sprinkles to resemble presents.