Light Easy Cheesecake Bars Recipes

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.

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.

LIGHT & EASY CHEESECAKE BARS

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.,

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE BARS

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.

EASY LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS

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.