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A close up of a sliced chocolate cheesecake bar on a white rimmed plate topped with chocolate whipped cream

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

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  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Chill Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 1 minutes
  • Yield: 9 bars
  • Category: Cheesecake
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake bars are such an easy dessert! These bars have the silkiest filling loaded with cocoa and melted chocolate, baked over a thick Oreo crust.


Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 24 Oreo cookies
  • 45 tablespoons (56g) Unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

  • 8 ounces (226g) Dark chocolate bar, melted
  • 16 ounces (452g) Full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (63g) Granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (10g) Cocoa powder (any type)
  • 2 Large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (60g) Full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

For the Toppings (optional):

  • 3/4 cup (177ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (5g) cocoa powder
  • Splash of pure vanilla extract
  • Fresh Fruit of choice

Instructions

For the Crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
  2. Grind the Oreo cookies into a fine crumb using a food processor or blender. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs with the melted butter and stir until well combined. Press into the prepared pan.

For the Filling

  1. Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. 
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until well combined and free of any lumps, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  3. Next, beat in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream just until combined. Finally, add the melted chocolate and beat until all ingredients are well combined. Pour the batter over the prepared crust and spread evenly.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes. The centers of the cheesecake should be slightly giggly. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours prior to serving. Keep stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add toppings prior to serving.

For the topping: 

  1. Prepare the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon onto the chilled cheesecake and top with fresh fruit.


Notes

  • Make ahead: These can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Make sure the cheesecake bars are completely cooled before placing them in the container.
  • Freezing instructions: To freeze, chill the bars for at least 2 hours before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add the toppings before serving.
  • Pan size: This recipe is made in a 9-inch square pan but can also be made in an 8-inch square pan. Add additional baking time,  maybe around 5 minutes. You’ll need to keep an eye on it so as not to overbake. To make these bars in a 9×13-inch pan, double this recipe.
  • Chocolate for the cheesecake: It’s best to use high-quality chocolate. I recommend using dark chocolate, at least 72% cocoa, but if you don’t like dark chocolate, any type of chocolate will work. Chocolate bars are easier to melt, and, once melted, they have a better consistency than chocolate chips.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Bar
  • Calories: 442
  • Sugar: 33g
  • Sodium: 200mg
  • Fat: 33g
  • Saturated Fat: 19g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 7g
  • Cholesterol: 110mg