You’ll love these white chocolate cheesecake bars swirled with delicious layers of fresh homemade raspberry sauce, adding a burst of fruity flavor while resting on a scrumptiously buttery, sweet chocolate cookie crust. These cheesecake bars are a delightful alternative to a full cheesecake. They are incredibly quick and easy to make while offering the same luxurious creaminess and sweetness to satisfy any craving. I’ve included a step-by-step guide to help you easily make these delicious cheesecake bars.
Ingredients You’ll Need & Why It Works:
Raspberry Sauce —
Raspberries: You can use fresh or frozen raspberries for this sauce. If using frozen raspberries, there is no need to thaw them.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens and balances the tartness of the raspberry sauce.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to absorb liquids in the raspberry sauce and to thicken it.
Water: Water is combined with cornstarch to make a slurry. This step prevents the cornstarch from forming any lumps or graininess when added to the raspberry sauce.
Chocolate Cookie Crust —
Chocolate Cookie Crust — Chocolate cookie sandwiches, such as Oreos or something similar, work best for this recipe. This chocolate crust pairs well with the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake filling.
Unsalted Butter: Six tablespoons of melted butter was optimal for binding the chocolate cookie crust together. When the cookie crumbs are mixed with melted butter, it produces the most favorable outcome as a moist crust with a sweet and delightfully buttery flavor.
Salt: Salt adds a layer of complexity and enhances the chocolate notes in the crust.
White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling —
Cream Cheese: When selecting cream cheese, choose one that comes in block form. It’s also important to check the ingredients and ensure that the cream cheese contains a stabilizer or thickener such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, or carob bean gum. These additives help increase the viscosity of the cream cheese, which is essential for the cheesecake to set properly. Without these stabilizing agents, the cheesecake may release excess moisture (weeping) and not set correctly, affecting its taste and texture.
Eggs: Eggs play a dual role in this cheesecake. Firstly, egg yolks are natural emulsifiers due to their high lecithin content. Lecithin is a crucial compound that helps bind fats and liquids in your cheesecake. Secondly, egg whites are mainly made up of protein and water, which provide structure to the cheesecake and aid in its proper setting. Essentially, these two elements work together to create a delicious cheesecake that is both flavorful and structurally stable.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar is essential in this recipe for several reasons. The size of the sugar granules is important in determining the amount of air that will be incorporated into the cheesecake batter. The larger the granules, the more air is included, resulting in a more aerated batter. This aeration is achieved by beating cream cheese with sugar; the sugar granules cut into the cream cheese’s fat, creating air pockets and helping the cheesecake rise. Additionally, granulated sugar adds a sweetness that we all love to the final product, enhancing the overall taste of the cheesecake.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch stabilizes, reducing the chances of the cheesecake cracking while also thickening the cheesecake batter to create a firmer and more cohesive final product. These qualities are particularly valuable when slicing the cheesecake, as the firmer texture allows for cleaner and more precise cuts.
Salt: Salt plays an essential role in the cheesecake batter by balancing its sweetness and adding a layer of complexity to enhance its flavor.
Lemon Juice: Lemon juice helps balance the sweetness in the cheesecake filling; adding one teaspoon brightens the flavor of the otherwise one-dimensional sweet white chocolate.
Vanilla Extract: High-quality vanilla extract is essential for a balanced and delicious cheesecake.
White Chocolate: White chocolate bars or high-quality chocolate feves work best for this recipe. It’s best to avoid using candy melts, white chocolate dipping wafers, or white chocolate chips, as these products may contain stabilizers or additional ingredients that could hinder their ability to blend smoothly with the cheesecake filling.
Tips For Making White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars:
Alternative Crust — While it’s preferable to use chocolate cookie sandwiches, such as Oreos or something similar, for this recipe, you can always choose an alternative crust. Classic graham crackers or vanilla sandwich cookies are a few alternative crusts you could use.
Room Temperature Ingredients — Allow your cream cheese and eggs to come up to room temperature before making the cheesecake. This step will ensure a smoother and creamier cheesecake batter.
Read Through Recipe — To achieve the best outcome, read through this recipe before beginning your cheesecake preparation. Ensuring all ingredients are measured and readily available (mise en place) increases the likelihood of success.
Line the Pan — Line the baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring enough paper hangs over the edges. This will help to remove the bars from the pan easily once fully chilled.
No Water Bath — Since these cheesecake bars are thinner than regular cheesecakes, you won’t need to use a water bath. They can be baked quickly for about 35-40 minutes.
Raspberry Swirls — To achieve beautiful raspberry swirls on top of the cheesecake; a squeeze bottle can help you maintain control while piping out a design. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag and cut a tiny hole in the bottom. If you don’t have either, using a small spoon works just as well. To create the swirls, drizzle on raspberry sauce randomly throughout the top of the cheesecake, then use a bamboo skewer or the tip of a paring knife to swirl the sauce in any pattern you like. Whichever method you choose, rest assured that the cheesecake will still be incredibly delicious.
Chill the Cheesecake Bars — These cheesecake bars will need to be chilled for at least 5 hours but preferable overnight. Since these bars are thinner than regular cheesecake, cooling them in the oven is unnecessary.
Clean Slices — Run the knife under hot water and wipe it on a towel between cuts for cleaner slices.
Make Ahead — Preparing this cheesecake a day or two in advance is ideal. You could make it the day before serving, but it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a few days.
Step By Step Instructions — White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars:
Make The Raspberry Sauce —
1. Make the raspberry sauce first to allow it enough time to cool. To begin, make the slurry — mix 1 teaspoon water with 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside. Combine fresh raspberries and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently break up the raspberries as they cook.
2. Once the raspberry sauce starts simmering, add the slurry. Keep stirring and let it simmer for about 3 minutes or until it thickens.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
4. Chill the raspberry sauce in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to allow it to cool while preparing the crust and cheesecake filling.
Chocolate Cookie Crust —
1. Line an 8″ x 8″ square pan with parchment paper, leaving extra paper hanging over the sides. This will make it easier to remove the finished bars once they are chilled. In a food processor, grind chocolate cookies into crumbs. Then, add melted butter and stir until well combined.
2. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan. Use a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten the crumbs into an even layer. Chill the crust in the refrigerator while preparing the cheesecake batter.
Make The Cheesecake Filling —
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Just before preparing the cheesecake filling, melt the white chocolate. You can do this using the double-boiler method on the stove or heating it in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals. Stir the chocolate until it becomes smooth. Allow the white chocolate to cool for 10 minutes. Next, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl at medium speed until it becomes creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
2. Add cornstarch, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat the batter again until combined.
3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat at low speed, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
4. Finally, add the melted white chocolate; gently fold it into the cheesecake batter using a rubber spatula.
5. Before proceeding, give the bowl a final quick stir, scraping the sides of the bowl one last time to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
6. Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the pan and even out the batter.
7. Drizzle half of the raspberry sauce onto the cheesecake. Add the remaining cheesecake batter on top of the raspberry sauce.
8. Drizzle the remaining raspberry sauce on top. Use a bamboo skewer or the tip of a paring knife to create swirls through the raspberry sauce.
9. Bake the cheesecake for 35-40 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when you gently nudge the pan, and it slightly wobbles in the center.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature before covering it and setting it in the fridge to chill for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight. When ready, take it out of the fridge, slice, decorate, and serve.
Storing Instructions for White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake?
Leftover cheesecake will stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored covered in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze these cheesecake bars?
Absolutely! You can freeze the cheesecake for up to 3 months. Whether freezing as a whole or as bars, allow the cheesecake to chill overnight first. The following day, wrap the cheesecake as a whole or as bars in parchment paper, followed by a layer of foil. If freezing as bars, after wrapping them, place them into a resealable bag and label it for future reference. To thaw, transfer the cheesecake to the fridge to thaw overnight.
Recipe Notes —
To simplify the process of making this cheesecake, you could break down the steps into more manageable tasks. Preparing the raspberry sauce a day in advance is recommended if you’re short on time. You’ll only need to prepare the cheesecake batter and the crust to bake the cheesecake on the baking day.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- 8" x 8" baking pan
- Electric hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor , optional
Ingredients
Raspberry Sauce —
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
Chocolate Cookie Crust —
- 310 g chocolate sandwich cookies about 22 cookies
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ⅛ tsp salt
White Chocolate Cheesecake Batter —
- 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 8 g cornstarch
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 g white chocolate melted
Instructions
Raspberry Sauce —
- Make the raspberry sauce first to allow it enough time to cool. To begin, make the slurry — mix 1 teaspoon water with 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside. Combine fresh raspberries and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently break up the raspberries as they cook.
- Once the raspberry sauce starts simmering, add the slurry. Keep stirring and let it simmer for about 3 minutes or until it thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
- Chill the raspberry sauce in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to allow it to cool while preparing the crust and cheesecake filling.
Chocolate Cookie Crust —
- Line an 8" x 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving extra paper hanging over the sides. This will make it easier to remove the finished bars once they are chilled. In a food processor, grind chocolate cookies into crumbs. Then, add melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan. Use a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten the crumbs into an even layer. Chill the crust in the refrigerator while preparing the cheesecake batter.
- White Chocolate Cheesecake Batter —
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Just before preparing the cheesecake filling, melt the white chocolate. You can do this using the double-boiler method on the stove or heating it in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals. Stir the chocolate until it becomes smooth. Allow the white chocolate to cool for 10 minutes.
- Next, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl at medium speed until it becomes creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add cornstarch, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat the batter again until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat at low speed, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Finally, add the melted white chocolate; gently fold it into the cheesecake batter using a rubber spatula.
- Before proceeding, give the bowl a final quick stir, scraping the sides of the bowl one last time to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the pan and even out the batter.
- Drizzle half of the raspberry sauce onto the cheesecake. Add the remaining cheesecake batter on top of the raspberry sauce. Drizzle the remaining raspberry sauce on top. Use a bamboo skewer or the tip of a paring knife to create swirls through the raspberry sauce.
- Bake the cheesecake for 35-40 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when you gently nudge the pan and it slightly wobbles in the center. Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature before covering it and setting it in the fridge to chill for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. When ready, take it out of the fridge, slice, decorate, and serve.
Leave a Reply