Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

These Raspberry Cheesecake Bars combine chocolate, raspberry and lemon, a tasty combination. A must try for Valentine’s Day or any occasion.

Looking for a pretty and delicious dessert to make for your favorite Valentine? Want to impress your guests with a tasty dessert? Need a Mother’s Day treat for mom? Then these Raspberry Cheesecake Bars are your answer. They are sure to please everyone and I know you’re going to love them! We sure did!

What are the ingredients in Raspberry Cheesecake Bars?

These bars start off with a simple, yet delicious Oreo cookie crust. Add your Oreos to a food processor and grind into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and press into a 9×13 inch baking pan. No need to use a spring form pan as this cheesecake is cut into bars, not slices.

Next up, the filling. Cream cheese, sour cream, confectioner’s sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest are beaten together to create a light, creamy, lemony filling that is seriously delicious!

The finishing touch is a layer of raspberry jam that is thickened with some gelatin and flavored with additional lemon juice. Topped off with fresh raspberries and cut into perfect, bite sized treats!

Why make Raspberry Cheesecake Bars?

With just one bite you’ll know why you need to make these bars. My family and I love cheesecake but making a cheesecake takes a lot of time and effort. These bars are much easier! First off, you don’t need a springform pan or water bath to make these bars. And the bars bake up much faster than a full cheesecake. Plus, I love bite sized treats! They are much easier to eat and you can eat more than one without all the guilt.

Tips and tricks for the best Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

No need to spay your pan with this recipe. Just line your 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick aluminum foil. Make sure you leave about 1-2 inches on the short side of the pan so that after it is chilled you can easily lift the cheesecake out of the pan. Place the cheesecake on a cutting board, roll down the foil and cut into 2×2.5 inch bars. Make sure that you wipe off your knife in between cuts to ensure a clean and crisp cut.

Make these bars ahead of time

What I love about these bars is that you can and should make them a day before serving. The longer the cheesecake is chilled the better. Overnight is optimal but if you are short on time, refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Ingredients

• 30 Oreos (3 cups)
• 6 tbsp butter (melted)
• 16 oz cream cheese (2, 8oz bars)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (divided)
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 cup + 1 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
• 6 oz raspberries (container)

Instructions

• Set rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Line a 13×9 inch pan with non-stick aluminum foil. 
• In a food processor, grind the Oreos until fine, yielding 3 cups. 
• Melt butter in a small saucepan.
• Combine Oreo crumbs and butter and mix well. Press into the baking pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes, cool completely.
• Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in granulated sugar. Add sour cream a little at a time and beat well. Add confectioner’s sugar and beat to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in vanilla, 1 tbsp lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until combined. 
• Pour mixture over the cooled crust, spread into an even layer. 
• Bake for 30 minutes until firm and slightly puffed. 
• Cool for 30-45 minutes.
• In a small bowl, stir 1 tbsp of lemon juice with the gelatin. Set aside for about 5 minutes until the gelatin softens. 
• While waiting for the gelatin, microwave 1 cup of the raspberry jam until warm. Whisk the jam until smooth. 
• Add gelatin mixture and whisk together. Set aside for 15 minutes. 
• Pour the raspberry jam evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
• Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to set. For best results make cheesecake a day before serving. 
• Use the ends of the foil to carefully lift the cheesecake out of the pan. Place on a cutting board, roll the foil down and cut into 2×2.5 inch bars. About 20 bars.
• Microwave remaining tbsp of jam until warm. Add raspberries and toss gently.
• Press 2 raspberries onto the top of each bar. 
• Serve and enjoy!
• Place in an airtight container and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

For other bar recipes try:

Banana Cake Bars

Delicious Almond Toffee Bars

No Bake Orange Creamsicle Bars

Simple & Delicious Graham Cracker Bars

Simple Triple Layer Bars

S’mores Magic Cookie Bars

The Perfect Rice Krispie Treats