Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

When berries meet cheesecake, something phenomenal occurs. These Blackberry Cheesecake Bars combine silky smooth vanilla cheesecake, a vanilla wafer crust and fresh blackberry topping for a delightful dessert!

Baked in a 9 x 13 pan, this cheesecake recipe is quite portable and perfect for potlucks, picnics, and pitch in meals. The cheesecake fans you know will be swooning!

Cheesecake Bars with Blackberry Topping

When I saw all the sweet, plump blackberries at the market, I remembered the tempting recipe my friend, Danielle, of Hugs & Cookies XOXO shared. Her easy cheesecake recipe was made in a 9 x 13-pan and topped with berries. Though the picky hubby thought they’d be much better with raspberries, as a fan of blackberries (and cheesecake!), this combination of flavors was divine!

How to Make the Best Cheesecake Recipes

There are a few key tips to making a good cheesecake, whether in a large springform pan, mini cheesecake pan or into bars. Here is the critical information:

• Pro-Tip: Have both your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature. This allows easier incorporation and a smoother, silkier cheesecake. I have to admit, I don’t always use room temperature eggs for cookie dough, but with cheesecake, it makes a huge difference.
• Pro-Tip: Use your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to mix cheesecake batter. A whisk will add too much air into the mixture, thus making the final texture of the baked cheesecake less dense and airier.
• When baking full-sized cheesecake, I typically recommend placing the pan in a bain-marie or water bath to minimize cracking. In this case, the bars are covered with a berry sauce, so even if you had cracks, they’re camouflaged. 
• Toppings can vary. If you don’t like blackberries, try blueberries or raspberries. These would also be delicious topped with a chocolate ganache.
• If you are allergic to pecans, leave them out of the crust. If you have graham crackers on hand, use 11 ounces of them instead of the vanilla wafers. Pro-Tip: Use the bottom of a dry measuring cup to smooth and tamp the crust.
• Pro-Tip: Bring the bars or any cheesecake out of the refrigerator an hour before serving. The cheesecake will be much creamier if not served cold.

How Do You Store Cheesecake Bars?

Though cheesecakes taste creamiest after being left out at room temperature before serving, they must be stored in the refrigerator.  They’ll be good for 3-4 days. If you’re worried you won’t be able to eat them all in that timeframe, consider not topping them and freezing half. Make half the berry cheesecake topping now, and half the topping at a later date when you want to defrost the reserved portion of cheesecake bars.

Can These Bars Be Frozen?

Without the topping, cheesecake bars freeze great. With the topping added, they would lose quality after being defrosted. If you’d like to make these ahead, I suggest making, baking and freezing the cheesecake after covering it well. Then defrost in the refrigerator overnight the day before you plan to indulge. The topping can be made a day or two ahead of time. Just keep it chilled until you’re ready to top the dessert.

Steps for Making This Cheesecake Recipe:

1.  Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick foil
2. Pat the crust mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour on the cheesecake batter and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake.
4. Prepare the topping, and pour on the bars when cool.

More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love

• Blueberry Cheesecake Bars from Copycat Recipes
• Strawberry Topped Cheesecake
• Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies
• Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
• More Tips for Making Cheesecake Recipes

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The Recipe:

Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes

Yield 16

A luscious vanilla cheesecake on a vanilla wafer crust and a fresh blackberry topping!

Ingredients

Crust:

• One 11-ounce box vanilla wafers
• ½ cup pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla

Filling:

• Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup sour cream

Topping:

• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil. Set aside

Add the vanilla wafers and pecans to a food processor. Pulse until crumbs form. Add the melted butter and vanilla and pulse again until combined. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with a paddle attachment until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is combined before adding another. Add the sour cream and mix again.

Scrape out the filling onto the crust, smooth the top and bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the pan to sit in the open oven for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

To make the topping, add the blackberries, sugar and ¼ cup water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the juices begin to thicken about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add this mixture to the berries, bring to a boil and cook for another couple minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the mixture.

Pour the blackberries over the cheesecake and place the pan into the fridge to chill at least 2 hours.

To serve, use the foil as a sling to remove bars to a cutting board. Slice into squares.

Notes

Adapted from Pioneer Woman via Hugs and Cookies XOXO

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 3gSugar: 41gProtein: 6g

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