Cheesecake Cookie Bars combine the best of two desserts. A smooth and creamy layer of cheesecake sits between a soft cookie crust and a delicious cookie crumble.
This recipe was originally posted in 2017 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
When you look at a layered dessert, do you think of all of the time, dirty dishes and consuming steps? This Cheesecake cookie bar recipe is quick and easy to make.
These cheesecake bars taste like a fancy cheesecake without all of the fuss.
We’ve found a few of our recipes in the recipe box my 94-year-old mother-in-law gave us a few years ago including this simply delicious Cheesecake Cookie Bar recipe.
The thing that intrigued us about this recipe is that a lot of cheesecake bars look more like a cookie bar.
This Cheesecake Cookie Bar looks like actual an actual square of cheesecake in my humble opinion. That makes them a little fancier than a cookie bar right?
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Why we like these Cheesecake Cookie Bars
- Unlike making an actual cheesecake, these cheesecake bars don’t require a water bath!
- There’s no peering into the oven waiting for them to take on the perfect jiggle to indicate they’re done…and,
- There’s no dreading the infamous crack in the surface!
- This recipe makes a full 9×13 pan!
Ingredients you will need
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Flour
- Walnuts
- Cream Cheese
- White Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla Extract
How to make this recipe for Cheesecake Cookie Bars
There are literally two steps for making this recipe. You’ve got the cookie ingredients and you have the cheesecake filling. Let us tell you how we did it.
- Make the cookie layer by beating the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the walnuts and flour to the butter mixture and blend together until crumbly.
- Reserve two cups and press the remaining cookie layer in the bottom of a 9×13 pan and bake. Remove the cookie crust from the oven and allow it to cool while you mix up the cheesecake filling layer.
- To make the cheesecake filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar together and mix until smooth. Add the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Assemble the cookie bars by smoothing the cheesecake filling over the top of the baked crust with the filling. Sprinkle the reserved cookie crumble over the filling and bake.
Helpful tips and variations
- Using room temperature ingredients is key. If your butter or cream cheese is cold, it will not beat smoothly with the other ingredients.
- We used walnuts in our cookie layer. You could substitute with pecans for a delicious variation.
- Make sure the cookie layer is cool before topping it with the filling. If it’s too warm, it can liquify the filling. You can even make the cookie layer earlier in the day and finish it later.
- Allow the bars to cool on a cooling rack and then refrigerate. These bars cut so much easier if they’re chilled.
- To cut these bars, use a sharp-pointed knife. Dip the knife in very hot water, dry it off and make your cut. Clean the knife and repeat.
Most of the time we want something that tastes like a fussy dessert that isn’t time-consuming like these No-Fuss Cheesecake Cookie Bars.
We don’t mind making time-consuming recipes when we have the time or in the mood but most of the time we want to make something that only tastes like it was fussy and time-consuming.
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This recipe makes a full 9×13 pan. That’s a great size for us to take to family gatherings and the holidays.
Some say this size of the pan makes 24 servings.
If you have the knife, you can pick the size of your cookie bar!
If you like this Cheesecake Cookie bar recipe, here are a few more you may enjoy
- Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars
- Hazelnut Cookie Bars
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Derby Pie Brownies
- No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
We LOVE Dessert! You can find all of our dessert recipes here!
Kitchen gadgets
This recipe doesn’t require a lot of fancy equipment to put it together.
We still use this simple baking dish for our bar desserts and the workhorse in my kitchen is my mixer. Smoothing out the creamy cheesecake layer is a breeze with my favorite spatulas too.
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So Good Cheesecake Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter salted
- 2/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 16 oz cream cheese 2-8oz pkgs
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter with brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add walnuts and flour; mix to make a crumb mixture. Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
- Blend sugar with cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat well. Spread over baked crust.
- Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over cream cheese layer. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Cool before cutting. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Deb Clark says
5 stars here, we love these bars!! I made a batch and tucked some in the freezer for Thanksgiving – one dessert done!!
MICHAELA KENKEL says
For anyone who wonders if these are as tasty as they look – I am here to tell you YES!! These are my go-to whenever I need to take dessert somewhere, and I always get asked for the recipe!
Julie Menghini says
We love them too! Thank you!
Amy Nash says
I’m in love with the combination of textures in these base every bit as much as the flavor! They are so easy and good! I’m going to have to freeze some so I don’t eat them all right away!
James Seaton says
Julie, these look fantastic (as do the other bars you link to in this post). If I get a chance to bake something before Christmas, I know where I’ll be looking for inspiration.
Julie Menghini says
Hi James so happy that you’ve stopped by! Hope all is going well in your world. Did you ever manage to make it across the vast lands of Nebraska? I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
James Seaton says
Julie,
I am so sorry I never got back to you about that. The original plan was to drive across the country, but then we ended up flying instead. Things are going pretty well – it’s been a crazy few months, but things are getting back to normal. I’ll have a post up in the next month or so on my blog, and you’ll see how insane things have been for me. Really want to get back in the kitchen more soon, though. Anyways, Merry Christmas to you, too!
Julie Menghini says
I’ll be looking for that post and catching up James! Thank you!
Melissa Griffiths says
I’m with you – I like making fancy stuff but so rarely have the time or motivation to actually do it. So quick, delicious desserts are right up my alley! These look fantastic!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Melissa!
cakespy says
These look soul-rousing and absolutely delightful. Bookmarked!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! They really are good and easy to make!
Betty Davies says
Such a great idea! That topping looks superb!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Betty! We really enjoyed this one and it was easy to make too!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Could go for a half a sheet cake of this right now. Love the short ingredient list and looks like it could easily be converted to a low carb sugar dessert as well. Recipes handed down from family are the best!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much! They are so easy and I had to put them on my danger list!
Loretta says
Finally get to this delicious looking treat Julie. Love all the layers, I can only imagine what this must taste like. It wouldnt last at my house for more than a day.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Loretta! I really enjoyed these bars. They were so easy to make and ship off to Johns office so I didn’t devour the entire pan all by myself!
Tamara Andersen says
Me too! I rarely “pull out all the stops” with my desserts, but I do want them to taste like I did. These Cheesecake Cookie Bars Look like they’re worth the calories!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Tamara ❤️
Kristin says
oooh! These look delicious!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Kristin!
Debbie Spivey says
I love that you have these delicious family recipes to share with all of us. These look delicious!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Debbie! I love these easy peesy recipes too!
Sonal says
Absolutely loved it
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Sonal ❤️
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
We’re so on the same page. I’ve had cheesecake bars on the brain lately and I haven’t found a recipe that calls to me. These are calling my name though! YUM!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Kelsie! I love having a quick and easy cheesecake recipe!