Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars
These Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars feature a buttery graham cracker crust topped with vanilla-scented cheesecake and finished with a crackling caramelized sugar topping that shatters delightfully with each bite—the perfect marriage of two classic desserts.
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 16 full sheets
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- Pinch of salt
- For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 4 packages 8 oz each cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped (or an additional 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- For the Brûlée Topping:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for torching
Instructions
- Prepare your baking pan by lining a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal later. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Make the crust by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and salt in a bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the filling. Keep the oven on.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure no lumps remain.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until incorporated. Overmixing will incorporate too much air and cause your cheesecake to crack.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients – heavy cream, sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Mix on low speed until just combined and smooth.
- Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken. Do not overbake—the cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.
- Cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Just before serving, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and cut into 16 bars.
- Sprinkle each bar with a thin, even layer of granulated sugar (about 1 teaspoon per bar).
- Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch, moving it continuously across the surface until the sugar melts and turns amber. Allow the caramelized sugar to harden for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For the smoothest cheesecake filling, ensure all refrigerated ingredients are completely at room temperature before mixing.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can place the sugar-topped bars under a broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching very carefully to prevent burning.
- The bars can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but add the sugar topping and torch it just before serving.
- For cleaner cuts, dip your knife in hot water and wipe clean between slices.
- If vanilla beans are too expensive, substitute with vanilla bean paste or additional extract.