An easy gluten-free dessert for when you want cheesecake without all the work! A graham cracker base topped with a creamy & luscious cheesecake. Perfect for a special dessert or any time!
Gluten-Free Cheescake Bars
An easy recipe for luscious gluten-free cheesecake bars!
Excited for you to try these easy Gluten-Free Cheesecake Bars!
It’s an easy gluten-free dessert recipe for when you want cheesecake without all the work!
A graham cracker base topped with a creamy and luscious cheesecake.
I had made them a few weeks ago at the request of a friend for her birthday.
She wanted classic cheesecake bars. I realized that while I had an amazing recipe for Lemony Cheesecake Bars with raspberry swirl (mu husband’s favorite!) and had recently added a recipe for Cheesecake Brownies (so good!), I had never made a simple classic cheesecake bar!
So I made these based on a combination of the above recipes and they are so simple and so good!
I shared this below photo on my Instagram Stories and so many of you requested the recipe, I had to write it up!
So let’s make them!
All you need is 7 ingredients and 15 minutes prep time!
gluten-free graham crackers
butter or dairy-free butter
cream cheese or dairy- free cream cheese
eggs
milk
sugar
and vanilla extract.
First we make the graham cracker crumbs and graham cracker base.
We made our graham cracker crumbs using Schar Honeygrams which we like because they are certified gluten-free, non-gmo and so tasty.
And we just pulse them in our Mini Cuisanart (Amazon affiliate link)
And the graham cracker base is mostly graham cracker crumbs plus a touch of melted butter.
Just mix together and press into the baking pan evenly.
Pro tip: for this recipe, especially, I like to place parchment paper on the base of the pan. That way when the bars are cooked and cooled, you can just lift the parchment paper and the bars right out of the pan and cut/ serve them easily.
While the graham cracker layer bakes for just 8 minutes, we whip up the cheesecake filling which is a luscious and creamy blend of:
cream cheese or dairy- free cream cheese
eggs
milk
sugar
and vanilla extract
The cheesecake layer comes together in 2 simple steps:
Mix the cream cheese and sugar.
Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.
Then pour the cheesecake onto the baked graham cracker crust.
And bake!
Pro tip: I like to bake the last 10 minutes loosely covered in foil so that the center cooks but the top doesn’t get golden.
When you take it out of the oven, the cheesecake will be set but slightly jiggly if you shake the pan.
Let cool in the pan, then chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into squares.
Then you have perfect gluten-free cheesecake bars!
A tasty gluten-free graham cracker crust topped with a creamy and tasty cheesecake!
My friend who requested the bars and looooves cheesecake, said the bars were amazing!
While they should be stored in the refrigerator, they hold their form well at room temperature for several hours.
Hope you love them as much as we do!
PIN it!
Scroll down for recipe and leave a rating/ comment if you love them!
An easy recipe for luscious gluten-free cheesecake bars! A graham cracker base topped with a creamy cheesecake. A perfect dessert for when you want cheesecake without all the work!
1½cupsgluten-free graham cracker crumbs I used one (1 5.6oz box Schar Gluten-Free Honeygrams, finely ground into crumbs using a food processor)
2tablespoonssugar
3tablespoonsbutter or dairy-free buttermelted
Cheesecake Layer
28oz barscream cheese or dairy free cream cheese room temperature
½cupsugar
2largeeggsroom temperature
6tablespoonsmilk of choicewe've used 1% and 2% (6 tablespoons = 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)
1½teaspoonsvanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, with the parchment hanging over the edges or tucked in.
Graham Cracker Crust
Add ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined and "moist". Add mixture to lined baking pan and gently press into pan.
Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Cheesecake Layer
While graham cracker crust bakes, place cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, blend until very smooth.
Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix until well combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour mixture onto warm and baked crust in pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top or put on oven mitts and gently rock the pan from side to side. (remember the pan will still be HOT!)
Bake
Bake 30 minutes, then cover with foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken).
Cool completely in pan. Cover pan loosely with wax paper and chill until firm --about 2 hours.
Gently lift the parchment paper and cheesecake bars from the pan. Gently pull parchment paper away from sides. Cut into 16 squares. Enjoy!
Store covered in the refrigerator for several days.
These are delicious and super easy to make too! I made sure the cream cheese mixture was super smooth and after baked it’s light and fluffy. I will be making this again for family events!
I have several green smoothies. Linking to our Tropical Green Smoothie and to our Minty Green Smoothie, both of which I show on Instagram stories often so I’m guessing those are the ones you’re looking for. Enjoy!
I have never doubled this recipe in part because I’m not sure all the liquid will fit in a mixing bowl, but if you were to try I would use a 9×13 in pan. Let me know if you make them
These cheesecake bars are delicious. And it is a great way to have cheesecake without all the work of a Bain Marie. I’ve added a little, like 1/4tsp, fresh lemon juice. That’s all I added/changed. Delicious with and without it! Thank you!
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
These are delicious and super easy to make too! I made sure the cream cheese mixture was super smooth and after baked it’s light and fluffy. I will be making this again for family events!
So happy you loved them and found them easy to make! Thank you!
could you use non dairy milk in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it yet but it should work fine! Just use an unflavored one. Let me know if you make them.
Would you share your green juice recipe??!!
I have several green smoothies. Linking to our Tropical Green Smoothie and to our Minty Green Smoothie, both of which I show on Instagram stories often so I’m guessing those are the ones you’re looking for. Enjoy!
What size pan for the larger portion of the recipe??
I have never doubled this recipe in part because I’m not sure all the liquid will fit in a mixing bowl, but if you were to try I would use a 9×13 in pan. Let me know if you make them
These cheesecake bars are delicious. And it is a great way to have cheesecake without all the work of a Bain Marie. I’ve added a little, like 1/4tsp, fresh lemon juice. That’s all I added/changed. Delicious with and without it! Thank you!
So happy you enjoyed them! And yes, a little lemon juice is always a good idea!