Welcome to a timeless favorite that has graced our tables for years! It’s hard to believe it’s been over a decade since we first introduced this incredible Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars Recipe. This dessert quickly became a staple, renowned for its irresistible flavor combination and surprisingly simple preparation. These bars offer the best of both worlds: the rich, creamy texture of a classic cheesecake meeting the delightful crunch of a caramelized creme brulee topping, all nestled on a buttery cookie crust. It’s a dessert that truly has it all, and we’re thrilled to share our perfected version with you once again.

Whether you’re planning a festive holiday gathering, a casual dinner party, or simply craving a sophisticated treat, these Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are an absolute showstopper. They present beautifully, suggesting hours of meticulous effort in the kitchen, but the secret is just how straightforward they are to create. We all love those recipes that deliver maximum impact with minimal fuss, saving precious time, energy, and even money. This recipe is a testament to that philosophy, ensuring you can impress your guests without the stress.

Indulge in the Ultimate Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars

Imagine the delightful fusion of a smooth, tangy cheesecake with the crisp, caramelized sugar crust of a creme brulee, all supported by a tender, golden cookie bar base. These Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are precisely that – a symphony of textures and flavors in every bite. They strike the perfect balance between richness and lightness, making them an ideal indulgence without being overly heavy. The moment you present these at a party, expect gasps of delight and compliments galore. Your secret? A few simple steps and a bit of oven magic, delivering a dessert that tastes like it came from a gourmet patisserie.

What makes these bars truly special is their multifaceted appeal. The base, crafted from a convenient sugar cookie mix, bakes into a soft yet firm foundation that holds up beautifully. Above it lies a luxuriously creamy cheesecake layer, infused with the subtle, comforting notes of vanilla. But the true star, of course, is the “creme brulee” element – a crunchy, caramelized toffee topping that adds an incredible textural contrast and a burst of sweet, buttery flavor. This unique combination elevates a simple cheesecake bar into something truly extraordinary, promising a dessert experience your guests won’t soon forget.

Why These Cheesecake Bars Are a Must-Try

Beyond their stunning appearance and exquisite taste, these Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars offer numerous advantages that make them a go-to dessert for any occasion:

• Effortless Elegance: They look incredibly fancy, yet the recipe is surprisingly simple, thanks to smart ingredient choices like a cookie mix and instant pudding. You get gourmet results without the extensive prep time.
• Perfect Portability: Unlike a whole cheesecake that can be tricky to transport and serve, these bars are perfectly portioned and easy to cut, making them ideal for potlucks, picnics, and parties.
• Make-Ahead Marvel: These bars actually benefit from chilling, meaning you can prepare them hours, or even a day, in advance. This is a huge bonus for busy hosts who want to minimize last-minute kitchen stress.
• Crowd-Pleasing Flavors: The universally loved combination of cheesecake and the sweet, crunchy toffee topping ensures these bars will be a hit with almost everyone.
• Versatile Appeal: Suitable for holidays, birthdays, baby showers, or just a weekend treat, they adapt to any setting.

These bars are not just a dessert; they’re an experience. The delicate crack of the caramelized topping, the creamy, smooth cheesecake, and the tender cookie crust create a harmonious blend that tantalizes the taste buds. It’s a dessert that invites conversation and leaves a lasting impression, proving that sometimes the most impressive dishes are also the simplest to create.

Essential Ingredients and Their Role

Crafting these delectable Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars relies on a few key ingredients that work together to create their signature flavor and texture. Understanding their role can help you appreciate the simplicity and genius of this recipe:

• Sugar Cookie Mix: This is your shortcut to a perfect crust. It provides a consistent, buttery base without the need for individual flour, sugar, and butter measurements. It bakes into a wonderfully tender and flavorful foundation for the cheesecake layer.
• French Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix: A secret weapon for texture and flavor. The pudding mix contributes to the cheesecake’s incredible creaminess and stability, ensuring it sets beautifully while infusing a delicate vanilla essence. It also enhances the “custard” aspect, mirroring true creme brulee.
• Brown Sugar: Used in the crust, brown sugar adds a deep, molasses-rich sweetness and helps create a chewier texture compared to white sugar alone.
• Melted Butter: Binds the cookie mix and brown sugar together to form a pliable dough for the crust, contributing to its rich flavor and tender crumb.
• Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer, vanilla elevates both the cookie crust and the cheesecake filling, providing warmth and aromatic depth that complements the other ingredients.
• Eggs and Egg Yolks: Eggs are vital for structure and richness in the cheesecake. The extra egg yolks contribute to a silkier, more luxurious texture, making the cheesecake taste incredibly decadent.
• Cream Cheese (Softened): The cornerstone of any good cheesecake. Using softened cream cheese ensures a smooth, lump-free batter, resulting in a perfectly creamy cheesecake layer.
• Sour Cream: This ingredient adds a delightful tang that cuts through the richness of the cream cheese, balancing the flavors and contributing to the cheesecake’s signature velvety texture.
• White Sugar: Sweetens the cheesecake filling, ensuring it’s perfectly balanced against the tang of the cream cheese and sour cream.
• Finely Crushed Toffee Bits: The magic touch that brings the “Creme Brulee” aspect to life. When sprinkled on top immediately after baking, the residual heat slightly melts the toffee, creating a glorious crunchy, sweet, and caramelized layer. This is where the magic happens, transforming a cheesecake bar into a truly unique dessert.

Each ingredient plays a vital role, carefully selected to ensure ease of preparation without compromising on taste or quality. This thoughtful combination is what makes these bars so memorable.

Tips for Baking Perfection

Achieving the perfect Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars is simple with a few helpful tips:

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: For the cheesecake filling, ensure your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature. This is crucial for a smooth, lump-free batter that bakes evenly.
2. Don’t Overmix: While you want the cheesecake filling to be smooth, overmixing can incorporate too much air, which can lead to cracks. Mix until just combined and smooth.
3. Pan Preparation: Lightly spraying your 13×9-inch pan ensures the bars can be removed easily after chilling. Press the crust firmly and evenly up the sides for a sturdy base.
4. Monitor Baking Time: Cheesecake can be tricky. Bake until the center is just set. It might still have a slight wobble, but it will firm up completely as it cools. Overbaking can lead to a dry texture.
5. Immediate Toffee Topping: Sprinkling the crushed toffee bits immediately after removing from the oven is key. The heat helps them melt slightly and adhere to the cheesecake, forming that iconic crunchy layer.
6. Patient Cooling and Chilling: Don’t rush this step! Allowing the bars to cool gradually on the counter, then chilling them thoroughly in the refrigerator, is essential for the cheesecake to fully set and for the flavors to meld beautifully. This step guarantees neat, firm bars that are easy to cut.

Following these simple guidelines will ensure your Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars turn out perfectly every time, delivering that irresistible combination of creamy, crunchy, and buttery goodness.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

These Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are incredibly versatile, perfect for various occasions. For optimal flavor and texture, serve them chilled. After refrigeration, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving to soften slightly and enhance their creamy texture. Cut them into 9 rows by 4 rows for a total of 36 servings, making them ideal for larger gatherings, or into larger squares for a more generous individual treat.

Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 3-4 days, making them an excellent make-ahead dessert. You can also freeze them for longer storage. To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving. The toffee topping might lose a tiny bit of its crispness after freezing and thawing, but the overall flavor and texture remain wonderful.

Creative Variations to Explore

While the classic Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are phenomenal as written, feel free to get creative and customize them to your taste:

• Flavorful Pudding Swaps: Experiment with different instant pudding flavors in the crust. Lemon, butterscotch, or even chocolate pudding could add an exciting twist.
• Different Toppings: Instead of toffee bits, consider sprinkling with finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts), chocolate chips, or a mix of both. You could also drizzle a little caramel sauce or melted chocolate over the cooled bars for an extra touch of decadence.
• Fruit Zest: Add the zest of one lemon or orange to the cheesecake filling for a bright, citrusy note that complements the creaminess beautifully.
• Spiced Crust: A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg added to the cookie mix can give the crust a warm, comforting flavor, especially perfect for fall or winter holidays.
• Boozy Kick: A teaspoon of Kahlua or Grand Marnier added to the cheesecake filling could provide a subtle, adult twist.

These simple variations allow you to tailor the recipe to your preferences, ensuring these cheesecake bars remain a fresh and exciting treat every time you make them.

Explore More Delightful Dessert Bar Recipes!

If you’re as passionate about easy and delicious dessert bars as we are, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic recipes:

Chocolate, Caramel, and Oat Bars

Chocolate No Bake Bars

Cherry Cake Bars

Almond Joy Bars

And don’t stop there! Dive into our extensive collection of copycat recipes, heavenly dessert recipes, and convenient Crock Pot Recipes for more culinary inspiration. Also, for more creamy delights, be sure to check out all of our cream cheese recipes.

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars Recipe

These Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are an absolute dream! Perfect for holiday parties, dessert gatherings, or any special occasion, they offer a sophisticated flavor profile that looks incredibly impressive but is surprisingly easy to make.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Cooling Time: 3 hours

Total Time: Approximately 3 hours 40 minutes (including chilling)

Yields: 36 bars

Calories: 100 kcal per serving

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

• 1 lb 1.5 oz pouch Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 box French vanilla instant pudding mix
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Butter, melted
• 2.5 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
• 16 Ounce Cream Cheese, softened
• ½ cup Sour Cream
• ½ cup White Sugar
• ⅔ cup Toffee Bits, finely crushed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar, melted butter, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and 1 whole egg. Stir until a soft dough forms.
4. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and about ½ inch up the sides of the prepared pan.
5. In a separate small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
6. Add the remaining whole egg, 3 egg yolks, and the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined and smooth.
7. Carefully spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cookie crust in the pan.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is just set. It should still have a slight jiggle.
9. Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle the top generously with the finely crushed toffee bits. The residual heat will help them melt slightly and adhere.
10. Let the bars cool on a wire rack at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes.
11. Once cooled, transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and firm.
12. For serving, cut the chilled bars into 9 rows by 4 rows (total of 36 bars). Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 100
Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 86mg4%

Potassium 25mg1%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 285IU6%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Originally posted in 2011, this recipe has been lovingly updated and perfected in 2018 to ensure it remains a beloved favorite for years to come. Enjoy!