These salted caramel cheesecake bars combine salty & sweet and are a perfect dessert for a special occasion. Step-by-step photos teach you how to bake them!
Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, I have over 30 cheesecake recipes on my website! Sometimes though making a thick cheesecake takes too long so that is when cheesecake bars come in! They also have a thicker crust-to-cheesecake ratio, which my dad loves. I based this recipe on my salted caramel cheesecake recipe. You can use store-bought caramel sauce or use my salted caramel sauce recipe.
Ingredients
For these scrumptious cheesecake bars you will need:
- Oreos. The Oreos will need to be finely crushed for the crust. You could most certainly make a graham cracker crust if you prefer!
- Butter. The butter will be used to help bind the crumbs together for the perfect crunchy crust!
- Cream Cheese. Your cream cheese will need to be at room temperature so that it whips up nicely with no lumps.
- Granulated Sugar. The sugar will sweeten the bars but not too much since we
- Large Eggs. You will need some whole eggs and additional egg yolks. And your eggs should be at room temperature to evenly incorporate into the batter. You can do this quickly by placing the uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. The vanilla will give the bars a beautiful warm flavor.
- Sour Cream. The sour cream acts as a nice tart moisture bomb to the cheesecake bars, make sure it is also at room temperature.
- Salted Caramel. You can use homemade or store-bought caramel, it will be used in the cheesecake batter and as a topping once the bars are baked.
- Flaky Sea Salt. This is optional but I love the sweet and salty combo!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F/163C and line a 9-inch square pan with foil and grease it heavily, including up the sides.
In a food processor crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Once combined press into prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes then set aside to cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese for two minutes. Add the granulated sugar and mix for another 2 minutes, make sure to scrape sides of the bowl so all is incorporated evenly.
Mix in the salted caramel, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Once combined add in eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla.
Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the prepared crust. Spoon 8 tablespoon sizes dollops of salted caramel and use a knife to swirl into bars.
Bake for 38-42 minutes or until the center stops giggling, I use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 145F.
Then turn off the oven, crack the oven door but let the cheesecake bars rest in the oven for 30 minutes then 30 minutes on the counter. Then place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
Drizzle more salted caramel on top of the cheesecake layer and flaky sea salt, if desired. When slicing the bars use a sharp knife and wipe clean after each slice to create the most clean, sharp bars. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.
More caramel recipes
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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Caramel Cheesecake Bars
- Total Time: 3 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 Bars 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 21 Oreos
- 2oz (4 Tablespoons) Butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 16oz Cream Cheese, at room temp
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2oz (¼ Cup) Sour Cream, at room temperature
- 4oz (½ Cup) Salted caramel homemade or store-bought
- 2 Large Eggs + 1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temperature
Topping
- 2oz (¼ Cup) Salted Caramel
- Flaky Sea Salt
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F/163C and line a 9-inch square pan with foil and grease it heavily, including up the sides. Place a 9"X13" pan on the lower shelf of the oven and fill it with hot water. This creates a more moist, even-tempered environment for the cheesecake to bake to prevent cracks.
- In a food processor crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. In a small bowl combine the crushed Oreos and melted butter. Once combined press into prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes then set aside to cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese for two minutes. Add the granulated sugar and mix for another 2 minutes, make sure to scrape sides of the bowl so all is incorporated evenly.
- Mix in the salted caramel, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Once combined add in eggs, one at a time, making sure no trace of egg yolk is left behind.
- Pour on top of the prepared crust. Spoon 8 tablespoon sizes dollops of salted caramel and use a knife to swirl into bars. Bake for 38-42 minutes or until the center stops giggling, I use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 145F. Then turn off the oven, crack the oven door but let the cheesecake bars rest in the oven for 30 minutes then 30 minutes on the counter. Then place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- Drizzle more salted caramel on top and flaky sea salt, if desired. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cool Time: 3 Hours
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: caramel cheesecake bars, how to make caramel cheesecake bars
This post has been updated on June 29, 2023, it was originally posted on May 20, 2014.
I just went shopping for my first pair of boots y'all!! I am soooo excited for Nashville this weekend with my favorite girlies! Lots of dancing and eating, perfect combo if you ask me 🙂
Call me crazy but I have never had biscuits and gravy, it never looks appealing but I am sure it will be delicious in Nashville.
We missed out on tickets to The Blue Bird Cafe but I am sure we will find plenty to do.
You would think going on a girls trip to Nashville I would be controlling my eating but no, I am indulging in things like Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars. And lemme tell you these were bomb freaking diggity. Like DAYUUUUUM GINA! They went quick, too quick for my liking. The amount I bake it's not often that I get my fill of sweets but sometimes I just sit at work dreaming of coming home to the last thing I baked, like those Tart Lemon Bars, and these cheesecake bars were on my mind as well.
Do yourself a favor make em and DON'T share. You will regret it. This is why yoga pants were invented.
Speaking of yoga pants, who ALWAYS runs all their errands in yoga pants and trainers only to run into people asking if you were just at the gym?! Hell no! I'm on my way to lunch 😉
Baby June says
Oh wow, those look stunning! I could really go for a nice slice of that right now. 🙂 All that caramel, mmm!
Ashley says
haha I definitely wear yoga pants when running errands and always get asked if I came from the gym : ) Usually it's my motivation to try to force myself to go later on! These bars look awesome! I would gladly put on my yoga pants and eat a few!
Johlene says
I´m going to bookmark this recipe because I love baked cheesecake and then when you think it cant get any better, there´s Oreo and Salted Caramel too.. all in one dessert..oh yes please! xoxo
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Haha "hell no, I'm on my way to lunch!" PREACH IT, SISTER. I only use yoga pants for the fact that they generously expand after binge-eating amazing food. Like these!! *drools*