These chocolate chip cheesecake bars are rich, creamy, and packed with chocolate chips in every bite. Baked into neat, sliceable bars, they feature a smooth cheesecake filling with just the right balance of sweetness and chocolate, making them perfect for sharing at parties, potlucks, or holidays. Easy to make ahead and even easier to serve, this dessert is a reliable crowd-pleaser when you want something classic, comforting, and a little indulgent.
To be honest, a chocolate chip cheesecake never seemed that special to me. But years ago when I created this Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe I fell in love, it's so simple yet absolutely delicious! I had a few requests for a bar version and let me tell you this chocolate chip cheesecake bar recipe is perfect for your next party! I took that chocolate chip cheesecake recipe and New York Cheesecake Bar Recipe to develop this one.
Notes About the Ingredients
For the cheesecake bars there are two components. For the crust, you'll need graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. You can buy pre-crushed graham crackers or just crush some graham cracker sheets in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Cream cheese: Creates that smooth, rich cheesecake texture - fully softened for best results.
- Chocolate chips: Add melty pockets of chocolate throughout the bars without overpowering the cheesecake.
- Sugar: Sweetens the filling while keeping it balanced and not overly rich.
- Eggs: Help the cheesecake set properly so the bars slice cleanly.
- Vanilla & salt: Enhance flavor and keep the sweetness in check.
Homemade Whipped Cream. Is the perfect topping for these cheesecake bars.
For another chocolate chip treat check out my chocolate chip bundt cake recipe!
For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.
Step-by-Step Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
I prefer to use a pan with a removable bottom or line the pan with parchment paper so that you can easily remove the bars from the pan. The graham cracker crust is simple to make. Crush, mix, pour, press, that's it!
The long cooling process is necessary for the cheesecake to finish cooking, set up properly and chill to the perfect texture, ideally without cracks.
Don't Skip these
- Don't rush the cooling process, the cheesecake needs to set properly.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the bars, I like to make one cut and then wipe the knife clean so that I can get clean edges on all of my cheesecake bars.
- To freeze the bars bake them and let them cool then chill them completely- they need to be set up properly before freezing. Then cut the cheesecake into the sizes you want and wrap each piece in plastic wrap tightly twice, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. This helps prevent freezer burn.
- To thaw frozen cheesecake bars transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw overnight or at least a few hours depending on how large the slices you cut are.
Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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Silky Cheesecake Bars with Big Chocolate Chip Moments
These chocolate chip cheesecake bars are rich, creamy, and packed with chocolate chips in every bite. Baked into neat, sliceable bars, they feature a smooth cheesecake filling with just the right balance of sweetness and chocolate, making them perfect for sharing at parties, potlucks, or holidays. Easy to make ahead and even easier to serve, this dessert is a reliable crowd-pleaser when you want something classic, comforting, and a little indulgent.
- Total Time: 7 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 15 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 Grams (2 Cups) Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 50 grams (¼ Cup) Granulated Sugar
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 24oz (1 ½ lbs) Cream Cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
- 4oz (½ Cup) Sour Cream or Full-Fat Greek Yogurt
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 Large Eggs + 2 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature
- 170 grams (1 Cup) Mini Chocolate Chips, divided
- Optional: Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line a 9-inch X 13-inch pan with parchment paper and grease with non-stick baking spray.
- In a small bowl combine crushed graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Once evenly combined add melted butter to the crumbs. Mix until a wet sand texture is formed. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes to set the crust. Let cool on a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 300F/ 149C.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes at low speed. It should be smooth with no lumps. Add the granulated sugar then beat for another 2 minutes on low speed. Add the sour cream, salt, and vanilla extract- mixing until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the final two egg yolks together. You should have a creamy batter with no lumps and no signs of egg yolk. Gently fold in ¾ cup of the mini chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and gently tap on the counter to encourage any air bubbles to come to the top, use a toothpick to pop any bubbles. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips on top.
- Place the cheesecake bars in the oven on the middle rack then place a large pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack, this helps create a steamy, moist environment for the cheesecake to bake in. Which helps prevent cracks.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, the middle 2 - 3 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 150F-155F or 65C-68C but be careful when you poke as if you are not covering the top in whipped cream you will see the mark.
- Turn the oven off and open the door but let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour then cool it on a wire rack for another hour. Then wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap. Let chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- If you used a pan with a removable bottom then you can easily remove the bars from the pan or use the parchment paper overhang to help you remove them from the pan. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
How to Freeze: These cheesecake bars can be frozen. To freeze the bars bake them and let them cool then chill them completely- they need to be set up properly before freezing. Then cut the cheesecake into the sizes you want and wrap each piece in plastic wrap tightly twice, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. This helps prevent freezer burn. To thaw frozen cheesecake bars transfer them to the refrigerator to thaw overnight or at least a few hours depending on how large the slices you cut are.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Chill Time: 7 Hours
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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