These Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars are an irresistible dessert that combine sweet sugar cookies with creamy cheesecake! I’ve topped these with crushed toffee bits to give them an extra sweet and crunchy bite.
If you’re craving a slice of cheesecake and not a bar, try my Sugar Cookie Cheesecake!
OR try my recipe for Classic Cheesecake if you are looking for something more traditional!
I love this recipe so much, because it was one of the first attempts at cheesecake I ever tried. I originally posted this recipe back in 2012, but wanted to update it with some new tips and pictures!
Making cheesecake in “bar form” seems a little less daunting, which is why this is a great place to start if you have cheesecake nerves. Plus, it takes a shortcut in the crust to make it extra approachable for beginners, or anyone short on time!
This recipe for cheesecake bars is foolproof, and is an amazing one to share with friends, serve on a holiday, or make for a weekend sweet treat.
How to Make The Best Cheesecake Bars
Start With The Crust
Like I said above, these bars start with a shortcut. You use a a package of sugar cookie mix! This is a great time saver. Instead of preparing the cookie mix according to the package directions, you add in:
- Dry Instant French Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Light Brown Sugar
- Melted butter
- Vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Next The Filling
The filling is very easy! Only a few ingredients are necessary to make this creamy cheesecake layer! All you do is mix them together and spread it on your unbaked crust.
- Cream Cheese at room temperature. Making sure it’s room temperature is key for smooth cheesecake!
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream. Don’t worry, you can’t taste it as much as it gives you a smooth and creamy texture!
- 1 egg + 3 yolks. The yolks add richness!
- Vanilla extract
Yep, absolutely! You could even use pre-made sugar cookie dough if you prefer that. You just don’t want the sugar cookie crust to be too thick, so take a look at the pictures and not the thickness of the crust and use that as a guide.
How Long Does Cheesecake Need To Chill?
These cheesecake bars take 30 minutes to bake, and will absolutely need to chill before you serve them.
This is a great dessert to make a day ahead of an event, so save time! And cheesecake is best with an overnight chill (in my opinion).
Can You Freeze Cheesecake Bars?
Yes, absolutely! You can freeze it uncut or cut into pieces.
Just make sure it’s stored airtight in the freezer for up to a month, and allow the cheesecake to thaw in the refrigerator.
What Can You Substitute In Place Of Toffee Bits?
If you can’t seem to find toffee bits at your store (they can be called “Bits o’Brickle”), don’t worry! Here are a few options of other toppers:
- Crushed Heath Bars
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Crushed Peppermints
- Crushed Oreos
- A Swirl of Caramel
Get creative with toppings if you want! I hope you make these and enjoy them as much as we do!
Looking For More Cheesecake Bars? Try These:
- Golden Oreo Cheesecake Bars
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Brown Sugar Toffee Cheesecake Bars
- Brownie Bottom Caramel Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These irresistible dessert bars combine sweet sugar cookies with creamy cheesecake for the ultimate dessert. These Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars are topped with toffee crumble to make them even more heavenly!
Ingredients
- 1 (17.5 oz) pouch sugar cookie mix
- 1 (4 serving size) box French Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 whole eggs + 3 egg yolks
- 2 (8- ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup toffee bits, pulverized in blender or food processor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar, melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 whole egg with a spoon. When the dough starts coming together you might need to use your hands to mix.
- Press the cookie dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream, the remaining whole egg and three yolks and 2 teaspoons vanilla on medium-low speed, until mixture is smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Don’t over-mix.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over top the cookie base.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until center is set.
- While bars are baking pulverize your toffee bits in blender or food processor.
- Sprinkle on the cheesecake immediately upon removing from oven.
- Let the pan cool on wire rack 30-45 minutes and then cover and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Cut into bars when ready to serve.
Notes
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 219
- Sugar: 18.8 g
- Sodium: 172.1 mg
- Fat: 12.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 39.3 mg
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About the sugar cookie mix – if you look at the ingredients needed to make cookies (including the 2 tablespoons of flour to roll out), it’s the same ingredients you add to cake mix cookies.
I wonder if there is a baking difference? I wonder which is cheaper – cake mix or cookie mix?
Just wanted you to know how much I look forward to all your fun, delicious recipes!! Each day you have a new post up, my day is brighter! Gonna make this tonight for my prayer group. They are going to love it!!
Suzanne from Nashville 🙂
been looking for recipes that start with the sugar cookie mix. but i am allergic to the toffee bits which have almonds in them. ohhhhhhh. what could i use instead? pretzels?
I would just leave them plain, honestly! Or drizzle a little caramel on top!
2 of my favorite things, combined! Love cheesecake and love sugar cookies! Yum!
These look like little bars of heaven. I’ll take the whole pan, please!
I didn’t know you were a fellow Jersey girl! Jersey girls unite! Haha!
These cheesecake bars look fabulous! Perfect spring break treat!
I was so excited to try these, until I saw the crust uses packaged cookie mix and pudding. I don’t bake or cook with pee-made, processed stuff, so I wonder if I could use my own sugar cookie dough, and leave out the pudding mix?
PRE-made, not PEE-made! HAHA
Sure there is no reason you couldn’t use your own cookie dough! The pudding adds some extra flavor and some chewiness, but I don’t think it would make a huge difference to leave it out 🙂
Why don’t you just make the pudding too. It so easy
These are actually a Betty Crocker recipe. They are called Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars. I substituted a box of cheesecake pudding for the french vanilla and I found that the bottom layer was entirely too thick. I only put a litte more then half on the bottom and didn’t put any up the sides. Worked like a charm and got tons of compliments from my ladies bunco group.
OMG, I loved American Anthem – lol! Mitch Gaylord looked SO hot in that movie! Thanks for sharing the recipe too, these look super easy and delicious, I can’t wait to try them!!!
Will you please be my new best friend… So you can make these for me? And so you can make me laugh? Because you’re freaking hilarious. And these look phenomenal!