Nutella Cheesecake Bars
These Nutella cheesecake bars are absolutely delightful! They're decadently rich and creamy, with swirls of gooey Nutella.
Servings: 16
Calories: 348kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 1 1/4 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs or about 20 whole Oreos, crushed 160g
- 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted 42g
Nutella Cheesecake Filling
- 3 cups or 24 oz. cream cheese, softened 678g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 125g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
- 3 large eggs, room temperature 168g
- 3/4 cup Nutella 230g
Instructions
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 F or 165 C and line an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use metal (unpainted) binder clips to keep my parchment paper in place.
- Place 1 cup of chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (reserve the other 1/4 cup of cookie crumbs for mixing into the cheesecake batter later) and 3 Tbsp of melted butter into a medium bowl. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined and the chocolate cookie crumbs look moist.
- Pour the chocolate cookie mixture into your prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to press down firmly and create a compact, even crust.
- Bake for 8 minutes then remove from the oven. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Be sure to keep your oven on!! Then fill a rimmed baking dish with about 1 inch of water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven (this will act as a pseudo water bath and help the bars bake up more evenly).
Nutella Cheesecake Filling
- While the chocolate cookie crust bakes and cools make the cheesecake filling.
- Place 3 cups of room-temperature cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment at medium to medium-high speed. Mix until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy, and no lumps remain.
- Add 1 cup of sugar and mix on medium speed until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add 1/2 cup of sour cream and 2 tsp vanilla extract and mix at a medium speed until combined.
- Next, mix in 3 eggs, one at a time. Mix on a low speed until the eggs are fully incorporated. The mixture should be perfectly smooth at this stage.
- Pour about half of the cheesecake batter (550g if you have a scale) into a separate bowl and mix in 1/4 cup (75g) of Nutella on a low speed until combined. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of crushed Oreo crumbs into the other bowl of plain cheesecake batter.
- Alternate pouring the Oreo cheesecake batter and Nutella cheesecake batter on the cooled Oreo crust. Heat the Nutella up in the microwave for about 10 seconds, then add spoonfuls on top of the cheesecake batter like in the photos above. Drag a knife or offset spatula through the batter to create Nutella swirls.
- Bake the cheesecake bars for 55-65 minutes. Do a wiggle test to check if they're done (watch the center, and look for a small wiggle), rather than a toothpick!
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a metal rack. Once they reach room temperature, refrigerate them for an additional 2 hours or overnight. If you notice any big cracks, you can fill them with some extra Nutella.
- Cut the bars with a sharp, warm knife once they're fully chilled. Clean the knife after each cut to get perfect slices. Leftover bars can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Can These Cheesecake Bars Be Made in Advance?
Absolutely! These Nutella cheesecake bars can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. You can also freeze these bars for up to two months! Freeze the bars on a sheet pan until they're firm to the touch, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and foil. When you want to enjoy the bars, place the bars in the fridge overnight, then unwrap and enjoy the following day.Making this Recipe in Different Sizes
If you want to make this recipe in a 9 x 13-inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 325 F/162 C for 55-65 minutes, or until the edges look set but the center is still a bit soft. Or if you want to make this recipe in a 9x9-inch pan, go for it! The bars will be slightly shorter but will still taste great. Bake the bars at 325 F/162 C for 45-55 minutes, or until the edges look set but the center is still a bit soft.How To Make the Best Nutella Cheesecake Bars
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and soft to the touch. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, cut the blocks into smaller squares and heat them in the microwave in 10-second intervals until they reach room temperature.
- Don't use a toothpick to check if your bars are done. Instead, gently shake the pan while it's still in the oven. If only a small circle in the center jiggles a little, it's ready! The center will set as the bars cool.
- Use a warm, sharp knife to get clean slices! Fill a tall cup with hot water and drip a sharp knife into it. Dry the knife fully, then make a slice. Repeat with each cut, being sure to wipe the blade completely clean each time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g