Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

  • By KJ

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars! Try saying that 5 times fast. Even though it’s a mouthful to say, they are a mouthful of flavor when you take a bite! These cheesecake bars are loaded with sweet cherries that are swirled into a creamy filling and sitting on top of a chocolate crust. Drizzle them with a dark chocolate ganache before serving and then you have a match made in heaven.

 

The sweet, fruity flavor of the cherries pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate. In every bite, you get a rich, dark chocolate explosion brightened and highlighted by a creamy, cherry filling. No food coloring is needed here, as the bars will take on a natural pink color from the cherries. Perfect for a Valentine’s Day treat if you ask me! Or any day, actually, because these Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars don’t need to be confined to just V-Day because of their sweet pink color! They are equally as delicious for any occasion.

 

One thing that I love about these cheesecake bars is how they are surprisingly simple to make. You don’t have to worry about a water bath or the top of the cheesecake cracking, because you are going to be pouring chocolate all over these lovely bars anyways! You whip them up a day or so in advance, let them cool on the countertop before popping them in the refrigerator to set for at least a few hours. How much easier can it get? When you’re ready for dessert, bring them out, cut them up and drizzle them with dark chocolate ganache. You will get a round of applause, even if it’s just from yourself! 🙂

Whether you need a date night dessert for two (with leftovers!), a dessert to feed a crowd, or something sweet for a special occasion, these Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars will not disappoint!

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Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars


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  • Author: KJ & Company - Kate Poskochil
  • Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars! Try saying that 5 times fast. Even though it’s a mouthful to say, they are a mouthful of flavor when you take a bite! These cheesecake bars are loaded with sweet cherries that are swirled into a creamy filling and sitting on top of a chocolate crust. Drizzle them with a dark chocolate ganache before serving and then you have a match made in heaven


Ingredients

Scale

For the crust:

  • 3 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, such as Oreos
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

For the cheesecake filling:

  • (4) 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 oz frozen cherries, thawed and drained

For the chocolate ganache:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and the butter until combined. Gently press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan to form the crust. Set aside.

For the cheesecake filling:

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about a couple minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in one egg at a time, making sure to wipe down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Mix in the sugar, heavy cream and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Gently fold the cherries into the cheesecake batter until combined. Evenly pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared crust. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the cheesecake has set in the center. Let the cheesecake bars cool completely before putting them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving.

For the chocolate ganache:

  1. Heat the heavy cream over low heat in a small sauce pan until it starts to simmer. Whisk in the chocolate chips until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes before pouring over the cooled cheesecake bars. Allow the ganache to set on the cheesecake bars for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour cook time + 3 hours refrigeration

Share the love!

If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂

Thanks for following and cooking along with me!

 

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