White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
When the pan is nearly done, the edges look settled while the center still gives a soft wobble when you nudge it. That’s the cue I watch for with these…
By Ava
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Reading time: 10 min
Tip: save now, make later.
When the pan is nearly done, the edges look settled while the center still gives a soft wobble when you nudge it. That’s the cue I watch for with these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars; waiting for the middle to look completely firm can leave the filling dry by the time it chills. The 9×13-inch pan also makes tidy, shareable squares without asking you to fuss with a water bath.
The white chocolate brings sweetness and a smooth, mellow flavor, while seedless raspberry preserves make a bright swirl that’s easy to spoon and drag through the filling. I keep the mixing gentle once the eggs go in, then let the bars cool and chill until firm before cutting. Each square has a buttery graham cracker base, creamy cheesecake, and a ribbon of raspberry in every bite.
Kitchen Note
Give the baked crust its full 10 minutes to cool before adding the filling. A firm, cooled base is much easier to lift and slice cleanly after the bars have chilled.
Save these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars for a make-ahead dessert with creamy filling and a bright raspberry swirl.
A Slight Jiggle Is How You Keep Cheesecake Bars Creamy
Cheesecake keeps setting after it leaves the oven, and these bars have another long stretch in the refrigerator before they’re ready to cut. If you wait until the center is completely still, that extra time can push the filling from creamy to firm and dry. Look for edges that have set and a middle that moves just a little when you gently shift the pan.
That small wobble isn’t a sign that the bars are raw. The filling firms as it cools, then becomes sliceable during its refrigerator rest. The edge-to-center contrast is useful here: the outer portion should look stable, while the middle should still have a little give. A glassy, totally motionless surface means the bars have gone farther than they need to.
The same restraint helps with the mixer. Once the eggs are added, low speed and short mixing keep the filling cohesive rather than aerated. Extra air can make cheesecake puff during baking and settle unevenly as it cools, so stop as soon as each egg disappears into the batter.
What the Cream Cheese, White Chocolate, and Preserves Each Bring
- Graham cracker crumbs and butter — The crumbs make a compact, lightly toasted base, and melted butter binds them when pressed into the pan. Fine, evenly crushed crumbs pack more neatly than large uneven pieces; store-brand crumbs work well.
- Cream cheese — Use softened block-style cream cheese for a thick, smooth filling. Tub-style spreadable cream cheese has a softer consistency and can leave the bars less firmly set. Let the blocks soften before mixing so you don’t have to beat out stubborn lumps.
- White chocolate — Chopped white chocolate melts into the filling and gives it a mellow sweetness that sugar alone can’t provide. A good baking bar is the dependable choice; some white chocolate chips contain stabilizers that make them slower to melt smoothly. Chop the chocolate into similarly sized pieces for more even melting.
- Seedless raspberry preserves — Preserves give the swirl concentrated berry flavor and enough body to stay in distinct ribbons. Seedless preserves are easiest to spoon and create a smooth finish; regular preserves work, but the seeds will remain in the bars.
- Sour cream — Its tang balances the white chocolate and keeps the filling from tasting one-note sweet. Plain Greek yogurt can stand in for the sour cream in the same amount, though the result will taste a little tangier.
- Eggs — Eggs help the filling set, and bringing them to room temperature helps them blend into the cream cheese mixture without chilling it. Add them individually so you can stop mixing as soon as each is incorporated.
- Vanilla and granulated sugar — Vanilla rounds out the dairy and chocolate, while granulated sugar sweetens the filling without changing its texture. There’s no need to use a specialty sugar here.
Building the Crust and Filling Without a Lumpy Center
Press and pre-bake the graham base
Heat the oven to 325°F and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two opposite sides; lightly grease the parchment and exposed sides. Stir the crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened, then press the mixture firmly across the pan bottom. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool in the pan for 10 minutes. If the crumbs look dry before pressing, stir again so the butter is distributed rather than concentrated in one spot.
Make the preserves easy to swirl
Warm the seedless raspberry preserves in a microwave-safe bowl for 10 to 15 seconds, just until spoonable. Stir until smooth, breaking up any thick patches before they go onto the filling. The preserves should fall from a spoon in soft dollops, not run like a thin sauce. If they’re still stiff, another brief warm-up makes them easier to place without digging into the cheesecake mixture.
Blend a smooth white chocolate filling
Melt the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl at 50% power in 20-second bursts, stirring after each burst. Stop when it’s smooth, then let it cool for 5 minutes while it remains fluid. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla, then the melted white chocolate; add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each is incorporated.
Swirl, bake, and let the bars set
Spread the filling evenly over the cooled crust, add small dollops of preserves, and gently draw a knife through the top to make swirls. Don’t stir the preserves into the filling; a few deliberate passes leave clearer raspberry ribbons. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm; use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out and cut it into 16 pieces.
Three Easy Ways to Adapt These Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Make the crust gluten-free
Replace the graham cracker crumbs with the same amount of gluten-free graham-style crumbs and keep the melted butter unchanged. The base will have the same buttery crunch, though its exact texture depends on the crumb brand.
Trade raspberry for strawberry
Use the same amount of seedless strawberry preserves in place of the raspberry preserves. The swirl will be softer and sweeter in flavor, while the method stays the same.
Use Greek yogurt for a tangier filling
Swap plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream in the same amount. It keeps the creamy texture but brings a more pronounced tang, which cuts through the white chocolate sweetness.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Refrigerator: Keep the bars covered for up to 4 days. The crust gradually softens, but the chilled filling stays creamy.
- Freezer: Freeze cut bars in a single layer until firm, then wrap each one and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Serving: Serve the bars chilled. For neat squares, cut them after the filling is fully firm and wipe the knife between cuts.
Questions That Come Up When Making Cheesecake Bars
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 325°F.
- Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two opposite sides.
- Lightly grease the parchment and exposed sides.
- Stir the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together until evenly moistened.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Warm the raspberry preserves in a microwave-safe bowl for 10 to 15 seconds, until spoonable.
- Stir the preserves until smooth.
- Microwave the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl at 50% power in 20-second bursts, stirring after each, until smooth.
- Let the white chocolate cool for 5 minutes while remaining fluid.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.
- Mix in the melted white chocolate until just combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each is incorporated.
- Spread the filling evenly over the crust.
- Spoon the raspberry preserves in small dollops over the top.
- Gently swirl the preserves through the filling with a knife.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan.
- Cut into 16 pieces.