Cream Cheese Squares-The flavor of a cheesecake, but in a bar and with a yummy crumb topping!
They’ll eat it if I make it,
but only because it’s the only sugar offered.
And I’ll be fair, I love a slice of cheesecake,
But two days in a row?
No, Cheesecake is one of those things you should only have every so often.
I decadent treat, to be savored,
Not devoured like some store bought cookie.
(although we rarely buy cookies, unless it’s Oreos, and that could be a whole other post!)
But I do love the first few bites of cheesecake.
The taste, the texture, the coolness, nothing else compares to it.
And don’t have a slice of cheesecake after a big, filling meal. That’s just rude to the cheesecake.
Cheesecake deserves full attention and a close to empty stomach.
So I can make a cheesecake, and I make a good one,
but I don’t do it often.
It’s not fair to the cheesecake.
But we do make these delicious Cream Cheese Bars.
I’m not claiming these are the same thing as cheesecake.
But the taste does remind you of it.
And you can definitely eat more than one at a time (hard to do with a good cheesecake.)
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Cream Cheese Bars
Makes 32 bars
Cream Cheese Squares
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cups nuts, finely chopped
- 1 package (18 ounce) white or yellow cake mix
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Mix together brown sugar, nuts and cake mix. Stir in melted butter and mix until crumbly.
- Reserve 1 1/4 cup of mixture for topping. Press remainder into the bottom of a well greased or parchment lined 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Do not over bake.
- To prepare filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour over baked crust.
- Top with reserved crumbs. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Store in refrigerator.
- This is another recipe from my Grandma's collection, I've had it forever.
Notes
Duncan Hines cake mix is 18 ounces, Pillsbury is just 15.25 ounces. Both work fine for this recipe
recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com
She probably got it from a magazine or some such place.
Carrie - ASassyRedhead.com says
October 31, 2011 at 11:24 pmGirl, I read this early this morning at the office and for some reason, couldn’t comment. Hate the office computers.
Anyway…LOVE this. And even more, the pics of the disappearing cream cheese bar! What a huge mystery for such a spooky day! Wonder where that thing went?!? =)
You and your recipes are gonna come in SO handy the closer to the holidays we get. Something about Nov/Dec kick starts me on baking.
This is going to be fabulously perfect!
Joan@chocolateandmore says
November 1, 2011 at 2:31 pmCarrie, this is a great one but just wait, now that Halloween is over it’s officially holiday time!!!!! Get ready for some true awesomeness!
Melissa Placzek says
November 2, 2011 at 2:31 pmYUMMY! I’ll have to try these. Thanks for posting!
~Melissa Placzek
http://www.ChinDeep.com
maisymumkins says
December 28, 2011 at 2:29 pmOh my !!!!! I must simply make these they.look amazing ! I’m attempting to make my own Foodie blog to put all the stuff I make or fantasise about making LOL so please help any input gratefully recieed
Cassie A Little Treat says
September 5, 2012 at 12:31 amI hear you about the cheesecake! And now that you say it, it is quite rude to the cheesecake to eat it after a massive meal. I’m super excited to try these out I have a deep love for cream cheese and so does every person in my family. I found my next family party dessert! It looks like you used pecans for nuts but do you think almonds would be good? Thank you so much for sharing and Happy Treats!
Jeff says
July 16, 2013 at 10:23 pmThe link to the chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars takes me to the Lemon version. I REALLY need the link to the cookie dough version to work!!! PLEASE!!
Jeff
Joan Hayes says
July 16, 2013 at 10:28 pmThanks for letting me know Jeff, I’ve fixed it and just in case, here’s the link! https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/2012/08/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cheesecake-bars/
Dina says
August 6, 2013 at 1:13 pmthese look delish!
Joan Hayes says
August 6, 2013 at 10:27 pmThanks Dina!
Cindy says
October 15, 2013 at 5:37 pmI might be making this before the week is over. This reminds me of Paula Deens gooey cake, which I have recently started making, except her recipe does not call for nuts. But I love nuts. Thanks.
Cindy says
October 15, 2013 at 6:41 pmAlso, her recipe calls for a load of powdered sugar & butter, which I always use less sugar than a recipe calls for, & I use smart butter w/ a bit of real butter. So I don’t know if the 2 recipes are really alike. after all.
Ellen Barbasso says
January 31, 2014 at 11:12 amIf I don’t have a cake mix (don’t make many cakes) do you know what ingredients I should use and how much? I presume flour, baking powder, salt and maybe other shortening.
Thank you.
Joan Hayes says
February 5, 2014 at 9:48 pmMy friend at I Am Baker has a great recipe to make a dry cake mix http://iambaker.net/homemade-cake-mix/
Karen LeDoux says
March 30, 2014 at 9:56 pmI love your recipes! Not only am I a chocoholic, but cream cheese is right behind it, lol. I do wonder, though, if the Cream Cheese Squares would be just as good with Vanilla cake mix, or even Devil’s Food? I’d like your opinion on that. I’m pretty sure the Vanilla would be great, just not sure about the Devil’s Food. Keep up with the great recipes!
Mary C says
April 6, 2014 at 3:25 pmThis recipe looks yummy. Do you think it would work with light cream cheese? I can’t wait to try it.
Joan Hayes says
April 7, 2014 at 5:08 pmOh yes, feel free to substitute with the light cream cheese, they will still turn out yummy.
Jessica says
December 9, 2014 at 10:36 amI just made these..however mine dont look quite like yours..oh well it smells good but wont be tasting them till Christmas. .can’t wait.
angela says
December 27, 2014 at 10:48 pmcan’t do nuts due to allergies, any suggestions?
Joan Hayes says
December 28, 2014 at 2:03 amYou can use crushed cereal like corn flakes or chex cereal in place of the nuts.
Marilena says
March 23, 2015 at 1:26 amWhat type of nuts did you use for your Cream Cheese Squares?
Joan Hayes says
March 27, 2015 at 8:58 amSince I’m in Georgia, I used pecans. Walnuts would also be good for this recipe.
Mary says
October 1, 2015 at 9:32 pmAWESOME recipe, thank you ..I too now live in Ga. well it has been almost 40 years now, so guess you can call me a true blue Ga. girl now, ha ha. I so enjoy your blog, so many cute things you say not to mention some great recipes. Thank you and God bless.