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Creamy chocolate cheesecake on a chocolate graham cracker crust, topped with a delicious cherry topping and finished with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. These chocolate cherry cheesecake bars are incredible!
3 Reasons You’ll Love These Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate + cherry + cheesecake = one amazing combo! If you love chocolate-cherry desserts, these cheesecake bars are going to be very hard to resist.
- Perfect for holidays… or just because. These are a total hit any time of year but they really shine for special occasions (Valentine’s Day dessert, Christmas cheesecake or dinner with friends). Plus, they are a make ahead dessert which gives them bonus points!
- Way easier than classic cheesecake! No water bath or springform pan stress. Just all the cheesecake goodness in a much simpler bar version.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these chocolate cherry cheesecake bars:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Chocolate Cheesecake Filling: This rich, dreamy filling is made from cream cheese, eggs, sugar, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, melted semi-sweet chocolate and vanilla extract. Use the full-fat brick-style cream cheese and large size eggs (make sure they are both at room temperature for the smoothest texture!). As for sugar, I like to use organic cane sugar in my baking.
- Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust: The crust is a mixture of graham cracker crumbs, melted unsalted butter, sugar, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt. I like to use whole graham crackers and blitz them in the food processor until you get a nice fine crumb.
- Cherry Topping: For the delicious topping, you will need frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, water, vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Chocolate Shavings: Grab a bar of chocolate (dark or milk, your choice) and use a vegetable peeler to shave along the edge. Or you can also use the coarse side of a box grater.
Equipment
The Tool That Makes It Easy
Let’s talk about the real MVP of this recipe: the food processor. It makes everything faster, easier and way less messy (always a win).
It turns cookies into perfect crumbs in seconds, easily mixes the crust together, and after a quick wipe, it’s ready to make the smoothest, creamiest cheesecake filling ever. This is the food processor I use (I’ve had it for many years and it still works like a dream).
How To Make Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars
Let’s get started and walk through the process step-by-step! These cheesecake bars are easy to make… the real challenge is waiting for them to set and chill in the fridge.
Step 1: Preheat oven and prep baking dish
Start by preheating the oven to 325F (165C). Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang to easily lift out the cheesecake bars later.
Step 2: Make the crust
Add 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter, ¼ cup organic cane sugar, ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon sea salt to your food processor. Pulse until it’s all combined.
Pour the crust mixture into your lined baking dish, spread it out evenly and press it down nice and firm with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. You’re aiming for a smooth, even layer here!
Then just pop it in the oven for 10 minutes to prebake. Let it cool for a bit while you whip up the cheesecake filling.
Step 3: Make the chocolate cheesecake filling
Wipe the food processor clean. Then add 2 bricks of softened full-fat cream cheese (16oz/500g), ½ cup of organic cane sugar, ¼ cup of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Next, add 2 large room temperature eggs and pulse until just incorporated. Pour in 4 ounces (113g) of melted semi-sweet chocolate and pulse again until just combined. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and smooth it out evenly.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are set and the center still has a little jiggle when you give the baking dish a gentle shake. Place the baking dish on a wire rack and allow to cool at room temperature.
Step 5: Make the cherry topping
Add 1 pound (454g) of frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, ¼ cup organic cane sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften.
In a small bowl, add 1 ½ tablespoons each of cornstarch and water and stir together until dissolved. Slowly pour into the simmering cherries, stirring as you go and cook for about a minute until the mixture thickens.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through ½ teaspoon each of vanilla extract and almond extract. Let the topping cool down until lukewarm (you don’t want it boiling hot).
Step 6: Assemble and set
Pour the cooled down cherry topping over the cheesecake and spread out evenly. Cover and pop in the fridge to chill and set for at least 4 to 5 hours (or overnight).
Step 7: Slice and serve
Lift the whole thing out of the pan using the parchment paper and place onto a cutting board. Slice it into 9 to 16 squares (depending on how large you want the pieces). Sprinkle over the chocolate shavings. Serve immediately or keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Tips For Success
A Few Helpful Tips
- Room temperature matters: If your cream cheese and eggs are cold straight from the fridge, you might end up with a lumpy filling. Let them come to room temperature first for a super smooth and creamy cheesecake texture.
- Be patient: I know, waiting is hard (especially with these!) but these cheesecake bars really do need time in the fridge to set properly. I promise, it will be worth it!
- Slicing tip: For nice clean slices, make sure the cheesecake bars are fully cooled and set. Use a large, sharp knife and wipe it clean with a paper towel between each cut for those perfect squares.
FAQ
Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Yes they can! Store the chocolate cherry cheesecake bars in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then simply let them thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Yes but they will be a little thinner and bake a bit faster so keep an eye on them!
I love how easy it is to make these with the food processor (and the filling gets so smooth and creamy) but you can also make them without one. Crush the graham crackers in a freezer bag with something heavy like a rolling pin. Then mix the crust mixture together in a bowl and use a stand or hand mixer to make the chocolate cheesecake filling.
More Cheesecake Bars
Did you make these chocolate cherry cheesecake bars? I would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment below.
Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 35 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 min (plus chill time)
- Yield: 9 to 16 squares
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Creamy chocolate cheesecake on a chocolate graham cracker crust, topped with a delicious cherry topping and finished with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. These chocolate cherry cheesecake bars are incredible!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (see notes)
- ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the chocolate cheesecake filling:
- 2 bricks/blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (16 oz/500g)
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 ounces (113g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
For the cherry topping:
- 1 pound (454g) frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- chocolate shavings, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep baking dish: Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang to easily lift out the cheesecake bars later.
- Make the crust: Add all the crust ingredients into your food processor and pulse to combine. Pour the crust mixture into the lined baking dish, spread it out evenly and press down firmly using the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup so you get a nice smooth, even layer.
- Prebake crust: Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool while you make the cheesecake filling.
- Make the cheesecake filling: Wipe the food processor clean. Then add all the chocolate cheesecake filling ingredients except for the eggs and melted chocolate and process until smooth and creamy (stopping to scrape down the sides as needed). Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and pulse again until just combined. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and smooth it out evenly.
- Bake: Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are set and the center still has a little jiggle when you give the baking dish a gentle shake. Place the baking dish on a wire rack and allow to cool at room temperature.
- Make the cherry topping: Add the cherries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together until dissolved. Slowly pour into the simmering cherries, stirring as you go and cook for about a minute until the mixture thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through the vanilla and almond extracts. Let the topping cool down until lukewarm (you don’t want it boiling hot).
- Assemble and set: Pour the cooled down cherry topping over the cheesecake and spread out evenly. Cover and pop in the fridge to chill and set for at least 4 to 5 hours (or overnight).
- Slice and serve: Lift the whole thing out of the pan using the parchment paper and place onto a cutting board. Slice it into 9 to 16 squares, depending on how big you want your pieces. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Serve immediately or keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- Graham cracker crumbs: I like to use whole graham crackers and blitz them in the food processor until you get a nice fine crumb. Digestive biscuits or arrowroot biscuits also work well.
- Chocolate Shavings: These are super easy to make! Grab a bar of chocolate (dark or milk, your choice) and use a vegetable peeler to shave along the edge. Or you can also use the coarse side of a box grater.
- The food processor is the real MVP of this recipe: It makes everything faster, easier and way less messy (always a win). It turns cookies into perfect crumbs in seconds, easily mixes the crust together, and after a quick wipe, it’s ready to make the smoothest, creamiest cheesecake filling ever. This is the food processor I use (I’ve had it for many years and it still works like a dream).
