This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

These Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars are part cheesecake, part cookie, and are all good!

stack of cheesecake boars with toffee bits on top

Before we start today, I’d like to thank you all for the overwhelming outpouring of support after my post on Friday night. I never ever in a million years think I’d get so many comments, messages, and emails, many of which had me in tears. So, thank you for your support, for your advice and kind words, and for sharing your experiences with me. I heart all of you, and I’m so glad we have each other.

Now, it’s kind of hard to segue from body-image issues into delicious creme brûlée cheesecake bars, but hey, that’s life, right? Actually, working on this blog, building relationships with all of you, and baking make me happy. When I’m doing this job; when I’m in the kitchen creating, I’m enjoying myself quite a bit, regardless of how I feel when I eat what I’m making.

So, we’re still going to talk sugar, okay? Because that’s what I do. I ply you with sugar and talk your ear off. It’s who I am, and I think I’m pretty good at it!

It’s a job, and someone has to do it! 🙂

stack of cheesecake boars with toffee bits on top

Last week I posted on Facebook about cheesecake. I asked what kind I should make, and one of the suggestions was creme brulee. And man, my mouth watered for that!

Now, I still have a cheesecake up my sleeve, but when I started thinking about what would make a good creme brûlée cheesecake, I found these bars. And I wanted to make my version of them.

The reason I asked about cheesecake in the first place is because I had an idea, one that I still have to try. I took a baby step with these bars: I used some Chobani Greek Yogurt mixed with the cream cheese.

I am in love with greek yogurt lately. I eat it every day in a breakfast smoothie, and I’ve been trying to substitute it for oil or butter more often in baking. Cheesecake was just the next logical step. And guess what?

It totally worked. According to this Chobani graphic, you can substitute greek yogurt equally for cream cheese. I used 4 ounces of cream cheese and 1 cup of nonfat plain greek yogurt for these bars. And the texture of the cheesecake is exactly how I would have expected it to be.

It kind of blew my mind a little.

The base of the bars is a variation of my sugar cookie recipe. I actually have a new one for you soon, one that Jordan helped me make. It includes a box of vanilla pudding, which I think makes every cookie 100x better immediately. The cookie base is pressed into a 9″ square pan and topped with the cheesecake filling.

A quick note about your pan. I used a 9″ square metal cake pan, that I’d lined with foil and spray, as I always do. The bottom of the bars cooked too much (not a really noticeable amount and they taste fine, but they’re too done for me). Normally I use a glass pan and for some reason reached for a metal pan. I have noted in the recipe that you should use a glass pan for best results.

Once the bars are baked, you immediately top them with some crushed toffee bits. The heat of the bars melts the toffee bits to the top, and gives it a little caramel crunch, much like you would get when eating a creme brulee. These are SO good. The cheesecake is creamy and perfect. Paired with the cookie base and toffee crunch, these are one of my new favorites!

stack of cheesecake boars with toffee bits on top

I think I need to ask Facebook what they want more often. Y’all have some awesome ideas!! 🙂

stack of cheesecake boars with toffee bits on top

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars

4.50 from 4 votes

Ingredients
 

  • For the cookie base
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 box 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free)
  • 1 cup flour
  • For the cheesecake and topping
  • 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese you can use regular fat too, softened
  • 1 cup non-fat plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits semi-crushed
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” square glass pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. I do not suggest using a dark or coated pan for these bars!
  • Make the cookie base: Beat butter and sugars with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Mix in pudding mix and flour. Press into prepared pan.
  • Make the cheesecake: beat cream cheese and yogurt until no lumps remain. Beat in egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour. Mix until smooth. Pour and spread over cookie base.
  • Bake bars for about 27-30 minutes. They will lose their sheen around the edges, but still wiggle a little in the middle. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with toffee bits. Let cool to room temperature and then chill until set, at least 3 hours or overnight. Slice into bars.
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Non-Alcoholic Baileys Cheesecake Pie

Peanut Butter Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Sweets from friends:
Brownie Stuffed Cheesecake with a Peanut Butter Cookie Crust by Back for Seconds
Mini Heath Bar Cheesecakes By Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
Favorite Cheesecake by Something Swanky

While Chobani sent me product to play with, this post is not sponsored. I just love their product, and wanted to share!

Last Updated on May 13, 2020



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

Learn to Bake in 4 Days!
Get my tips, tricks and recipes to take your baking to the next level for FREE!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




76 Comments

  1. These bars are amazing!!!!! Thank you! We had recently had creme brulee cheesecake for the first time ever & I had to find a recipe to try and replicate it. These hit the spot!

  2. If I want to make this in a 9’in spring form pan, do you know how long I should bake it for? I just like the shape better for presentations 😀

    1. It will probably take longer than the bars. Start at the bar time and go up from there. I am thinking around 40 minutes, but I’d start at 25 and check it every so often after!

  3. You are SO creative, Dorothy!! Seriously. Creme brulee + cheesecake + cookies?? Where do you come up with these ideas? I need to tap into that reservoir! And I really love how you used crushed toffee bits to simulate the creme brulee topping. They probably taste even better (and stay crunchy long after you add them too)!

  4. Jaw dropping over here!!!! These.are.awesome!!!! I love that you put the toffee on top to melt and get crunchy…you are the coolest 🙂 I heart you!!!!

  5. These look AMAZING, Dorothy! I’ve been following your fabulous blog for awhile and always have lots of positive comments in my head, but I’m trying to get better at actually sharing them… 🙂 Your recipes are always so creative and this one is no exception. Thanks for sharing your awesome ideas with the rest of us!

    1. Aw, thanks Samantha! I know, I’m a bit of a reader-not-commenter too, at least lately. Thanks for leaving one!

  6. I’ve been wanting to try making cheesecake with Greek Yogurt! I’m totally going to try these creme brulee cheesecake bars and use your recipe as my guide. 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up to Wake Up Wednesdays! I’m going to share this post on FB, Twitter, G+ and Pinterest.

  7. You have the very best job. I love the use of melty toffee bits as faux brulee. These sound so good.