Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

When I want dessert, 99.9% of the time, I'll look to something in the chocolate family. I'm not picky: chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies and chocolate chips straight from the bag all count (although I'm not so proud of the latter).

The other .1% of the time - or when I'm baking for people whose lives don't revolve around cacao - I like rich, but simple desserts: like these thick and creamy vanilla bean cheesecake bars nestled in a buttery shortbread crust, from Baking Bites.

I made them recently for a party and rather than baking them in a 9x13 pan and slicing them into twenty thin bars, I modified the baking instructions just a bit to accommodate an 8x8 inch baking pan and slicing them into small, square, "bite-sized" pieces.

This was also my first endeavor with the vanilla bean - I was surprised how easy it is to slice them to pack such intense taste with such a small amount of flavoring.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

Crust
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup half & half/light cream
2 (8-oz) packages plain cream cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (8x8 will also work if you like thicker bars).

2. Begin by making the crust. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into prepared pan and bake for 15-17 minutes.

3. While the crust bakes, combine sugar, half & half and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time, waiting until each in incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixture (or add extract) and add the flour. Pulse until smooth.

4. Pour the filling over the hot crust when it has finished baking. Return pan to oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is set (baking time should be reduced slightly if using a 9×13-inch, as the filling will be slightly thinner) and not jiggly.

5. Cool completely before slicing (don’t be alarmed if the cheesecake appears to deflate somewhat as it cools), or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 20-24 bars (in a 9x13 pan)

Tell me your favorite non-chocolate dessert!

Comments

[Elra]

Maris,
Compressed fresh yeast is basically fresh yeast. You will find this in the grocery store, in the same section where the butter is. It is a great yeast, it make your bread taste more delicious. A bit more expensive then the regular dry yeast, but it really worth the money.
Hope this help, and good luck.
Cheers,
Elra

[Elra]

My all time favorite is lemon tart, simply delicious with no ice cream or meringue. Just plain simple lemon tart!

Your vanilla cheesecake bars sounds absolutely delicious too.
Cheers,
Elra

[Selba]

This vanilla bean cheesecake bars must be really yummy... My mom just made blueberr cheesecake last week.

[Pearl]

What's that?

I hear something.

Listen more closely.

Do you hear it, too?

Oh. I know what they're saying.

The angels want me to tell you to send me some of those vanilla cheesecake bars. Because I'm their... tastetester. that's it.

[Sophie]

Wow, these vanlila bean cheesecakes look Superb!!!! MMMMM....Can I have 1 or 2 pieces now with my morning coffee? Thanks!!

[Sophie]

And my favorite non chocolate dessert is crème bruléé! Simple yet overdelicious!! Or speculoos ice - cream! Because I am from Belgium we adore everything with speculoos!!

[VeggieGirl]

Scrumptious!!

[eatsandtreats]

Mine would be apple pie for sure! Or anything peanut buttery.

[mandy]

These look simply divine. I usually prefer chocolate as well, but as of late have been giving up chocolate for other things that I would have never tried. I do enjoy cheesecake with fresh berries.

(I've made the banana muffins with lemon icing twice, everyone loves them!)

[kat]

I love the taste of real vanilla so I bet these are delious

[lisa (dandysugar)]

Oh, man these look decadent. I love pure vanilla so these are incredibly tempting to me. Bars are so decadent!

[ANG*]

yummmmmmmmmm. i want these right now.

[Shani]

Looks scrumptious. My favorite non-chocolate dessert... hmmm... it's a toss up between créme brulée and amaretto bread pudding... yum!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

My favorite non-chocolate dessert is a bowl of grapes. Seriously. But it's a distant second to almost anything with chocolate. Now I have to consider these vanilla bars, too, which look absolutely scrumptious.

[thatShortChick]

pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread...nom nom nom.

[Nirvana]

These look sooooooooo delicious :)

[Food Hunter]

They sound so good. I will be making them soon.

[cleanveggiex3]

oh goodness - cheesecake is my absolute FAVORITE!
so add some vanilla bean you have just made the best dessert. ever.

[Reeni]

These look so scrumptious! Vanilla + Cheesecake = heaven. My favorite has to be dulce de leche cheesecake or Caramel Cake.

[Joanna]

This is only my favorite as of tonight, but I went to Momofuku Milk Bar and got a piece of crack pie, and oh my god does it ever live up to its name. No idea what's in it but... CRACK!

Of course, I haven't had vanilla bean cheesecake bars, so who's to say... ;)

[alexandra]

oooh this is tricky. favorite NON-chocolate dessert? NON-CHOCOLATE...yikes. Just kidding. I suppose my favorite on-chocolate dessert is Balzano apple cake. So delicious. Perfect in the fall. These bars look delicious!

Also, I've moved: www.alexandracooks.com
Hoping to get back on track being a good little blogger.

[Stacey Snacks]

Maris,
I would say my fave dessert is an apple cake, it's so perfect in the fall with freshly picked apples.
#2 is Sicilian Ricotta cheesecake.

So many desserts, so little time!

[Chuck]

I have to agree with Elra your first commenter.

Anything Lemon! I love the flavor and the fresh taste of lemons.

Mind you anything Vanilla is nice too. I think I could smell vanilla out of the bottle all day long lol.

[Hayley]

My family loves anything cheesecake, and I love this version. I love the speckle of vanilla beans. Thanks for sharing!

[Jude]

The texture seems light and fluffy. I think I'm gonna like this :)

[Erin]

I think it's always a good idea to give in to your sweet tooth :) I have a big sweet tooth and I love all things chocolate, but there are a few non chocolate desserts I like- peach cobbler and anything with apples and caramel. These bars look great!