Millionaire's Cheesecake Bars

When millionaire's shortbread meets creamy cheesecake we get Millionaire's Cheesecake Bars with a shortbread cookie crust, salted caramel cheesecake filling and dark chocolate ganache topping swirled with more caramel and flaky salt. These delicious bars are rich and creamy with an addictive salty & sweet flavor! You can make a batch of my Rich Salted Caramel Sauce weeks in advance to have ready to make them at any time. If you love chocolate and caramel desserts, check out my Turtle Cheesecake and my Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies. You can also browse all the other cheesecake bars recipe on the site.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - I love to make cheesecake bars as they are easier to prepare than a whole cheesecake since they bake and cool faster which means you can enjoy them sooner!
• Rich salted caramel cheesecake - the cheesecake batter has ¼ cup of my Rich Salted Caramel Sauce which is a deeply amber caramel with a deep burnt sugar flavor so that the taste really comes through.
• Creamy cheesecake - the filling is super smooth and creamy.
• Easy shortbread base - the crust is a simple mixture of butter, sugar and flour to make a quick shortbread that doesn't need a mixer to put together.
• Dark chocolate ganache - like traditional Millionaire's Shortbread, these bars are topped with chocolate ganache. It's glossy and silky smooth.

INGREDIENTS FOR MILLIONAIRE'S CHEESECAKE BARS

• Flour - you'll need all-purpose flour just to make the crust for these cheesecake bars.
• Butter - you can use unsalted or salted butter to make the crust.
• Brown sugar - I use brown sugar for the filling and the shortbread to enhance that caramel flavor.
• Cream cheese - you will need one brick of cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content which will affect the consistency of the baked cheesecake.
• Egg - one whole egg will set the filling into a silky smooth custard. After all, cheesecake is essentially a baked cheese custard!
• Sour cream - I love using sour cream to make cheesecake since it adds dairy richness and moisture without making it too dense since it is lower fat than cream cheese.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla boosts the creamy flavor and is a must for this recipe. I prefer this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Cream - you'll need heavy whipping cream to make the chocolate ganache and the chocolate topping as well as for the caramel sauce.
• Salted Caramel Sauce - this recipe uses my rich salted caramel sauce that goes into the cheesecake batter and also swirled through the ganache.
• Dark chocolate - you'll need dark chocolate for the ganache. Anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids. You can blend semisweet chocolate with my favorite bittersweet chocolate callets which are very convenient.
• Flaky sea salt - the finishing touch is a sprinkle of big flaky sea salt which adds crunch, beautiful visuals and flavor.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the shortbread crust. Combine flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl and mix to blend well and break up lumps of brown sugar. Add the soft butter and blend it in with your fingertips until it is evenly incorporated and you end up with soft crumbs/clumps. Turn them out into the prepared pan and press them into an even layer, then smooth it out with an offset spatula. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden on top. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
• STEP 2). Make the cheesecake filling. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add brown sugar and vanilla and beat until very silky and glossy. Beat in egg until well combined, then mix in Salted Caramel Sauce. Once combined, mix in sour cream.
• STEP 3). Bake. Pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust and bake for 22-26 minutes until evenly set and the edges are slightly brown and the entire surface is rich golden. It won't jiggle in the middle since it's a thin layer. It will look matte on the surface. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• STEP 4). Make the ganache. Combine cream with corn syrup and heat in the microwave until simmering. Immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. Pour it over the caramel cheesecake and spread it out evenly. Spoon little dollops of caramel (warm it slightly if you need to since it is thick) over the ganache and then use a toothpick to swirl it in and create a nice design. Don't swirl too deep with the toothpick to avoid disturbing the cheesecake layer.
• STEP 5). Chill. Place it back in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours until set. Slice with a hot dry knife and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Start with room temperature ingredients. This is so important! Take the cream cheese out of the fridge for 2 hours prior to baking so it is soft.
• Blend the cream cheese with sugar FIRST. You need to beat the cream cheese so it is smooth, then add the sugar. The sugar crystals will tear through the cheese and break it down so it is creamy. You'll notice that once it is well combined, it will turn glossy. This is a sign that the sugar has bound the moisture in the cream cheese.
• Add the egg only AFTER the sugar is blended. If you add the egg before the sugar, it will most likely leave you with a lumpy batter. That's because eggs have a very high moisture content and it will be difficult to blend smoothly unless there is sugar present to bind the water.
• Use a room temperature egg. A cold egg will not incorporate as smoothly
• Do not over-beat. Over-mixing or mixing at a very high speed will incorporate too much air into the mixture which will create air pockets that can lead to cracking and contracting.
• Gentle baking. To ensure the filling is extra silky smooth, it is important bake these gently at a slightly lower than moderate temperature. Do not over-bake.
• Swirl the caramel into the ganache before the ganache sets. If you swirl the caramel when the ganache is too set, then it will not swirl seamlessly together and the ganache will look grainy.

RECIPE FAQ

STORING AND FREEZING

If you love cheesecake, check out these recipes!

Baking with caramel

Looking for more caramel recipes like this? Try these:

Cheesecake recipes

These are some of my favorite cheesecake recipes on the site:

Video

Millionaire's Cheesecake Bars

Christina Marsigliese

Buttery shortbread crust with salted caramel cheesecake and dark chocolate ganache! These delectable bars are a fun twist on classic Millionaire's Shortbread.

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr

Servings 16 squares

Ingredients

  

Shortbread crust:

• ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (120g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (55g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened

Caramel cheesecake filling:

• 9 oz (250g) brick cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup (55g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60ml) Rich Salted Caramel Sauce
• ⅓ cup (80ml) full fat sour cream

Chocolate ganache:

• 6 oz (170g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup (120ml) heavy 35% whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) corn syrup (optional, but will give you a glossy set)
• 2 tablespoon (30ml) Rich Salted Caramel Sauce for swirling on top
• flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side.
• Make the shortbread crust. Combine flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl and mix to blend well and break up lumps of brown sugar. Add the soft butter and blend it in with your fingertips until it is evenly incorporated and you end up with soft crumbs/clumps. Turn them out into the prepared pan and press them into an even layer, then smooth it out with an offset spatula. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden on top. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Make the filling. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add brown sugar and vanilla and beat until very silky and glossy. Beat in egg until well combined, then mix in salted caramel sauce. Once combined, mix in sour cream.
• Pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust and bake for 22-26 minutes until evenly set and the edges are slightly brown and the entire surface is rich golden. It won't jiggle in the middle since it's a thin layer. It will look matte on the surface. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Make the ganache. Combine cream with corn syrup and heat in the microwave until simmering. Immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. Pour it over the caramel cheesecake and spread it out evenly. Spoon little dollops of caramel (warm it slightly if you need to since it is thick) over the ganache and then use a toothpick to swirl it in and create a nice design. Don't swirl too deep with the toothpick to avoid disturbing the cheesecake layer.
• Place it back in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours until set. Slice with a hot dry knife and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.