Nutella Cheesecake Bars

Dreamy Nutella Cheesecake Bars combine the delicious flavors of chocolate and hazelnut with creamy cheesecake on a crunchy buttery hazelnut shortbread crust. The chocolate cheesecake is made with Nutella which adds the hazelnut flavor and also makes it super smooth. It's topped with a layer of hazelnut chocolate ganache that's also made with Nutella and some chopped roasted hazelnuts on top. Maybe the best part is the hazelnut shortbread that is so delicious on its own! If you love desserts with chocolate and hazelnut, check out my my Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes, Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Torte and my Chocolate Hazelnut Brown Butter Blondies. 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!
• Chocolate hazelnut cheesecake - the cheesecake batter has cocoa powder and Nutella baked right in for a rich chocolate and hazelnut taste.
• Creamy cheesecake - the filling is super smooth and creamy.
• Easy hazelnut shortbread base - the crust is a simple shortbread made from roasted hazelnuts. It is SO good that I could eat this part alone.
• Dark chocolate hazelnut ganache - the final layer is silky Nutella ganache so there is hazelnut flavor in every layer of this dessert.

INGREDIENTS FOR NUTELLA CHEESECAKE BARS

• Flour - you'll need all-purpose flour just to make the crust for these cheesecake bars.
• Hazelnuts - the shortbread crust is so delicious with so much hazelnut flavor. Be sure to roast the hazelnuts as it really deepens the taste and makes such a difference.
• Butter - you can use unsalted or salted butter to make the base.
• Brown sugar - a bit of brown sugar adds caramel undertones to the crust to enhance the toasted hazelnuts.
• Granulated sugar - simple white granulated sugar will let the chocolate hazelnut flavor shine through the filling while keeping the filling perfectly sweet and creamy.
• 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 just right so it is perfectly smooth.
• 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. You can also use full fat yogurt.

• Nutella - you can use any of your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread for the filling and the topping.
• Cocoa powder - I love this Dutch cocoa to add more chocolate taste and rich color to the filling. I also use this one.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla boosts the creamy flavor and is a must for this recipe. I prefer this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Milk - you'll need whole milk (2% also works) to make the chocolate ganache and the chocolate 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.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the shortbread crust. Place roasted hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Combine flour, ground hazelnuts, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl and mix to blend well and break up lumps of brown sugar. Add melted butter and blend it in with your fingertips until it is evenly incorporated and it holds together in clumps. Turn it out onto the prepared pan and press it into an even layer, then smooth it out with an offset spatula.
• STEP 2). Bake the crust. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden on top. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
• STEP 3). Make the filling. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Mix in egg until well incorporated. Add Nutella, cocoa powder, vanilla and yogurt and mix until smooth.
• STEP 4). Bake. Pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust and bake for about 25 minutes until set and puffed at the edges and still slightly glossy in the middle. It won't jiggle in the middle since it's a thin layer, but it should still have a slight sheen.
• STEP 5). Chill. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• STEP 6). Make the ganache. Combine chopped chocolate, Nutella and milk in a heatproof bowl and place it over a sauce pot with an inch of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is large enough to just sit over the pot and the base is not touching the water so that it heats it gently. Whisk gently until smooth and glossy. You can also heat it in the microwave in short 20 second bursts, stirring after each interval. Pour it over the chilled cheesecake and spread it out evenly,
• STEP 7). Decorate. then sprinkle with chopped roasted pistachios. Place it back in the fridge and chill for another 30 minutes until the ganache has set. Slice with a hot dry knife and serve!

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.
• Do not over-mix the ganache. Beating or whisking vigorously can cause the ganache to split or separate, so just stir gently until it is smooth and glossy.

RECIPE FAQ

STORING AND FREEZING

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Video

Nutella Cheesecake Bars

Christina Marsigliese

Creamy Nutella cheesecake over a hazelnut shortbread crust and topped with Nutella ganache. These bars are a chocolate-hazelnut lover's dream! They are irresistible and easy to make.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Chill Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings 16 squares

Ingredients

  

Hazelnut shortbread crust:

• ¼ cup (30g) whole roasted hazelnuts
• ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp (115g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoon (70g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Nutella cheesecake batter:

• 9 oz (250g) brick cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup (80ml) Nutella
• 2 tablespoon (12g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60ml) plain full fat yogurt or sour cream

Chocolate hazelnut ganache:

• 6 oz (170g) semisweet dark chocolate
• 4 tablespoon (60ml) whole milk
• 3 tablespoon (45ml) Nutella

For topping:

• 3 tablespoon finely chopped roasted hazelnuts

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side and secure the sides down on the edge of the pan with ¾-inch binder clips.
• Make the crust. Place roasted hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Combine flour, ground hazelnuts, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl and mix to blend well and break up lumps of brown sugar. Add melted butter and blend it in with your fingertips until it is evenly incorporated and it holds together in clumps. Turn it out onto the prepared pan and press it into an even layer, then smooth it out with an offset spatula. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden on top. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Make the filling. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Mix in egg until well incorporated. Add Nutella, cocoa powder, vanilla and yogurt and mix until smooth.
• Pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust and bake for about 25 minutes until set and puffed at the edges and still slightly glossy in the middle. It won't jiggle in the middle since it's a thin layer, but it should still have a slight sheen. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Make the ganache. Combine chopped chocolate, Nutella and milk in a heatproof bowl and place it over a sauce pot with an inch of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is large enough to just sit over the pot and the base is not touching the water so that it heats it gently. Whisk gently until smooth and glossy. You can also heat it in the microwave in short 20 second bursts, stirring after each interval. Pour it over the chilled cheesecake and spread it out evenly, then sprinkle with chopped roasted pistachios. Place it back in the fridge and chill for another 30 minutes until the ganache has set. Slice with a hot dry knife and serve!