Raspberry Cheesecake Squares for a large crowd

Do cheesecake bars need to be refrigerated?

Cheesecake bars, whether baked or not, need to be kept in your fridge or cooler. Traditional cheesecake desserts incorporate many perishable ingredients, including eggs and cream cheese. Perishable and diary based ingredients are especially prone to bacteria growth, so take care not to leave your cheesecake bars in a warm environment for extended periods of time.

What is the difference between Philadelphia style cheesecakes and New York style cheesecakes?

Most of us are accustomed to Philly style cheesecake recipes, this style isn’t tied to the city but rather the brand Philadelphia cream cheese. This style of cheesecake uses cream cheese as the main source of fat and flavor in its recipes. New York style utilizes sour cream and heavy cream for a heavier fat content and tangy flavor.

Philadelphia style is well loved because it typically has a lighter texture and fuller flavor. New York cheesecakes can be heavy and more challenging to bake as the surfaces of the cheesecakes are more prone to cracking due to the texture.

Watch the Complete Process of making this Recipe:

This is the perfect dessert for hot summer nights.  Anytime you have fresh or frozen raspberries to use up remember this easy dessert recipe.

Do I need to put a pan of water in the oven when I bake my cheesecake bars?

Traditional cheesecake require lower heat and a slower baking time, along with the added moisture that a pan of water, known as a water bath, provides. This prevents cracking as well as allowing the cheesecake to fully bake without burning the surface.

Cheesecake bars will not require this level of care which is one reason we love them so much. They are thinner so the heat distribution will be dispersed more evenly throughout the pan, and a water bath will not be necessary because cracking is not a problem in cheesecake bars.

Looking for more Cheesecake Desserts? Check out our entire Cheesecake Recipe List.

What can you top cheesecake with?

Cheesecake is one of the most decadent and well loved desserts you can find and there are endless possibilities for topping ideas. The most popular cheesecake toppings are fruit sauces such as raspberry, strawberry, lemon and blueberry. But we have a handful of other ideas for you to try if you want to change it up.

• A silky salted caramel topping
• A cookies and cream topping
• A cinnamon apple crisp topping
• Rich pecan praline 
• Shredded coconut cream topping
• Exquisite chocolate ganache 
• A toasted marshmallow s’mores topping
• Banana cream
• Cinnamon roll  topping
• Chocolate peanut butter fluff topping

 

Raspberry Cheesecake Squares Recipe Notes:

 

 

Gluten free crust option:

This cheesecake recipe has a gluten free cheesecake batter and topping.

To make this recipe gluten free Replace the graham cracker crust with the gluten free almond crust we use in our Sugar Free Pumpkin Cheesecake. Then you’ll have a fully gluten free raspberry cheesecake dessert.

Healthy options for this dessert recipe:

1. You may replace the sour cream with Greek Yogurt for a leaner cheesecake.
2. You may also replace the granulated sugar with the sugar replacer of your choice. I recommend a stevia based sweetener for best flavor. I used Stevia (affiliate link in the recipe card) in our sugar free pumpkin cheesecake and everyone enjoyed that dessert.
3. Try Nectiva (affiliate link in the recipe card) for a sugar replacer in the raspberry sauce. You will need to add more cornstarch to thicken the sauce since you are increasing the liquids.

You may also enjoy our Sugar Free Blackberry Cheesecake Cups. 

Tips for baking this cheesecake bar recipe: 

1. Always set out your eggs and dairy and let them come to room temperature before making any cheesecake. The texture of the cheesecake will be much better and bake more evenly if you do this.
2. The crust is a simple press-in graham cracker crust made in your food processor. Utilizing a blender or food processor will hurry up the time spent crushing your graham crackers. You can crush the grahams in a large ziplock bag with a rolling pin if you do not have either of these kitchen tools.
3. The filling can also be made in your food processor. It’s really easy and does a good job. Just don’t over do the processing. Too much mixing the cheesecake batter will not give best baked results.
   1. A stand mixer like the KitchenAid Artisan or even a hand held electric mixer also work well for mixing this recipe. Hand mixing is not ideal as it will not result in a smooth, creamy batter.
4. This cheesecake is perfectly baked when it pulls away from the sides of the pan, is lightly golden browned and the middle is firm. There should be no jiggle in the consistency of the cheesecake bars.
5. This is an oven baked cheesecake. It can be presented and served as a sheet cake. Or once it has fully chilled, you can cut into 36 bars display on a party platter for easy serving.

   

Notes on the Raspberry Sauce Recipe:

This raspberry topping for cheesecake is an easy to make stove top recipe done in just a few minutes while the cheesecake bakes.

1. Set the finished sauce aside to cool in your fridge or countertop until needed.
2. NOTE: This sauce will thicken more as it cools and sets. So don’t go overboard with the cornstarch while cooking.
3. Always boil the sauce after adding cornstarch at least a minute or so until the sauce goes from a milky cloudy look to clear and transparent. That tells you the cornstarch is fully cooked in.
4. Let it cool to room temperature before spreading it on your cooled cheesecake.
   

   The sauce will continue to thicken and set up as it chills for several hours.

Notice the difference in the stiffness of the raspberry sauce recipe.  In the picture below you see it made stiffer.

1. This is very helpful if you are worried about a clean edge to your cheesecake squares.
2. It also keeps the sauce on the cheesecake and not on the plate.
3. The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch for 4 Tablespoons of water.
4. Depending on how much liquid your berries are producing you may need to add one more Tablespoon of cornstarch to get the stiffer set on the sauce.

Tips for FROZEN berries:

1. If you are using frozen berries you will need to add more cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Frozen berries have more liquid than fresh berries once thawed. 
2. Measure the frozen berries before thawing them for best results.

Like all cheesecake recipes this raspberry dessert needs to chill and set for several hours before serving. Up to a day ahead of serving is best to really get the flavors melded.

 

If you are making this in high heat weather. Make it in the morning when it’s hopefully cooler and let it chill all day. It will set much better and hold up wonderfully when served. Even in high heat.

Freezing this cheesecake recipe:

You may freeze the baked cheesecake and crust up to two months if you properly cover it tightly in plastic and double wrap it in foil. Be sure to only freeze the baked cheesecake without the raspberry topping. The cornstarch based raspberry sauce will not freeze well. 

Defrost: Defrost the frozen sheet cake in your fridge or counter for several hours before topping it with your raspberry sauce. Be careful not to allow it to warm all the way through. After topping, the cheesecake will need to set another couple of hours to stiffen the topping for serving.

Your Printable Recipe Card:

Source: Adapted from Pioneerwoman.com