Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars (2024)

Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake bars are the best cheesecake bars! From the buttery shortbread crust to the creamy white chocolate cheesecake filling and swirls of sweet raspberry sauce, you’ll love these layered cheesecake bars. Recipe makes 16 bars.

These are one of my favorite homemade cheesecake recipes for any occasion. Simpler to make than a full cheesecake, these bars are the ideal treat for any cheesecake lover.

Made with fresh raspberries and white chocolate, each bite is perfectly sweet and tangy!

Cheesecake Bar Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make raspberry cheesecake bars:

• Fresh raspberries – Fresh raspberries make the best homemade raspberry sauce. You can also use frozen raspberries (do not thaw before using).
• Raspberry preserves – A spoonful of raspberry preserves thickens the raspberry sauce and intensifies the flavor.
• Shortbread cookies – Use all-butter shortbread cookies for the crust (I use and recommend Walker’s Shortbread).
• Unsalted butter – Melted butter helps bind the crust together.
• Sugar – The raspberry sauce, shortbread crust, and filling all use granulated sugar.
• Lemon zest and juice – Lemon zest flavors the raspberry sauce, and a touch of lemon juice balances the cheesecake filling.
• White chocolate – Use a 4 ounce white chocolate baking bar for the cheesecake filling (I use Ghirardelli). Do not use white chocolate chips or melting wafers – the added stabilizers prevent them from melting smoothly and incorporating into the cheesecake filling.
• Full fat cream cheese and sour cream – The blend of cream cheese and sour cream creates the perfect soft cheesecake texture.
• Arrowroot starch – A touch of starch prevents the cheesecake from cracking. You can also use cornstarch.
• Eggs – Two large eggs thicken the cheesecake filling.

How to Make Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Raspberry Sauce – Combine raspberries, sugar, raspberry preserves, lemon zest, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is reduced and coats the back of a spoon. Strain raspberry sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on seeds. Let cool to room temperature, then chill until ready to use.

Shortbread Cookie Crust – To make the crust, combine shortbread cookies, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until incorporated. Press crust firmly across bottom of prepared baking pan. Pack the crust tightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.

Par-Bake Crust – Bake crust at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes, until light golden and set. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Melt White Chocolate – Place chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Gradually melt the white chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Cheesecake Filling – Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, arrowroot starch, and salt on low speed. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each egg on low speed just until combined. Scrape down the bowl after each egg. Mix in melted white chocolate on low speed just until combined. Pour filling over the crust and smooth top with an offset spatula.

Raspberry Swirl – Dollop raspberry sauce by teaspoons over cream cheese layer and gently swirl together with a toothpick or wooden skewer.

Bake – Bake cheesecake bars at 325°F for 42 to 44 minutes, until edges are set, the center is still slightly wobbly, and the cheesecake is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour on a wire rack, then move to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours (uncovered).

Serve – Just before serving, transfer baking pan to the freezer and chill the bars for 15 minutes. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares and enjoy!

More delicious raspberry desserts:

• Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
• Classic Raspberry Pavlova
• Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake
• Raspberry Cheesecake Macarons
• Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake
• Raspberry Almond Blondies

Did you try thisRaspberry Cheesecake Bar Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!

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Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

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• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 16 bars
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake bars made with fresh raspberries and white chocolate are the best cheesecake bars! Perfectly sweet and tangy, you’ll love these layered bars with swirls of fresh raspberry sauce.Recipe makes 16 bars.

Ingredients

See Also

Old Fashioned Graham Cookie Bars - Cooking With Carlee

Raspberry Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup raspberry preserves
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• pinch of salt

Crust

• 8 oz shortbread cookies
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 4 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
• 12 oz full fat cream cheese, cubed, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp arrowroot starch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

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Instructions

1. Make raspberry sauce: Combine raspberries, sugar, raspberry preserves, lemon zest, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is reduced and coats the back of a spoon. Strain raspberry sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on seeds. Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Make crust: Combine shortbread cookies, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until completely incorporated.
4. Press the crust firmly and evenly across the bottom of prepared baking pan. Pack the crust tightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
5. Bake crust for 12 to 14 minutes, until fragrant and set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
6. Melt chocolate:Place chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Gradually melt the white chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly (8 to 10 minutes).
7. Make filling: Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, arrowroot starch, and salt on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each egg on low speed just until combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl after each egg. Mix in melted white chocolate on low speed just until combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and gently fold any remaining chocolate into the batter with a spatula. Pour filling over the crust and gently smooth top with an offset spatula.
8. Dollop raspberry sauce by teaspoons over cream cheese layer. Gently swirl together with a toothpick or wooden skewer. (You will have leftover raspberry sauce – serve alongside the cheesecake bars, or enjoy over vanilla ice cream!)
9. Bake cheesecake bars at 325°Ffor 42 to 44 minutes, until edges are set, the center is still slightly wobbly, and the cheesecake is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour on a wire rack, then move to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours (uncovered).
10. Just before cutting, chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; use a sharp knife to trim away raised edges, then cut into bars. For extra neat cheesecake bars, wipe the knife clean between each cut.
11. Cover and store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Equipment

Offset Spatula

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Square Baking Pan

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Stand Mixer

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Notes

Make ahead: Raspberry sauce can be made 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Raspberry sauce: In lieu of homemade raspberry sauce, you can also use raspberry preserves or jam. Place 6 tablespoons of raspberry preserves or jam in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds or until slightly warm. Whisk to loosen, then dollop over cream cheese layer and gently swirl together with a toothpick or wooden skewer.

Freeze cheesecake bars:Once baked, cooled and completely chilled, wrap the cheesecake bars in a layer of plastic wrap. Once wrapped in plastic, wrap again in foil, securing the edges tightly. Freeze for up to 1 month for the best texture.The day before serving,move the cheesecake bars from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, still wrapped to prevent condensation. Once thawed, slice into squares and enjoy.