Blender Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars
I’m not here to put up an argument that cheesecake isn’t amazing, but the thing about it is that it can be kind of fussy, what with the water bath baking and all. But do you know what’s not fussy at all? These Blender Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars. They combine a creamy cheesecake filling with a plentiful cinnamon sugar swirl and — as you might have guessed — they use the magic of the blender to get there. And the oven, but there’s no springform pan or cracked tops to worry about.
One thing I love about these (there are many), is that you still get a classic crunchy graham cracker crust with these bars but you’ll be mixing brown sugar with your melted butter and graham cracker crumbs, which gives it a little bit of a richer toffee flavor than the traditional. You can use already crushed graham cracker crumbs or you can crush your own… I suppose you could use your blender there, but that’s really more for the next step.
FOR THE CRUST:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
FOR THE CINNAMON SWIRL:
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
FOR THE CRUST:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and salt and mix until combined.
- Press into a square 8-inch baking dish firmly. Bake 8 minutes.
- Set aside to cool.
FOR THE FILLING:
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- In a blender, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
- Add sour cream and blend once more. Add eggs, one at a time, blending in between until smooth.
- Set aside.
MAKE THE CINNAMON SWIRL:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until smooth.
TO ASSEMBLE:
- Pour half of the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust. Dot with cinnamon mixture, then swirl together gently with a knife.
- Add remaining filling and remaining cinnamon mixture, then swirl once more.
- Bake until center is mostly set, 35-40 minutes.
- Chill until firm, 2 hours. Slice, serve, and enjoy!