These delicious Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars are topped with a layer of gooey caramel, a drizzle of melted chocolate and chopped pecans. They’re the best recipe for sweet-treat cheesecake bites.
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars
Cheesecake bars are a delicious dessert. They’re perfect because you can cut them into bars and dish them out as easy individual servings. This maybe helps you from eating too much. Maybe not! One bar is plenty to satisfy your craving for sweets. And since the recipe makes 24 bars, there are plenty to share with everyone around you!
🛒Ingredients Needed:
- vanilla wafers
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- granulated white sugar
- sour cream
- all purpose flour
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- caramels
- semi-sweet baking chocolate
- pecans
If you’re a cheesecake lover (then you’re also my best friend), these bars are especially for you. There is a thin vanilla wafer crust and a thick cheesecake layer. The bars have a fabulous chocolate and caramel topping with a sprinkle of pecans included too. After a nice chill in the refrigerator, they cut cleanly into bars and are perfect for a dessert treat.
Recipe Tip
The longer you leave the bars in the refrigerator, the more the caramel will tend to liquify and drizzle off of the bars. If this happens to yours, just microwave a little bit more caramel and drizzle it onto the bars before serving.
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:
- There are all kinds of delicious flavors going on at once. Yum!
- I’m crazy about cheesecake of all kinds. And this one is one of the best.
- They are pretty bars to display at a party!
Since I’m an extremely avid cheesecake and caramel lover, I’ll include full disclosure here. I added more caramel to the bars when it came time to serve individual pieces. They’re especially good with more caramel oozing over the top and down the sides.
This is the perfect baking project for a lazy weekend. I suggest you bake them for a party and watch your guests fall in love. They always get rave reviews. Enjoy!
Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1½ cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 50 wafers)
- ¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, melted
FILLING:
- Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
TOPPINGS:
- 24 soft caramels, unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon water
- Three 1-ounce squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Spray the foil and the sides of the pan with nonstick spray.
MAKE THE CRUST:
- Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press firmly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pan with the pressed crust into the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the filling.
MAKE THE FILLING:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until well-blended. Add the sour cream, flour and vanilla; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour the filling over the crust and spread to make an even layer. Bake 40 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool completely.
ADD THE TOPPINGS:
- Place the caramels and water in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until caramels are completely melted when stirred. Pour the warm caramel over the cheesecake; top with the chopped pecans. Melt the chocolate as directed on package (I just put mine in a glass bowl in the microwave for a couple of minutes); drizzle over the cheesecake.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Use a knife to loosen the sides of the cheesecake, then use the foil to gently remove the cheesecake from pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into pieces to serve. Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- *The longer you leave the bars in the refrigerator, the more the caramel will tend to liquify and drizzle off of the bars. If this happens to yours, just microwave a little bit more caramel and drizzle it onto the bars before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lori, these are absolutely amazing! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than this, with all of my favorite flavors combined in one delicious dessert.
I was wondering if you can chill the cheesecake portion, and then apply the toppings when you are ready to serve?
I think so!
I’m so glad I’m in a house full of girls (and my husband), because I can’t stand football… but I’m sure, if I was in a house of football lovin’ boys, I’d eventually grow to love it. Now the bars, HOLY COW, I am with ya, I lOVE cheesecake and caramel!
Look at these ooey gooey bars of deliciousness! Need 🙂
Obsessed… Look at that filling!
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I would have no self control around your cheesecake bars! they look to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha! I know what you mean, I live in a house full of boys. It is snowboard, football, golf, more football and more a lot more snowboard talk all the time. I try and just do the cooking, but I have to say that I have come to like football. It just feels fun and cozy!!
These bars are picture perfect. I love the crust, the topping and that thick cheese cake layer!
Wow, wow, wow! What’s not to love about all of this deliciousness in one single dessert?! Can’t wait to try these, Lori!
Lori, your bars look divine! I just adore caramel and pecans together…especially with cheesecake!
Sweet goodness, these look heavenly!!
They look great. The thin vanilla wafer crust sounds sooo good! And the topping is like a Turtle candy, deconstructed. Love it!