Description
These Caramel Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy, luscious caramel-infused cheesecake filling. Topped with cool whip and a smooth vanilla pudding caramel layer, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Perfect for a make-ahead dessert that can be chilled and sliced to serve at any occasion.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup crushed graham crackers
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 8-ounce brick cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cool whip, thawed (half used here)
Pudding Layer
- 1 5-ounce box vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup caramel sauce (plus extra for topping, optional)
- Remaining 8 oz cool whip for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the crust.
- Make Crust: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, crushed graham crackers, and melted salted butter until combined. Press this mixture firmly into a greased 9×13 inch baking pan ensuring an even layer for the crust.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden and set. Remove from oven and allow it to cool slightly.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: While the crust bakes, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and half (8 oz) of the thawed cool whip until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Cheesecake Layer: Pour the creamy cheesecake mixture evenly over the baked crust and spread gently to cover the surface.
- Prepare Pudding Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vanilla pudding mix, heavy cream, and ½ cup caramel sauce until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Top Bars: Pour the pudding and caramel mixture over the cheesecake layer in the pan. Then spread the remaining cool whip (8 oz) evenly on top to finish the bars. Optionally, drizzle extra caramel sauce over the top for added flavor and decoration.
- Chill Bars: Place the assembled cheesecake bars in the freezer and chill for 4 hours until set and firm.
- Serve: Once chilled, remove from freezer, slice into 12 bars, and enjoy your delicious caramel cheesecake bars!
Notes
- Chilling the bars in the freezer ensures clean slices and a firmer texture, but you can also chill them in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight if preferred.
- Use high-quality caramel sauce for the best flavor, or make your own homemade caramel if desired.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to avoid lumps in the cheesecake mixture.
- These bars can be stored in the refrigerator covered tightly for up to 3 days after removing from the freezer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
