Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bars
These Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bars feature layers of creamy cheesecake and spiced sweet potato filling on a graham cracker crust, topped with cinnamon whipped cream. A show-stopping Thanksgiving dessert that's rich, elegant, and easy to serve in bar form.
Ingredients
- For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- For the Cheesecake Batter
- 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Sweet Potato Layer
- 2 cups sweet potato puree
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (optional)
- For the Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and melted butter. Stir until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Freeze for 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add cornstarch, eggs, heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the crust. Freeze the pan for 1 hour to allow this layer to firm up before adding the sweet potato layer.
- Mix the sweet potato puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice into the remaining cheesecake batter until smooth. Pour gently over the frozen layer, spreading evenly.
- Bake for 60 minutes in a water bath for best results. The center should still have a slight jiggle while the edges are set and lightly golden.
- Turn off the oven and prop the door open slightly. Cool the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely for 2 hours more.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before slicing.
- In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Pipe or spread over the chilled cheesecake bars and dust with cinnamon before serving.
Notes
Pro Tip: For the smoothest texture, make sure all your dairy ingredients — cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs — are at room temperature before mixing.