Eggnog Cheesecake Bars | Graham Cracker Crust

Creamy Eggnog Cheesecake Bars are a great addition to your holiday baking. Made with a graham cracker crust and a delicious eggnog cheesecake filling, these simple bars are sure to be your new favorite way to serve cheesecake!

These smooth and creamy bars are easy to make and full of that delicious eggnog flavor you love. This simple recipe comes together fast and is perfect to make ahead.

If you love eggnog, these eggnog cheesecake bars give you that flavor without being overpowering. Both adults and kids are going to love the sweet smooth taste of this cheesecake bar.

While traditional cheesecake can be a labor of love, these bars have all of the cheesecake flavor you love, with a lot less work and fuss. Moreover, they are easy to make and fool-proof.

So give these bars a try! Follow along below for complete instructions and suggestions on how to make the most delicious eggnog cheesecake bars.

You can also use eggnog to make a tasty overnight Baked Eggnog French Toast Casserole. Also, if you are looking for a truly special cheesecake recipe, be sure to try my Amaretto Mascarpone Cheesecake. And if you want a no-bake treat, try my no-bake Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars Recipe

You can make these bars a standard 9 x 9 inch baking pan. To make serving simple, I suggest lining the pan with foil (leaving an overhang) so you can easily remove the bars from the pan when they are set. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray to ensure that the bars don’t stick.

To make the crumb bottom, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. If you are using graham cracker sheets to make the crumbs, simply place 12 graham cracker sheets in the food processor and pulse until a fine crumb forms.

Next, add in the melted butter and mix until combined. The mixture will resemble coarse wet sand. Press into the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. While the crust bakes, prepare the eggnog cream cheese filling.

To start, use a handheld mixer to cream together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Mix for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add in the eggnog and nutmeg. For the eggnog, I recommend using the full fat version of eggnog you can find at the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Also, note that my cheesecake is the non-alcoholic version of the drink.

Use the handheld mixer to fully incorporate the eggnog into the cream cheese mixture. Be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix.

Lastly, add in the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and smooth with a spatula.

Is a water bath necessary?

Yes and no. The question being whether it is necessary to bake cheesecake bars in a larger pan (bath) filled with water. You may have seen this done with traditional cheesecakes before. Essentially you place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and then fill the pan up with about an inch of warm water. (Be sure to be careful not get to any water into the cheesecake.)

What is the point of a water bath for cheesecake? Well, it helps to cook the cheesecake more evenly and at a slightly lower temperature. Additionally, the steam generated by the water helps the keep the cheesecake moist and prevents cracking.

All that being said, you can absolutely omit the water bath in this recipe if you want. Because the bars are thinner than a normal cheesecake, they cook more evenly. You may have slight cracking on the top of the bars, but it won’t be too visible once the bars are cut and topped with whipped cream.

Baking Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

If you are using a water bath, you will need to bake the bars slightly longer. The total bake time will run about 40-50 minutes, or until the center of the bars look set. Be sure to be extra careful removing the pan from the oven so that you don’t splash water and burn yourself, or get water into the cheesecake.

However, without a water bath, these bars take only about 30-40 minutes to bake. Again, you want to make sure the center of the bars look set. You can check for doneness using a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars.

Let the bars cool on a cooling rack for a least an hour. Then transfer to the refrigerator and let cool at least 3 hours before serving. You can make this up to three days in advance and just leave covered in the refrigerator until ready to slice.

Serving Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

The beauty of lining the pan with foil before baking is that it makes cutting and serving a breeze. Simply use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board.

To get clean lines, be sure to use a sharp knife and wipe it down between cutting. You can cut and place these bars on a serving tray and either serve at room temperature or leave in the fridge until ready to serve.

Lastly, serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon if desired.

More Classic Holiday Baking Recipes

If you are looking for more delicious and simple desserts to bake this holiday season, be sure to check out some of these fan favorites:

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Almond Ricotta Cake

Christmas M&M Cookies

Lemon Amaretti Cookies

Limoncello Ricotta Cookies

Cranberry Orange Spice Cake

Cannoli Cookies

I hope you love this recipe for easy Eggnog Cheesecake Bars. Be sure to comment below and let me know how you love them!