Cake Batter Cheesecake Bars

** Recipe from The Teenage Taste ** 

* 1 ¾ c. vanilla cookie crumbs (i.e. Nilla wafers) 
* 6 Tbl. butter, melted 
* 16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 
* ¾ c. + 2 Tbl. granulated sugar, divided 
* ½ c. yellow cake mix 
* 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk 
* ½ c. + 2 Tbl. milk 
* 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract 
* ¼ tsp. salt 
* ¼ c. sprinkles 
* ~5 drops blue food coloring (optional) 
* ~3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9" square baking pan, then line with parchment paper; set aside.  Stir together cookie crumbs, 2 Tbl. sugar, and melted butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust is just brown around edges, 8-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium, until fluffy, about 2 min. Add remaining sugar and beat for an additional couple of min, until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, milk, vanilla, salt and beat again until completely combined and smooth. Finally, stir in cake mix and sprinkles until smooth.  Pour filling over crust. Set pan in a larger pan (a 9×13" works for this), and add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of baking pan. Bake until just set, 40-45 min. Remove baking pan from water bath, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 30 min, then refrigerate for at least 3 hrs. or overnight.  Cut into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Healthified Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

** Recipe from Better at Home **
Cheesecakes:
* 12 thin chocolate wafer cookies (from 9-oz package), crushed (2/3 c.)
* 12 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
* 2/3 c. sugar
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/4 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
* 1 whole egg
* 1 egg white
* 1 oz. bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate, melted
Topping:
* 1/3 c. fat-free hot fudge topping
* Fresh raspberries, if desired

Heat oven to 325. Place foil baking cups in a regular-size muffin tin. With back of spoon, firmly press slightly less than 1 Tbl. cookie crumbs in bottom of each foil cup. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on med. speed until creamy. Beat in sugar & vanilla until fluffy. Beat in cocoa. Beat in whole egg and egg white until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Divide cheese mixture evenly among crumb-lined foil cups. Bake 28-32 min, or until set. Cool in pan on cooling rack 15 min. Remove cheesecakes from pan; cool 15 min. longer. Refrigerate about 1 hr. or until chilled. To serve, carefully remove foil baking cups. Spread fudge topping on cheesecakes. Garnish with raspberries. Store cheesecakes covered in refrigerator.

Recipe Tips:
We recommend using 1/3-less-fat cream cheese. When testing the recipe with fat-free cream cheese, we found the cheesecakes to have poor texture and a bland flavor. If you choose to try fat-free cream cheese, we suggest using 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese and 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese.

If fudge topping is too thick to spread, place in small microwavable bowl and microwave on High for 15 to 30 seconds or until spreadable. Stir before spreading.



Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 200(Calories from Fat 80);Total Fat 9g(Saturated Fat 5g,Trans Fat 0g);Cholesterol 40mg;Sodium 180mg;Total Carbohydrate 25g(Dietary Fiber 1g,Sugars 18g);Protein 4g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 6%;Vitamin C 0%;Calcium 4%;Iron 4%;Exchanges:1 Starch;0 Fruit;1/2 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;0 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat;2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:1 1/2;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Layered Pumpkin Pie Toffee Cheesecake

** Recipe from Our Best Bites **

* 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (just short of 2 sleeves)
* 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
* 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 c. sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 5 eggs, at room temperature
* 1 bag toffee bits
* 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin (or use homemade, it’s 1 3/4 c.)
* 3/4 c. whipping cream
* 2/3 c. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream

Heat oven to 300.  Spray a 9 or 10″ springform pan with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix crumbs and butter.  Press in bottom of pan.  Bake 15 min.  Remove from oven & set aside.  In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in 2 eggs.  Stir in 1 c. toffee bits. Spread over crust. In another bowl, mix pumpkin, whipping cream, 2/3 c. sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie seasoning, salt & remaining 3 eggs just until blended.   Slowly and carefully spoon over cheesecake layer.  Bake for 2 hrs. or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2" from edge of pan but center still jiggles slightly when moved.  Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4".  Leave cheesecake in oven 30 min.  Run spatula around edge of pan.  Cool 30 min.  Refrigerate 6 hrs. or overnight.  Run spatula around edge of pan; remove side of pan.  Pipe whipped topping or whipped cream around edges of cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

** Recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen **

* 1/2 c. butter
* 2 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 1 c. sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 tsp. red food coloring
* 2/3 c. all purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/3 c. sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


Heat oven to 350. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8" metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.  In a small, heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir until combined and very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.  In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. Add chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Add flour and salt and stir until just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.  Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.  To prepare cheesecake mixture, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Distribute the cheesecake mixture in 8 dollops over batter in the pan. Swirl in with a knife or spatula.  Bake for 35-40 min, until brownies and cheesecake are set. A knife inserted into the cheesecake mixture should come out clean and the edges will be lightly browned.  Let cool completely in pan on a cooling rack before lifting out the parchment paper to remove the brownies.

Mini Snickers Caramel Cheesecakes

** Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff **

* 2 c. chopped Snickers Bars
* 2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
* 2 Tbl. granulated sugar
* 5 Tbl. melted butter
* 2 - 8oz. packages softened cream cheese
* 1 c. granulated sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbl. pure vanilla
* 3 Tbl. caramel sauce

**The original recipe suggests making these in a  muffin top pan, but I used a regular muffin tin pan and they worked fine!  If you are using a regular muffin tin, use a little bit less than 1/4 c. when you are pouring the filling into each tin so they don't overflow.**

Preheat oven to 350.  Place chopped Snickers into a bowl, set aside. Place graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter into a mixing bowl to combine. Spoon a couple spoonfuls of crumbs into each section of the muffin pan & press down and up the sides. Bake for 5-6 min, or just until browned. Remove from oven.  In a stand or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese & sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs & vanilla until well combined, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in caramel sauce until well combined. Pour about 1/4 c. of cheesecake mixture over each baked crust then top evenly with chopped Snickers. Bake for 23-26 min, or until cheesecake edges are just starting to brown and centers are nearly set. Remove and let cool completely. While still warm, loosen all edges with a plastic knife to make for easier removal from pan. Refrigerate once cooled then top with caramel sauce and whipped cream to serve!

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 1 round prepared sponge cake (6 oz.), 12 inch

* 2 Tbsp.  strawberry jam, melted

* 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

* 1/2 cup  sugar

* 1 Tbsp. vanilla

* 2   eggs

* 1-1/2 cups thawed whipped topping

* 1-1/2 cups  fresh strawberries, sliced

Heat oven to 350.  REMOVE rim from 9" springform pan; set aside. Place bottom of pan on sponge cake; use as pattern to trim sponge cake to fit inside springform pan. Reserve cake trimmings for snacking or another use. Reassemble springform pan. Place cake in pan; brush with jam.  BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over cake.  BAKE 35-40 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Spread cheesecake with whipped topping just before serving; top with berries.

Cinnabun Cheesecake

** Recipe from The Cookin' Chemist **

For the crust:
* 1 1/2 c. cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
* 1/4 c. butter, melted
* 2 Tbl. brown sugar

Filling:
* 3 pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. whipping cream
* 4 Lg. eggs
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 c. coarsely crumbled cinnamon graham crackers
* 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 1/4 c. sugar* caramel sundae topping

Heat oven to 325. Spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray. For crust: mix the graham crumbs, butter & sugar in a bowl & press into bottom of the pan.   In the bowl of a mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 c. of sugar, & whipping cream until smooth. Stop to scrape bowl with a spatula often. Mix 3-4 min. until very smooth. Mix in eggs, flour, & vanilla and continue to beat until smooth for another 3 min.  Pour about 1/3 of filling on top of prepared crust. Layer a handful of crushed graham crackers & sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with another layer of filling & crackers. You may have to spoon the filling over the crackers & spread it carefully to cover the previous layer. Top with the last 1/3 of filling & a final topping of crackers and cinnamon-sugar.  Bake 45-55 min. or until cheesecake only jiggles slightly in the middle when shook (possibly closer to an hour - just keep checking on it and add a few minutes at a time). Do not take cheesecake out of the oven. Turn oven off & crack door slightly. Allow cake to cool in this manner for 1 hr. Remove & allow to cool further to room temp. Refrigerate for at least 6 hrs. or overnight before serving.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

* 3 Tbl. sugar

* 1/4 c. butter, melted

* 4 pkg. (8 oz. ea.) cream cheese, softened

* 1 c. sugar

* 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

* 1 c. sour cream

* 4 sq. white baking chocolate, melted

* 4 eggs

* 1 c. thawed whipped topping

* 16 mini candy canes

HEAT oven to 325. LINE 13x9" pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min. BEAT cream cheese, sugar & extract in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream and chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. BAKE 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hrs. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Top each piece with a dollop of whipped topping & a candy cane.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

** Recipe from Annie's Eats **

For the crust:
* 1½ c. graham cracker crumbs
* 3 Tbl. sugar
* ½ tsp. cinnamon
* 5 1/3 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted
* ½-¾ c. caramel
* 1 c. chopped pecans
For the apple filling:
* 5 Tbl. unsalted butter
* ½ c. light brown sugar, packed
* ¼ tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
For the cheesecake:
* 8 oz. cream cheese
* ¼ c. sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 large egg
* 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the topping:
* ¾ c. heavy cream
* 3-4 Tbl. confectioners’ sugar
* ¼-½ c. caramel
* chopped pecans
For crust: preheat the oven to 375. Line the bottom of a 9" rd. springform pan with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham crumbs, sugar, cinnamon & melted butter. Toss with a fork until all crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press the crumbs in an even layer over the pan bottom and about half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 6-8 min, until golden in color. Let cool for about 10 min. Pour a layer of caramel into the bottom of the crust & sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.
For apple filling: melt the butter in a large skillet over med heat. Mix in the brown sugar, salt & cinnamon and cook for 1 min, until bubbling. Mix in apple slices & toss well to coat. Cook over med to medium-high heat until tender and most of the liquid has been reduced, about 15-20 min. Let cool for a few min and pour into the prepared pie shell. Set aside.
For cheesecake layer: Reduce oven to 350. Combine cream cheese & sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on med speed until smooth, about 1 min. Mix in the vanilla, egg and lemon juice until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 min. Spread the cheesecake filling into an even layer over the top of the cooked apples in the crust. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 min. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.
To serve, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (being careful not to over-beat.) Spread gently over the top of the chilled cheesecake layer. Top with dollops of caramel sauce and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with a handful of chopped pecans if desired. Slice with a long, thin knife to serve.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 38 ginger snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

* 1/4 c. finely chopped pecans

* 1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

* 4 pkg. (8 oz. ea.) cream cheese, softened

* 1 c. sugar

* 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

* 1 Tbl. pumpkin pie spice

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 4 eggs

HEAT oven to 325. MIX crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1" up side of 9" springform pan. BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour into crust.

BAKE 1 hour 20 min. to 1 hour 30 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.