Layered with shortbread, cheesecake and glaze these Almond Cheesecake Bars are easy, addicting and the perfect dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Let’s admit it, we all have a favorite bakery, amiright? We have one that is about an hour from us and they serve these Almond Cheesecake Bars that I became quickly addicted to over the years and a few years ago I tried my hand at recreating them, and I’m so happy that I did.
We love cheesecake bars around here you can check out my Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars, Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars and my Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars to really see how deep this addiction runs.
But almond has always been one of my favorite flavors and with layers of short bread, almond cheesecake and an almond glaze these Almond Cheesecake Bars are one of my absolute favorite desserts of all time.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
- Butter
- Flour
- Powdered sugar
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Almond extract
- Milk
- Sliced almonds
I’m not sure if you are like me and have that one favorite flavor of something, but mine has always been and always will be almond. Doesn’t matter in what form, cake, bars, etc.
So when I say that this recipe is super simple, it really is. I love simple desserts because that means that I can get them in my mouth faster than not. But I mean, who wouldn’t want that right?
This recipe can easily be doubled for a larger crowd, which I would highly recommend, because these are so good. We finally got to updating this old post and brought these to Easter because I know how much my mom absolutely adores these cheesecake bars,
HOW TO MAKE ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In bowl mix together your shortbread layer ingredients with a pastry blender, fork or hands until combined,
- Press into a 9″x13″ un-greased bar or cake pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile in bowl make your cheesecake layer by beating your cream cheese until smooth, add in your eggs, sugar and almond extract until smooth and combined.
- Remove your shortbread from oven and immediately pour and spread your cheesecake over the top and place back in oven to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until set.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- When cool in bowl whisk together your glaze ingredients until combined adding more powdered sugar or milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spread over cooled cheesecake and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
We have made these cheesecake bars over the years for so many different occasions and they seem to always be the first things to go. I think there are a lot of people out there who are just like me and love almond.
We do a lot of different functions where we have to provide bars such as church events, sporting events, etc and we’ve been requested to bring these bars in the past, people always think that bars like these are really complicated to make when in reality they really aren’t.
I know that there are some people who absolutely are scared off in baking, one of my best friends is absolutely afraid of it and feels like she cannot do it, but friends I reassure you, although they say cooking is an art and baking is a science, which is true, baking is really easy.
If you follow the directions, you’re most likely able to have favorable outcome…most of the time. But with these Almond Cheesecake Bars, every time you will have a delicious and amazing outcome, they are just that simple.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- We like to use a bar pan (aka 1/4 sheet pan), the sides are a lot shorter than a your typical cake pan, so it makes getting the bars out so much easier.
- Always beat your cream cheese first when making cheesecake. It really helps reduce the chances of lumps of cream cheese throughout your cheesecake, especially in this thin layer.
- You can use heavy cream or milk in your glaze recipe, we usually use milk, but the cream would give the glaze a richer flavor.
- You could also use slivered almonds on the top of this as well, we like sliced but have used slivered in the past.
If you are looking for the perfect bar recipe to just have at home, bring to a get together or to give away (but why would you want to) then these Almond Cheesecake Bars are the answer to all of those things!
Almond Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread layer:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Cheesecake layer:
- 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, very soft
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
Almond glaze:
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 1/2 Tbs milk or cream
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In bowl mix together your shortbread layer ingredients with a pastry blender, fork or hands until combined, press into a 9"x13" un-greased bar or cake pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile in bowl make your cheesecake layer by beating your cream cheese until smooth, add in your eggs, sugar and almond extract until smooth and combined.
- Remove your shortbread from oven and immediately pour and spread your cheesecake over the top and place back in oven to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until set.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- When cool in bowl whisk together your glaze ingredients until combined adding more powdered sugar or milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spread over cooled cheesecake and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
CeinKS
These bars are truly delicious!! I made them for a work party and decided they are good enough to make our family Thanksgiving celebration. Although I love, love, LOVE the almond flavor, I may tone it down a little bit for the kids in attendance. But, will go back to the original recipe after that!! 5 Stars for sure!! *****
Tornadough Alli
Yay, so happy you all liked them. I adore almond flavor but you’re right for kids, toning it done would probably be best! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on here, it really makes me happy!
Tracee Lindquist
I made these for a ladies event at my church and I got many compliments! They are sooooo good. Thank you for the recipe.
Tornadough Alli
I’m so happy everyone liked them! It is such an under rated recipe on my site that really needs to be made! We adore these bars. Thank you for taking the time to comment, it’s very much appreciated.
Tanya Schroeder
These cheesecake bars are amazing! That almond flavor is perfect!
Deborah
I just made these and am worried I might not be able to share them😁💙. So good!!!!! Thankyou
Tornadough Alli
They really are an under rated recipe on my site! They are super addicting for sure!
Toni
These were so good! A new favorite dessert in our house!
Trang
These bars are definitely more party friendly and easier to serve than cake! I gotta agree with anyone that I love anything with almond extract!
Rachael Yerkes
This cheesecake is perfection!
Sommer
My go-to dessert this time of year!
Charlotte Moore
The dessert in the picture looks very thick. However, it doesn’t seem to be enough ingredients to make a desert this thick. It looks delicious. Does it rise this much? Every time I make cheesecake cake it puffs up high but deflats. (-:
Tornadough Alli
This is made in a bar pan and not a normal 9x13x2 inch one so these bars are 1″ or less thick. It also has three layers, shortbread, cheesecake and icing layers. So nope not a real thick bar at all! Hope this helps 🙂
Beth
I don’t understand your response. Do you serve it stacked like the picture? I couldn’t see how you could cook it that way.
The Mad Mommy
This sounds like a delicious dessert! Thank you for sharing it at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
d
This looks great! Pinned and sharing!
Tornadough Alli
Thanks for stopping by!
60-TheNew40.com (@CoolTweed)
Congratulations Alli, this post was in the TOP SIX most clicked on Fridays Blog Booster Party #14 It will be given special mention on Friday. Well done.
Kathleen
Tornadough Alli
Yay how awesome! Thanks for stopping by to let me know 🙂
Katherines Corner
this looks so good! Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. xo
60-TheNew40.com (@CoolTweed)
Your right is sounds wonderful . . . Thanks for bringing such a delicious recipe to Fridays Blog Booster Party. Looking forward to more . . .
Kathleen, I should try this recipe.
Tornadough Alli
Thank you for stopping by!
Miz Helen
Your Almond Cheesecake Bars look fantastic, we would love them. Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
embracethespectrum
This just looks WAY too good. I think I’ll have to save this for a cheat day. #BlogBoosterParty
Tornadough Alli
Thanks dear! Definitely worth a cheat day!
Debbie Rodrigues
These look delicious. I love anything almond. Thanks for sharing it.
#FridayBlogBooster
Tornadough Alli
Thanks for visiting, almond flavor is one of those hidden gems 🙂
shandryss
I love almond extract! This cake sound so great! Visiting from Friday Blog Booster Party!
Tornadough Alli
Thanks for stopping by! Happy to see others enjoy my love for almond extract!
shandryss
Yup! Is Delicious!
Debbie Caraballo
I adore anything with almond extract! Pinned and can’t wait to make this!
Tornadough Alli
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Quinn Caudill
We have a bakery like that here in Cincinnati. It just so happens we took the girls there yesterday. They make the best Opera Creme Cakes in the world. Your Almond Cheesecake Bars sound incredible. Too bad I am still on a sugar high from yesterday. Have a great week. :))
Tornadough Alli
Thanks. I love those small town bakeries. Plus they are seriously a bang for your buck! Hope your kids enjoyed awesomeness!
the Painted Apron
this sounds like heaven! I love anything with almond extract!
Jenna
Tornadough Alli
Almond extract will always have my heart!