Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust

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I haven’t made cheesecake bars in over a year.

I’m so glad I remedied that with these.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

They combine so many of my favorite dessert elements in one including a buttery, brown sugar and graham cracker crust.

I adore graham cracker crusts, and it truly makes these bars.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

I used a trick for the crust that I discovered when I made The Best Lemon Bars and also used in the Peanut Butter Caramel Twix Bars, which is adding a tablespoon of cornstarch to the crust.

I think it prevents the crust from getting overly brittle or being prone to cracking or crumbling. I use cornstarch all the time in cookies because I prefer softer to snappy.

This crust is definitely crunchy, but it didn’t crumble or fall apart, which I find is often the case with graham cracker crusts.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

For the filling I got away with using light cream cheese. It’s a little counterproductive to use light cream cheese right along with a stick of butter and gobs of peanut butter, but hey, at least the recipe has been tested with light cream cheese and it works. Using light cream cheese can be a gamble, but you’re safe here.

Feel free to use full-fat if you prefer extra cardio.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

Everything is better with peanut butter swirls, from cake to brownies to cheesecake.

If you’re a cheesecake purist, you can omit the swirls, but I like the break up the visual monotony with swirls and of course, they taste so good. Or use your favorite jam or Nutella swirls.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

The beauty of these bars is that they can be made in one bowl, and there’s no need to wash it between the layers, which isn’t often the case with layered bars and there’s umpteen dirty bowls for one pan of bars.

Nor do you have to drag out a mixer, another time-saver.

Not having to mess around with making a real cheesecake, baking it in a water bath, or dealing with possible cracks, is even better. I just can’t be bothered with all that.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

The bars are fast and easy, just the way I like my desserts.

They’re also rich, decadent, and comforting. The graham cracker crust adds texture and crunch, a wonderful counterbalance to the smooth, dense, cheesecake layer.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

The cream cheese is tangy, the peanut butter is a tiny bit salty, and the crust is so buttery, with notes of caramel from the brown sugar that caramelizes while baking.

I won’t wait another year-plus before making more cheesecake bars after indulging in these.

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - The crust is the best part of these easy bars. Okay, no, the big peanut butter swirls are!

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust - Easy, One-Bowl, No-Mixer Recipe at averiecooks.com

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4.34 from 3 votes

Peanut Butter-Swirled Cheesecake Bars with Brown Sugar-Graham Cracker Crust

By Averie Sunshine
Dense, rich, and indulgent, these fast and easy bars come together in one bowl, without dragging out your mixer. They’re rich, satisfying, and full of tangy flavor from the cream cheese. The peanut butter swirls add a touch of saltiness, while the very buttery, brown sugar and graham cracker crumb crust lends texture with notes of caramel flavor. The crust is so packed with flavor and texture, and just makes the bars. All the flavor of cheesecake, with none of the fussiness or work.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients  

Crust

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • pinch salt, optional and to taste

Filling

  • 1 large egg
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature and very soft (light is okay)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • heaping 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, melted for swirling

Instructions 

  • Preheat over to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  • Add all remaining crust ingredients and mix with a fork to combine.
  • Turn loose crumbs out into prepared pan and using a spatula, pack mixture firmly into pan in an even, smooth, flat layer; set pan aside.
  • In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), combine all filling ingredients except peanut butter, and whisk until smooth and combined, or beat with an electric mixer if preferred. The softer the cream cheese is, the easier the filling comes together.
  • Pour filling over crust; set pan aside.
  • In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), melt the peanut butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  • Drizzle peanut butter over batter to create swirls. To create the marbled pattern shown, drizzle peanut butter over batter in 5 wide, evenly spaced, parallel lines, each spanning the length of the pan. Like 5 rows of long train tracks. Rotate pan 90-degrees. With a toothpick, starting at the top of the pan, “draw” 5 evenly spaced lines through the peanut butter. You’re dragging the toothpick perpendicularly through the first set of lines to create the marbling.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes, or until center is set with very little jiggle; some looseness and a very slight jiggle is okay, but there should be not sloshing in the center. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bars to cool in pan for about 1 hour before lifting out with foil overhang and slicing; however, I prefer to serve these bars chilled. Cover the pan with foil to prevent fridge smells, and refrigerate mostly cooled bars for at least 2 hours, or overnight or until bars have chilled completely, before slicing and serving.
  • Bars will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I prefer to store them in the fridge and serve them slightly chilled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 291kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 147mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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What’s your favorite cream cheese or cheesecake recipe?

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Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. The Nanaimo Bar recipe I use is the official recipe from the City of Nanaimo website. In my opinion, Nanaimo bars aren’t Nanaimo bars made any other way. Easy for me to say, I’m Canadian and have access to Bird’s Eye Custard powder and it really has to be Bird’s Eye. I once ran out and used vanilla instant pudding instead and I’ll never do that again.

  2. My friends and family, when coming over to my place, usually ask “You got any of your Nanaimo Bars in the freezer?” I’ve made your Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake bars 3 times now and it’s gone over very well. Now they still ask for Nanaimo Bars but also if I have any of the “Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thingies”. LOL I have tweaked the recipes somewhat as I found the crust way too sweet so last time I used 2/3 c brown sugar as per your suggestion. Also, the last time I made the recipe I only had Xtra Chunky Peanut Butter on hand. My eldest son said he really liked the chopped peanuts in them and asked to have them made that way next time. Thanks again for your recipe ….. it’s a keeper.

    1. Thanks for trying the “Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thingies” so many times and I’m glad it’s a bit hit with everyone! This crust is pretty darn sweet, you’re right. Glad you were able to tweak things for your liking and thanks for trying the Nanaimo Bars as well!

  3. I made these yesterday, they were sinful. The whole plate is now gone and my belly is super happy :-) Thanks for a great recipe!

  4. Yum! I made these yesterday and ate them today. So simple, but so full of peanut butter and dairy deliciousness! I also love how you use the same bowl three times and assure us that we don’t need to bother washing it. Seriously. It’s wonderful.

    Also, I used yogurt-with-its-whey-squeezed-out instead of cream cheese (because . . . I don’t usually use cream cheese so I don’t have it in my fridge), and I thought it still tasted great! It must taste even better, then, with real cream cheese. ;)

    Thank you for sharing!

    1. Wow how creative that you drained yogurt! And yes, I am sure it’s probably better with c.c. but you get major points for being creative! Glad you like the same bowl without washing trick. A nice time-saver :) Thanks for trying the recipe!

      1. Thanks! I live in a dorm and work with what I have. ;)

        You’re welcome!

        And thank you for replying to my comment. I know you get lots of comments, and it’s amazing that you’re willing to take the time to reply to all of them!