Featured Recipe
Mint Swirl Cheesecake Bars
By Kate
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A layered cheesecake bar with a graham crust, half vanilla, half mint-tinted batter, baked gently in a water bath. Uses lime zest and yogurt instead of sour cream. Substitutes white sugar with brown sugar for deeper flavor and adds a hint of cardamom for spice. Cooling in fridge overnight recommended. Soft, creamy texture with a subtle mint aroma and vibrant green swirl. Avoid cracks by using the water bath and careful mixing. Serve chilled; heat knife before slicing to keep bars intact.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
45 min
Total:
Serves:
16 servings
desserts
cheesecake
mint
brown sugar
lime
Introduction
Half vanilla creamy, half minty green swirl. Cheesecake bars with a base that snaps but crumbles just right. Using lime zest and cardamom for a subtler complexity instead of just straight peppermint. Brown sugar adds warmth and depth to crust and batter. Don’t skip the water bath or you’ll get dryness, cracks, and ugly baked edges. Wait for the jiggle before pulling from oven. The fridge overnight does wonders for texture firming. A heat-dipped knife slices these clean as a chef’s knife through butter. No overbeaten batter, no cracks. Keeps well and gets better a day later.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Graham cracker crumbs can be swapped for digestive biscuits or vanilla wafer crumbs. Brown sugar instead of plain white ones for a richer buttery note in crust and filling. Butter must be melted but not hot or it’ll alter crust texture. Cream cheese must be room temp and soft for no lumps. Greek yogurt replaces sour cream, easier to find and gives a slight tang and firmness. Peppermint extract can be swapped for pure mint oil but less is more—too strong dries out flavor. Cardamom adds subtle warmth but omit if you prefer pure mint. Food coloring optional but creates that classic mint look. Lime zest brightens flavor without overpowering. Eggs—room temp, added slowly to keep batter tender and dense. No extra flour here: moisture balance is key.
Method
Technique Tips
Press crust evenly, no gaps. Use paddle attachment or beat slowly with hand mixer to avoid excess air bubbles that crack cheesecake. Cream cheese and sugar first until no grit and fluffy but not whipped to peaks. Add extracts and yogurt carefully to blend, avoid aeration. Eggs last, one by one, blended through but avoid foaming. Divide batter with spatula for even swirl colors. Spread layers gently, don’t mix swirling layers. Water bath mandatory—raises humidity and slows crust cooking so edges don’t dry. Look for a slight jiggle center—it firms while cooling. Shield top with foil if browned too soon. Cool fully at room temp before fridge, prevents shock and cracking. Chill overnight if possible: bars slice cleaner, flavors settle. Hot knife for slicing prevents crumbly, ragged edges. Rinse knife often for clean cuts. Refrigerate covered up to 4 days, or freeze for longer. Let thaw in fridge before slicing if frozen.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use room temp cream cheese, cubed. Helps avoid lumps—ensures smooth batter. Beat slowly, avoid too much air. Mix until creamy.
- 💡 Don’t skip the water bath. Essential for moisture, prevents cracks. 1 inch of hot water, place in roasting pan. Keeps edges tender.
- 💡 Chill bars overnight. Really firms texture. Slicing clean improves flavor too. Best served cold, let flavors meld. Let cool before refrigerating.
- 💡 When adding food coloring, just a few drops. Too much leads to dark mint that overwhelms. Aim for pale, bright green; visual appeal.
- 💡 Heat knife when slicing. Prevents crumbling. Dip in hot water, wipe clean. Cuts smooth, precision matters for presentation. Re-dip as needed.
