Calling all cheesecake lovers… and Nutella lovers. This sinful recipe was made with YOU in mind. And umm… me too. I had a serious craving for Nutella last week and rather than smearing some on a banana, I swirled it into some cheesecake. I don’t know if I should apologize in advance or not. You’re absolutely going to fall in love with these and your pants are not going to get any looser. Umm, so worth it. Tis the season. These Nutella cheesecake bars are sinful. So good that they should come with a warning label. They’re creamy, thick, cheesecakey, chocolate-y, and smooth. A perfect ending to a holiday meal. The ideal home-baked gift for all cheesecake lovers. Heck, they’re perfect for ANY dessert lover. And the best part? They’re so simple! Much, much easier than making an entire cheesecake from scratch. All the work is done in the oven as the bars bake and then in the refrigerator as the bars chill. Super simple, just like peanut butter pretzel cheesecake bars. We all have enough going on this time of year (and well, any time of year) that a simple hassle-free dessert is always welcome!
You Need Only 8 Ingredients
You’re only going to need a few easy ingredients: graham crackers, butter, cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, nutella. Yeah, that’s it. 8 ingredients total! The base of these creamy cheesecake bars is the same graham cracker crust used in my s’mores brownie pie and strawberry cheesecake bars. Grind up some graham crackers, mix them with melted butter and sugar. Press this mixture tightly into a pan and then top with the cheesecake batter.
Swirling Nutella Is Easier Than You Think
The hardest part about today’s recipe is swirling the Nutella. Which is, in fact, quite effortless. If you’ve ever eaten Nutella, you know that it is quite hard to work with. So sticky! So thick! And gooey! Those are all positive things, people. To make the Nutella easy to swirl, you may do one of two things. (1) Simply measure 1/3 cup of it into a small bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds. (2) Alternatively, you can sit the entire jar of Nutella in a large bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes. The Nutella will be much thinner and easier to swirl using either option. Use a knife to drag it through the batter, just like we do when making these raspberry cheesecake brownies. The cheesecake bars take about 30–35 minutes to bake. Be sure not to over-bake them. The bars will be very puffy and the edges will be brown. Let the bars cool at room temperature on a wire rack; the bars will sink back down as they cool. Putting the bars onto a wire rack will allow air to circulate to the bottom of the pan. Once slightly cooled (about 30 minutes) transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, for at least 3–4 hours (or overnight).
A Great Make-Ahead Recipe
Make these Nutella swirl cheesecake bars ahead of time because they need to chill for at least 3 hours. You need them to be sufficiently chilled all the way through the center in order for the bars to cut neatly. As well as taste the best! It is an enormous test of your self control to leave the Nutella cheesecake bars alone in the refrigerator as they chill. But trust me, the end result is sooo worth it. And while you’re waiting, you can make a batch of shortbread cookies. They don’t require any chilling and are ready in just under an hour! When the mood strikes you for a creamy, cheesecake-y, Nutella treat—because let’s face it, that’s often—these cheesecake bars are your answer. I have a feeling this simple, 8-ingredient recipe will be in heavy rotation for the next couple of weeks. I have about 100 occasions to bake for, and I know Nutella will always be a crowd pleaser. Plus, look how pretty they are! ♥ Cheesecake may just be my new favorite way to eat Nutella.
Use Leftover Nutella For:
Nutella Brownies Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Truffles Nutella Babka Lace Cookies Nutella Tart Nutella Crinkle Cookies
