Margarita Cheesecake Bars
Featuring a hint of tequila + lime flavor in a creamy cheesecake filling, these Margarita Cheesecake Bars are a fun and tasty summer dessert recipe!
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If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then these cheesecake bars will look familiar. Back in the early years of the blog, I posted a family-favorite recipe for margarita cheesecake. The cheesecake is delicious – the photos? Not so much.
I updated those photos when I shared these Mini Margarita Cheesecakes a couple of years ago. I was craving that cheesecake recently, and I decided to put a slight spin on it. Instead of baking them as individual cheesecakes in a muffin tin, I went with these Margarita Cheesecake Bars. The recipe is the same. The only difference is the cooking time and serving style.
Margarita Cheesecake Bars
One bite and you’ll be hooked – I promise! If you like a good creamy cheesecake, then this dessert deserves a spot on your baking list. These bars feature a slight hint of tequila lime flavor. It’s not an over-the-top, smack-you-in-the-face tequila lime flavor, but it’s noticeable. And it’s delicious!
These cheesecake bars are sweet, tangy and perfect for a warm evening on the back porch! Of course, feel free to serve these up with an actual margarita, too. Speaking of margaritas, this jalapeno margarita is amazing if you like spicy flavors! I’m thinking a jalapeno margarita followed by one of these cheesecake bars would be a great combo.
One note about the dollop of whipped cream on top of these cheesecake bars – don’t skip it! Seriously. The vanilla bean flavor partners well with the cheesecake, and the lighter texture of the whipped cream really elevates these cheesecake bars to the next level. You won’t have to worry about leftovers when you bake a batch of these bars!
With the promise of summer on the horizon, these Margarita Cheesecake Bars are a great sweet treat following dinner on the grill. I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as we do here in our house! Happy baking!
Did you make a batch of these Margarita Cheesecake Bars at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Margarita Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs ~7 full-sized crackers
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake
- 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 additional large egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp tequila
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp lime zest
- {for garnish} freshly prepared whipped cream
- {for garnish} lime slices
For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- {for garnish} lime slices
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a food processor or mini-chopper, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground.
- Using a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter; stir until well combined.
- Line an 8”x8” baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving enough to overhang on the edges. (Note: This will help remove the cheesecake later.)
- Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. (Tip: A flat-bottomed glass helps pack the crust mixture down evenly.)
- Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
For the Cheesecake
- Using a countertop mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until completely smooth (about 3 minutes).
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolk together and add to the bowl; mix until well combined.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, tequila, lime juice and lime zest; mix until well combined. (Tip: Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the filling is fully mixed.)
- Pour batter into pan (on top of graham cracker crust).
- Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is just barely set.
- Refrigerate until cold before slicing.
For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until stiff peaks form.
- Before serving, garnish tops of cheesecake bars with whipped cream and lime slices.
Looking for more margarita recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me for the crust can i use vegan butter / cheesecake can i use vegan cream cheese and coconut cream and whipped cream can i use coconut cream i never had margarita cheesecake bars before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Hey Ramya! I haven’t used vegan substitutions for these cheesecake bars, but I imagine they would work well. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!
I don’t bake, but I do love a good margarita. I’m definitely saving this recipe for a special dinner!
These cheesecake bars are fun indeed, Mimi! They’re perfect for a summer dinner on the back porch! 🙂
Such a fun recipe, David! It’s like a cocktail and dessert all in one! It’s been such a long time since I’ve made (or eaten) cheesecake, so these cheesecake bars are just the thing I need to make asap. Looks so creamy and such a decadent treat. YUM!!
Oh you should totally make a cheesecake soon, Dawn! These are a great choice as the weather begins to warm up!
I really love citrus flavours in food so this sounds great David. Lime is a marvellous thing:) I always get a bit confused when American foodies talk about ‘whipped cream’, as it literally means just that – cream you’ve whipped – to us Aussies, but it looks like it means what we call Chantilly cream which is cream whipped with vanilla and icing sugar. So many weird and wondrous differences in language!
Lime truly is a marvelous ingredient, Sherry! We often add a bit of lemon or lime juice for brightness when a recipe or dish just falls a little flat. It works wonders! And, yes, it does sound like whipped cream and Chantilly cream are the same thing. Chantilly cream sounds fancier though! 🙂
Another genius cheesecake! I love having squares like this. In fact, I’ve taken to making pumpkin pie in squares. But I’d much rather have cheesecake!
I’m with ya on the pumpkin pie, too, Jeff. I’ve switched over to squares there. For cheesecake, I’ll take it however I can get it! Haha.
Me too! But the squares – something seems especially cravable about that.
As you probably remember, I love boozy desserts 🙂 But I don’t recall using tequila for any of my recipes, that’s why these bars sound so intriguing. Needless to say, they look elegant (I love mini or individual servings because they always look neat) and so tasty; I am especially excited about the fresh summery flavour!
Haha – yes, I am well aware of your affinity for boozy desserts, Ben! 🙂 We don’t drink a lot of tequila around here. (Bourbon? Well, that’s another story!) But I do enjoy a margarita every now and then. And these margarita cheesecake bars? They’re quite tasty!
Oooh, what a fun spin on cheesecake bars with margarita flavors! Love that they’re individual squares, and that vanilla bean whipped cream is a must!
These cheesecake squares turned out so well – they just scream summer dessert! Thanks, Michelle!
I love the idea of incorporating a hint of tequila and lime into a classic cheesecake. The dollop of whipped cream on top also looks like the perfect finishing touch. Thanks for sharing this fun and tasty summer dessert recipe!
This dessert really is perfect for warm summer evenings! Thanks, Raymund!
I liked these cheesecake bars the first time around—who wouldn’t?—but now the photos really make them shine!
Funny thing about food blogging, it’s such a visual medium for an experience that’s mostly about taste. But taste is a sensation that can’t really be properly conveyed by words alone. That was one of the things I only figured out after years of blogging—and lots of practice. Whenever I want to cringe, I revisit the pics in my early posts…
Looks like you’ve really mastered it food photography. Hats off to you as it’s one of the most challenging types of photography.
You nailed it, Frank. Food blogging really is a difficult path between describing the recipe (how many different ways can you say something is tasty!?) and photographing it. Some of my all-time favorite recipes on the blog are ones that don’t get much attention simply because the photos don’t do the recipe justice. (And some foods are just downright impossible to make look good!) Thank you so much for the kind words, my friend. I do believe you’ve earned an extra cheesecake bar this weekend. 🙂