Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars
As promised, I’m back with another #Cookoutweek contribution! I wanted to go in order and feature the Peach Salsa Chicken next, because it’s the natural progression after your Watermelon Mojito Salad appetizer but it’s been raining cats and dogs around these parts. Ever since we returned from our trip to California….rain, rain, rain. The thought of “cooking out” has been a bit impossible. Sunny skies predicted tomorrow though and I hope to have the chicken up for you on Friday!
But for today, I’ve got these Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars that are a super fun and super easy recipe that came about when the lovely folks at The French Farm sent me a jar of Salted Butter Caramel Spread. Yes, that’s right. Salted. Butter. Caramel. Spread.
My head began spinning with possibilities for this gourmet treat. Put it on ice cream. Slather it on toast. Bathe in it….
Just joking.
Sort of.
In honor of being honest with you, I’m going to contradict myself a bit. Yes, you want these cheesecake bars for your next cookout buuuuuuuuuut…..the caramel didn’t set the way I hoped it would and it’s probably not ideal for your next cookout. I think it’s the intense humidity here because initially, when coming out of the fridge, the caramel was nice and firm.
But before I could get them photographed, the caramel spread was sliding right off. If you’re entertaining at home and can quickly go from fridge to table, then by all means serve these bad boys!
If you are heading to someone else’s home for a cookout celebration, I’d consider preparing them in mason jars just as you would these Mason Jar Blueberry Cheesecakes– in fact, you’ll be using the same cheesecake recipe.
The L’epicurien Salted Butter Caramel Spread is rich and indulgent and unlike any caramel sauce I’ve ever had. It’s a tad pricier ($11.80 a jar) than what you’ll find in the grocery stores, but I’m telling you friends, it is worth every single solitary penny.
- For the bars:
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- salted caramel spread of choice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, optional
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×9 square pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Stir the butter, graham crackers, flour, and 2 tablespoons of sugar together with a fork. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, lime juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time until yellow disappears. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until the center begins to set and is no longer wiggly. Cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Pour the salted caramel sauce over the top of the set cheesecake. Sprinkle with additional sea salt (if desired). Put back into the refrigerator for at least an hour, and allow to remain there until ready to serve. Serve immediately.
I loved it so much I intentionally only used 75% of the jar for the cheesecake bars, just so I could hoard some for later.
It’s that good.
The homemade whipped cream and sprig of mint give it just the amount of sophistication it needs when indulging in a French manufactured caramel spread.
Oui, oui c’est très bon!
(Yes, yes it is very good!)
Do you know that I took two years of French in college and I just had to use the translator to help me put together my sentence. Sigh.
Here’s your #cookoutweek giveaway friendly reminder:
And here’s what everyone else is cooking lately:
Had you not told me the caramel slid off I would have thought it was intentional. Beautiful dessert!!!
You are not alone. The humidity liquefies the sugar in many dessert recipes. I made my Blueberry Grapefruit bars for a memorial last week and they were melting before we even got into the car. Lesson learned!
These bars look gorgeous though, Pinned them for later. Thanks!
Salted caramel is always a winner