Candy Corn Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Cook Time: 70 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Yellow gel food coloring
- Orange gel food coloring
- Candy corn pieces for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This will make it much easier to lift the bars out once they are cooled and set.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until the mixture is fully combined and silky.
- Divide the cheesecake batter evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl white. In the second bowl, add a few drops of yellow gel food coloring and stir until vibrant. In the third bowl, add orange gel food coloring and stir until you reach the desired shade of candy corn orange.
- Pour the yellow batter over the cooled crust and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Carefully pour the orange batter over the yellow layer. To prevent the colors from mixing, pour the batter over the back of a spoon. Finally, carefully spread the white batter over the orange layer to complete the trio of colors.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven and crack the door open, letting the cheesecake cool inside for 30 minutes to prevent cracking. Then, move it to the counter to cool completely.
- Once the cheesecake is at room temperature, refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. When ready to serve, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Slice into bars and press a few pieces of actual candy corn into the top of each square for a finishing touch.