menu icon
subscribe
search icon
Get my Cheesecake Cookbook! →

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Tired of the same old desserts? These Lemon Cheesecake Bars will change your life. They are fresh, creamy, and have just enough sweet and tart flavor to make them perfect for any occasion!

A white plate with a lemon cheesecake bar topped with whipped cream and a raspberry on it.

Cheesecake is such a delicious dessert! But most people avoid making it because they don't have the time or patience to make a fancy dessert.

But what if I told you that you could make cheesecake in minutes? Don't believe me? Try these popular chocolate cheesecake bars and see for yourself. Don't settle for store bought dessert when you can make your own at home.

I love making cheesecake bars because they are easy to make and can be customized for any occasion.

Our easy lemon cheesecake bars have a tangy twist from fresh lemon juice and zest, plus swirls of lemon curd that is mixed into the batter. The graham cracker crust adds extra texture and flavor and makes each bite amazing.

This recipe is so simple that even beginner cooks will feel confident making it for their next dinner party or get-together.

Bonus: If you love lemon, you will love this lemon cream cheese pie, mini lemon blueberry cheesecakes, and these easy lemon bars!

Why You Will Love These Cheesecake Bars

  • Lemon is the perfect flavor for any occasion or season.
  • The crust and filling are so easy to make.
  • Each bar is loaded with lots of delicious lemon flavor.
  • Everyone who tries this dessert will be impressed with your baking skills.
  • The lemon cheesecake bars can be made beforehand, so dessert is ready when needed. 
[Read more...]

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

You are going to love this easy recipe for Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce. It comes together in minutes and is an easy way to make your dinner taste like Thanksgiving or Christmas without all the fuss.

A white bowl filled with homemade cranberry sauce topped with mint leaves.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Holiday dinners just are not the same without some type of cranberry sauce or salad. Growing up, we always had canned cranberry sauce at our Thanksgiving dinner. It was just tradition.

In fact, I never really questioned the canned stuff until years later when my mother-in-law served homemade cranberry Jello salad for dinner. I realized that it was quite easy to make cranberry sauce from whole berries.

You can have this delicious side dish ready in minutes. It can even be made ahead of time. So, when you are ready to serve dinner, simply pull it out of the fridge.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Easy to make in under 15 minutes.
  • Turns out perfect every single time.
  • Beautiful, bright color that pops on your table.
  • Delicious alternative to canned cranberry sauce.
  • Perfect side dish to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

This berry cranberry sauce is so delicious that you might never need to buy canned again!

Other great side dishes for the holiday are this Red Hot Jello or this cranberry fluff salad! For a tasty drink, try this sparkling cranberry punch.

[Read more...]

Eggnog Cheesecake Brownies

These Eggnog Brownies have layers of gooey brownies and creamy eggnog cheesecake baked into one amazing dessert.  They are the perfect holiday dessert to serve at Christmas parties or family gatherings.

You can never have too much eggnog. But if you do, try making these eggnog donuts and these eggnog bars with the leftovers.

A white plate with a square of eggnog brownies topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Why This Recipe Works

You can't go wrong with brownies and cheesecake!  And you can't have the holidays without eggnog! These eggnog brownies are a delicious combination of all three classic treats in one pan. 

A packaged brownie mix keeps the crust simple. Feel free to make a double batch of our chocolate chip brownies, if you prefer homemade instead. The layers of gooey chocolate brownies and creamy eggnog cheesecake make these the perfect treat for any party or get together.

Everyone will love these delicious holiday brownies. If you are looking for a way to impress everyone at Christmas dinner, make these cheesecake brownies. A swirl of eggnog whipped cream and sprinkles makes them even fancier.

[Read more...]

No Bake Peppermint Oreo Cheesecake

When you are too busy to bake, this No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake is the perfect dessert. This holiday cheesecake is easy to make and full of delicious peppermint flavor. Make sure you get a slice because it will be gone before you know it.

For more peppermint treats, try these peppermint Oreo cookies and peppermint brownies.

A white plate with a slice of no bake peppermint cheesecake topped with peppermint crunch chips on top.

The post and recipe for this Peppermint Oreo Cheesecake were originally published in December 2014 and updated and republished in December 2021.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Christmas is my favorite time of year! Seeing all the lights and decorations and baking chocolate peppermint chip cookies definitely puts me in the holiday spirit.

The only problem is that this time of year can also be busy with parties, events, programs, and shopping for gifts. It can be hard to get everything done.

I created this fun peppermint cheesecake recipe a few years ago for a church dinner when I was short on time. Honestly, this simple little no bake cheesecake got more comments and compliments than anything else I had made all year. Who knew everyone loved simple, easy desserts the best!

This festive holiday cheesecake is the best dessert to make when you are busy. It is easy to make in minutes, looks impressive, and tastes great! 

Why I Love This Recipe

  • This recipe is completely no-bake. You won't need to turn on the oven and heat up your kitchen for this creamy delight.
  • A creamy peppermint filling on the sweet Oreo cookie crust gives it a festive holiday taste.
  • The pink, white, and chocolate layers make it a pretty dessert for Christmas parties.
  • Extra peppermint chips on top give it a sweet crunch.
  • And the best part is that it can be made ahead of time, so you can have this peppermint Oreo cheesecake in your fridge when you need it.
[Read more...]

Eggnog Whipped Cream

Give your holiday dessert some extra flair with Eggnog Whipped Cream. You'll love it because the fluffy homemade whipped cream has a subtle, yet noticeable eggnog flavor that pipes beautifully. Best of all, it is easy to make in minutes.

A white bowl with a swirl of homemade whipped cream made with eggnog in it.

I love the flavor of eggnog, so I look forward to buying a carton of the popular seasonal drink every year. The problem is that it is so rich, so we never finish all of it.

Did you know that you can use eggnog to add more flavor to other desserts?  It can be used in so many different types of recipes to add an extra boost of eggnog flavor and richness.

One of my favorite ways to use eggnog is in homemade whipped cream. It lightens it up and still has the delicious eggnog flavor that I love!

Why This Recipe Works

If you have leftover eggnog in your fridge, this fluffy eggnog whipped cream recipe is what you need to make. It is ready in minutes and tastes incredible.

This is a great way to add more flavor to your favorite holiday desserts. Whip it up and serve it on eggnog pie, gingerbread banana bread, or eggnog brownies.

You can also use it as a topping for hot chocolate, coffee, or ice cream. Try dipping fruit or vanilla wafers into it for a quick snack. It's so good!

It really will give your favorite recipes an extra boost of festive flavor. Although, once you sample a bite, you won't be able to stop eating it by the spoonfuls.

[Read more...]

Funny Cake Recipe

When you think of classic Pennsylvania Dutch desserts, this Funny Cake recipe should be at the top! A moist vanilla cake and rich chocolate fudge are baked in a flakey pie crust. Top a slice with ice cream or whipped cream for an unforgettable experience.

A white plate with a slice of chocolate funny cake topped with whipped cream and almonds.

Growing up in the middle of Pennsylvania, I have eaten my share of Pennsylvania Dutch desserts and Amish treats. One of my favorite things to do in the fall was to go to craft fairs.

To be honest, I was really there for whoopie pies and pumpkin rolls. One year I tried a slice of funny cake and I fell in love with the simple but delicious treat.

Why You Will Love this Pie Cake

This funny cake recipe is the perfect dessert for your next get together. It is really easy to prepare, not too sweet, and everyone loves it.  

When you can't decide between pie or cake for dessert, make this funny cake.The best part is watching the fudge layer magically sink to the bottom as it bakes.

[Read more...]

Homemade Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

Don't settle for a store-bought crust. You can make your own Homemade Graham Cracker Crust in minutes with 3 ingredients. Get ready to feel like a pie pro. This pie crust recipe is perfect for no bake pies, baked pies, and cheesecakes.

Overhead picture of a graham cracker pie crust in a glass pie pan.

While store-bought pie shells are convenient, they just don't taste as good as homemade. Plus, most of them end up crumbled or cracked by the time you get it home from the store.

Making your own homemade graham cracker crust is so easy! And it tastes way better than those store-bought versions that have been sitting on the shelf for months.

I have been using this recipe for years for no bake pies and cheesecake pies.

Why You Will Love This Pie Crust

  • Easy to make in minutes with 3 ingredients.
  • Costs much less to make your own.
  • Tastes delicious in baked or no bake desserts.
  • Use different crackers or cookies to change up the flavor.

This recipe is so simple, you'll wonder why you ever bothered buying pre-made shells in the first place. The homemade graham cracker crust tastes amazing and only takes 10 minutes from start to finish.

[Read more...]

Chocolate Cheesecake Pie Bites

These mini Chocolate Cheesecake Bites are the perfect size for a quick snack or an after dinner treat. The best part is that each of the pie bites are decorated with whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles! It doesn't get much better than this!

Mini chocolate pie bites topped with whipped cream and cherries on a white wire rack.

The Best Cheesecake Bites

If you are craving something sweet, you are going to love these little treats. These chocolate cheesecake bites are the perfect little treat to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The creamy cheesecake filling is baked in mini pie crusts and decorated with whipped cream, cherries, and sprinkles, so they look just as good as they taste. And because they are mini pie bites, you can enjoy them without feeling guilty for having two or three.

These mini cheesecake bites are great for parties or family gatherings because everyone loves little bite-size desserts. Serve them as an after dinner treat or bring them out during parties for guests to enjoy all night long. There's no wrong time of day to eat a mini chocolate cheesecake pie.

[Read more...]

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes with Reese's Crust

These Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes are made with a Reese's peanut butter cup crust and creamy chocolate topping. A swirl of whipped topping and a mini peanut butter cup adds the perfect touch. Mini Reese's cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for the peanut butter lovers in your life.

If you are looking for more easy Reese's desserts, check out these peanut butter rice krispie treats and this Reese's ice cream cake.

A white board with a close up shot of a peanut butter cheesecake with a peanut butter cup crust and topper.

Mini cheesecakes are a fun dessert to make and serve for any occasion. Since I puffy heart love cheesecake AND Reese's peanut butter cups, I mashed my two favorites into one glorious mini dessert. 

These mini peanut butter cheesecakes are made with a peanut butter cup crust and topped with a creamy chocolate ganache. They are the perfect size to share, but we totally won't judge if you just want to keep them all to yourself.

Why You Will Love These

These little desserts are the perfect size for parties, gatherings, or just to enjoy yourself when no one is looking. And they taste amazing! The creamy peanut butter filling is balanced perfectly by the candy crust and chocolate topping.  Guest will fall in love after just one bite!

Plus, making mini cheesecakes are so much easier than making a full sized cheesecake. They bake in a short amount of time and chill quickly. And there is no need to use a steam or water bath when baking them. Check out these mini blueberry lemon cheesecakes and see how easy they are to make!

Run to the store to buy the ingredients you need to make a batch of these mini peanut butter cup cheesecakes right away! I just know that after you try one of these sweet little treats, you won't be able to stop at just one.

[Read more...]

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

A swirl of this creamy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting adds the perfect decoration to cupcakes, cakes, and cookies. This frosting recipe is easy to mix up, spreads and pipes great, and tastes absolutely delicious. 

A red cupcake on a blue towel topped with a big swirl of vanilla frosting.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Have you been searching for the perfect vanilla frosting recipe? If so, we have a great recipe for you. Our vanilla buttercream frosting is a creamy and delicious addition to any baked good.

It's easy to make and will add a great flavor to all your desserts. You can even use it as a filling in between cake layers or spread it on cookies or chocolate chip brownies!

Why You Will Love This Vanilla Frosting Recipe

This vanilla buttercream frosting was the very first frosting recipe that I learned to make. Years ago, I took a Wilton cake decorating class where we learned different frosting techniques.  This frosting has been my go-to recipe for sheet cakes and cupcakes ever since then.

Our frosting tastes so much better than those store-bought canned frostings. Plus, there are no unnecessary ingredients or preservatives in this homemade buttercream frosting. 

You will be able to make your desserts taste and look like they came straight out of a bakery with our easy instructions and simple ingredients. And it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. How awesome is that?

We promise that once you try our vanilla frosting, it will become your secret weapon for making mouthwatering desserts for friends and family.

[Read more...]