Swirls of colors make these Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars a fun dessert to share at holiday BBQ’s. This super simple red, white, and blue dessert is sure to brighten your Memorial Day and 4th of July picnics. So, let’s get this party started.
Add a batch of these 4th of July Cookies and your picnics will be perfect.
Cheesecake Bars
One of our favorite desserts is this Rainbow Cheesecake. I love that it is so easy to make and to customize for any party. You can change the swirls of color match any party theme.
All the stores have red, white, and blue decorations out right now for Memorial Day and 4th of July, so I picked a few things up for our summer picnics. One of my favorite things to do for holidays is to make a dessert that is fun and colorful, so I grabbed some star sprinkles too.
Cheesecake bars are a great way to add some color and fun to any party. I was looking through the 4th of July treats I have made over the years, and there was nothing red, white, and blue in the cheesecake section, so I had to make a red white and blue dessert right away.
What You’ll Need
The swirls in this 4th of July cheesecake are easy to do, and they make this red white and blue dessert the perfect holiday treat for picnics or parties.
Tools:
- Food Processor – to crush the cookies
- 9×13 pan – line with foil for easy removal
Oreo Cookie Crust:
- Oreo cookies – leave the filling in the cookies
- Butter – unsalted and melted
Vanilla Cheesecake:
- Cream Cheese – set out ahead of time to soften
- Sugar – granulated sugar sweetens and smooths the filling
- Vanilla Extract – adds flavor
- Sour Cream – gives the bars a slight tang
- Flour – adds a little structure so the cheesecake bars do not crack
- Eggs – gives the cheesecake a smooth and rich texture
- Gel Food Coloring – red and blue for patriotic desserts
How to make Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars:
The longest part of making cheesecake bars is the wait time after. Cheesecake has to chill for 4-6 hours, so that it has time to set up before you cut into it.
I suggest making this patriotic cheesecake the night before, so it can chill overnight.
- Set the cream cheese out at least 30 minutes ahead of time. It’s much easier to beat it into the sugar if it is softened first.
- Crush the cookies and mix with melted butter. Press the mixture evenly into a pan.
- Bake and cool the crust.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the flour, vanilla, and sour cream and beat again.
- Add the eggs and mix until just mixed in. Do not over beat once the eggs are added.
- Divide the cheesecake batter evenly into three bowls. Tint two of the bowls red and blue. Gel food colors will give you more vibrant colors.
- Drop the batter by spoonfuls over the top of the cooled cookie crust in a grid pattern
- Use a butter knife and gently drag it through the colors. Go up and down and then back and forth. Make sure you do not pull the knife through the crust!
- Bake over a steam bath.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize the colors of the cheesecake bars?
You sure can. Choose any colors that you like and tint the cheesecake batter with those choices.
How do you prevent cheesecake from cracking?
- Set out your ingredients ahead of time, so they come to room temperature.
- Do not over beat the cheesecake batter. Beating too much and too long will add air bubbles to the batter which will result in cracks in the cheesecake as it bakes.
- Bake cheesecake with a steam bath. My favorite way to bake cheesecake is with a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven. The pan of cheesecake goes on the oven rack right above it.
- Do not over bake the cheesecake. The center of the cheesecake should still be a little jiggly like Jello when you pull it out. It will set up as it cools. If the whole dessert moves, go ahead and continue to bake it a little bit longer.
- Loosen the cheesecake from the edges of the pan about 5 minutes after you pull it out of the oven. As cheesecake cools, it will shrink and pull on the sides of the pan. If it is still attached, it will cause cracks in the center.
What should I do if my cheesecake cracks?
Cover it with a fun topping like pie filling, chocolate ganache, or this Whipped Cream recipe, and no one will ever know.
How do you cut cheesecake bars cleanly?
The best way to cut slices of cheesecake cleanly is to use a hot knife for each cut. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe with a clean towel before making each cut.
Can you freeze cheesecake?
You certainly can. Cheesecake will keep for1-2 months in the freezer. Cheesecake can be frozen whole or cut up into slices. If you are making it ahead of time for a party, wrap and freeze it whole. If you have leftovers, freeze individual squares for future snacking enjoyment. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
How to Freeze Cheesecake
- After baking, let the cheesecake cool for 1-2 hours on the counter, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
- If you are freezing the cheesecake whole, place it on a board or pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil. If you are freezing individual slices or squares, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and then again in foil.
- Place in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at least a few hours before serving. Once thawed, add Homemade Whipped Cream and sprinkle decorations.
CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!
Other Red White and Blue Desserts:
- Firecracker Cupcakes
- 4th of July Donuts
- 4th of July Rice Krispie Treats
- White Chocolate Parfait recipe
- Red White and Blue Swirl Bundt Cake
- 4th of July Marshmallow Pops
- Fruit Parfait
- Homemade Fruit Dip
- Cherry Filled Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
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Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Swirls of colors make these Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars a fun dessert to share at holiday BBW's. This super simple red, white, and blue dessert is sure to brighten your Memorial Day and 4th of July picnics.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 30 Oreo cookies
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 3 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- red & blue gel food colors
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with foil.
- Place the cookies (cream included) in a food processor. Pulse until the cookies become crumbs.
- Stir in the butter until mixed in. Press the mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
- Place a large baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Fill it halfway with water. Let the oven preheat again.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and flour and beat again.
- Add the eggs and beat gently just until they are mixed in.
- Divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls. Use the food coloring to tint two of the bowls red and blue.
- Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust, alternating the colors. Drag a butter knife through the batter going up and down and back and forth until you get a good swirl pattern. Do not over mix.
- Place the pan on the oven rack above the pan of water. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven immediately and place on a wire rack.
- Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
- Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars was first published May 25, 2017. The post was updated and republished May 26, 2021
Sean Sullivan says
Thanks Jocelyn for the great dessert idea. My cheesecake bars didn’t turn out quite as nice looking as yours but were still very tasty and colourful!
Judy Schneider says
This sounds incredible. How long do you bake the crust and how long does it have to cool before you add the filling? Would you put it in the refrigerator to speed up cooling time?
Jocelyn says
If you scroll down to the bottom of the post there is a recipe card with full instructions. You will bake the crust 10 minutes. Usually I just let it cool about 10-15 minutes, before adding the filling and baking again. I hope you enjoy the bars. Happy 4th of July!
Kisha says
Do you cover the cheesecake once it’s cooled? Or can you just put it in refrigerator uncovered?
Jocelyn says
I usually loosely cover it before putting it in the fridge.
Kim says
How did you make your red and blue so deep in color? My pan looks like a Easter egg haha
Jocelyn says
Did you use gel food coloring or liquid food coloring? The gel food coloring will always give you a much darker color if you use enough of it. I hope you still enjoy the cheesecake bars! Just add lots of Cool Whip and red and blue sprinkles and no one will realize they look like an Easter egg. LOL!
Kristin says
Mine looks like a gender reveal cheesecake lol. It’s ok im going to top it with cool whip and sprinkles. The taste is what’s important
jenniifer says
do you need to spray the foil with noncooking spary? will the bars stick to the foil?
Jocelyn says
Yes, I usually spray the foil lightly to keep them from sticking. The foil is optional though. I tend to do it so I can lift the bars out and make clean cuts for pictures. You can totally just spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray and you will be fine.
jennifer says
going to be making these delicious looking cheesecake bars for the first time our 4th of july picnic with my family. What do mean by preheat oven again after putting the cookie sheet in for the steam bath? thank you
Jocelyn says
You will put a sheet pan on the very bottom oven rack and fill it halfway with water. Turn your oven on to preheat while you make the rest of the recipe. When it is time to bake, place the cheesecake on the oven rack directly over the steaming pan of water. I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, feel free to message me. I hope you enjoy the bars!
Martha says
Hey! That’s super delicious, I have a sweet tooth and I can’t stop drooling over this.
Jenna Sayman says
Do you think that it would be possible to make these ahead of time and freeze them for 2-3 days?
Jocelyn says
They should be fine to freeze. Make sure they are completely cool before freezing them though. If you are only making them a few days ahead, they should be ok in your refrigerator too. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Nina Newton says
Hello Jocelyn! I found your blog while searching for recipes for a July roundup and would like to feature this recipe in the month of July on our blog as well as in our online publication, RUBY magazine. I will, of course, only include one image and link back here to the original post. We will encourage our readers and followers to visit you here for the complete recipe as well as for some of your other great recipes. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photography and recipes with everyone in the blogosphere! We’ll be sure to send our readers your way. Thanks so much, Nina @ RUBY magazine and community
Jocelyn says
Hi, Nina. Thank you so much for the sweet words. I’m so glad you loved this treat enough to want to share it. You can definitely share an image with a link back to the post for the recipe. I appreciate the support and that you asked! I also have a bunch of other fun 4th of July treats here if you need others. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/category/recipes/seasonal/4th-of-july/
april says
Why in some recipes do you call for the cheesecake to be in the water bath and the red white and blue you say on the center rack above the water?
Jocelyn says
I don’t have any recipes that call for a water bath. I only use the steam method where you put the cheesecake on the rack above the water.
Swimmer Jacob says
These are amazing, typical that I found this post on July 12, a week after independence day!!! Still, I think I might give it a try…might even do it in the Irish colours on St Patrick’s Day!
Sylvia Esqueda says
Made the Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars for work for the 4th of July. They turned out so pretty; my coworkers loved them! ????
Kristi says
When I cool on wire rack for an hour, is it directly in the pan or lift out in foil?
Jocelyn says
Leave it in the pan while it’s cooling on the wire rack, then place the whole thing (pan included) in the fridge to chill. You do not want to lift it out until it has chilled all the way through. I hope you enjoy it!
Stephanie says
How can I tell it’s done? I’ve only made cheesecake once, 8 years ago haha
Jocelyn says
This cheesecake will be done at 45-47 minutes. It should still jiggle in the center, but it should be the whole thing jiggling as a whole. Not like how the center of an under baked cake looks when you wiggle it. It also should start to brown ever so slightly on the edges. At this point, get it out because it’s in danger of being over baked. Cheesecake sets up as it cools and chills. I hope that helps!
Jlyn says
What does the water help with?
Jocelyn says
The pan of water under the cheesecake creates a steam effect in your oven. The steam helps the cheesecake to bake evenly and stay moist and creamy without cracks. I wrote an entire book on cheesecake and have a lot of tips and tricks on the subject 🙂 https://insidebrucrewlife.com/cookbook/
Emily Boyd says
Can I use double Stuf?
Jocelyn says
Yes, you can. You may need to cut the amount of butter back slightly because of the extra cream though. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars.
Chelsea says
Hi there could I use Graham cracker crust instead? Does this have a regular cheesecake flavor? TIA
Jocelyn says
Yes, you can totally use a regular graham cracker crust and yes, it is just a basic vanilla cheesecake jazzed up with food coloring. Here is a link to a cake that I did with a graham cracker crust. Just use the ingredients for that crust and the cheesecake from this recipe. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/chocolate-smores-pudding-cake/
Andrea Laino says
Large baking sheet with water? Like a pyrex?
Jocelyn says
No, you want to use a large baking sheet with a lip on it, like one you would bake cookies on. Does that make sense?
Caroline says
What do temp do you bake it?
Jocelyn says
You bake the crust and the cheesecake at 325 degrees. The temperature is located in step 1. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!
Barbara says
Can I make them in a 8by8 glass pan so they will be thick
Jocelyn says
No, the recipe is written for a 9×13 pan. These are a decent thickness when made that way. If you want to do it in the 8×8 pan I would recommend cutting all your ingredients in half because it will not fit in the pan.
Katie ellis says
Can you make this gluten free?
Jocelyn says
Yes, you can use gluten free cookies for the crust and leave the flour out. The flour is in it to give the batter some support, so it doesn’t crack as it bakes, but it’s ok to leave it out. Or use a gluten free flour in its place. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake bars.
Brooke says
I want to make this but I want a graham cracker crust instead of chocolate cookie. Any advice on how to make the crust? I am very excited to try this for our 4th of July party.
Jocelyn says
Yes, you can definitely do a graham cracker crust. Here is a link to a cake that I did with a graham cracker crust. Use that in place of the chocolate cookie crust. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/chocolate-smores-pudding-cake/
Christine Chapman says
I made this and got a pink and green swirled cheesecake. I used a whole bottle each of gel food coloring. What did I do wrong????
Jocelyn says
What kind of food coloring did you use? I always use the Wilton gel colors because they are more concentrated and give a better color. Plus, you don’t have to use as much to get a good color. I’m not quite sure how you would have gotten a green swirl though if you used blue food coloring?
Brandy says
All purpose flour or self-rising flour?
Jocelyn says
All my recipes are all purpose flour unless otherwise marked. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!
Nikki says
Love love this idea. But I’m curious could I add strawberries and blueberries to the batter? Would it change the cooking time or consistency?
Jocelyn says
Do you mean you want to add fresh strawberries and blueberries to the batter instead of the food coloring? It shouldn’t really add too much extra time to the baking. Here is another version of these cheesecake bars that I did with pie filling and the baking time was about the same. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/blueberry-key-lime-cheesecake-bars/
Nikki says
Yeah thank you very much. Making it tonight can’t wait!
tara says
Do you think I can make these in a mini silicone star pan for the 4th?
Thank you in advance
Jocelyn says
You definitely could do that. The only thing that would change would be the baking time. I’m not quite sure how long to tell you because I haven’t made this recipe in a different pan, but when I do cupcake cheesecakes I usually bake them anywhere from 18-22 minutes depending on what I’m making.
Michael says
Thank you very much for this recipe! I just made one in a springform pan for the Fourth of July and am so pleased with how it turned out! The Oreo cookie crust is delicious.
Katie says
Just made this tonight and will be taking it to a picnic tomorrow. It looks beautiful! Question: do I cover it with plastic wrap when I put it in the fridge to chill?
Jocelyn says
I usually cover cheesecake lightly with tin foil or plastic wrap when I refrigerate it. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake bars!!!
Jennifer says
Do you have to use gel food coloring?
Jocelyn says
You can use any food coloring. I just prefer the gel colors because they don’t add as much liquid to your batter. Either way works though! I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Kathy says
These cheesecake bars are perfect for the upcoming 4th of July celebration. I was wondering what the purpose if for lining the cake pan with aluminum foil?
Jocelyn says
It’s not necessary, but I like to use it because you can get the bars out of the pan much easier. Then it is easier to cut the bars into nice neat squares!
cherie crites says
Would you be able to use box cheesecake instead of making it from scratch?
Jocelyn says
I’m not sure I understand what you are wanting to use. Do you mean a box of NO BAKE cheesecake? If so, yes, you could make that and tint the batter different colors and swirl them together.
Cas@getyourholidayon.com says
Oh my goodness, these look delicious! I love baking with my children for the 4th of July it is one of our favorite traditions. That and creating my Grandma’s favorite cherry pie and patriotic sugar cookies. I love how this turned out. Great post! 🙂
Jessica says
Do you think that it would be possible to make these ahead of time and freeze them for 2-3 days?
Thanks!
Jocelyn says
You can definitely make these ahead of time. They will keep for a few days in the refrigerator if you do them ahead of time. Or you can freeze them. Just make sure to wrap them tightly and freeze completely. Then to thaw them, unwrap them and place in the refrigerator overnight. I hope you enjoy the bars!
Erica says
Can you make it in a cheesecake springform pan? How would it change cooking time?
Jocelyn says
You could bake it in a springform pan, but it is going to increase your bake time quite a bit. My guess is probably about 45 minutes to an hour, but I can’t say for sure because I didn’t bake it that way.
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
My husband’s step-mom made this after seeing it on my FB page and it was amazing!! I’m lucky enough to have stole a piece 🙂
Rachel says
You think I can use Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream? I’ve already started making it and realized I forgot sour cream at the store but I do have the yogurt! ????
Jocelyn says
I’m sure you already made this, but yes, you can sub Greek yogurt for the sour cream instead. I hope you enjoyed the cheesecake bars!
cakespy says
Congratulations!!!!! These look like the absolute perfect celebratory treat.
Aimee Shugarman says
Aww congrats!!! Such an exciting time for you guys 🙂 And I can’t think of a better way for your family to celebrate, than with cheesecake, 🙂
puja says
This looks gorgeous, so delicious and very creative!
Richard says
Hey, your idea sounds interesting because you can make it anytime and even for special events (USA Independence Day for example). Colorful desserts always make everyone feel joyful and attractive!