King Cake Cheesecake Bars (Print)

Creamy cheesecake bars with colorful Mardi Gras swirls on a buttery cinnamon crust.

# Ingredients:

→ Crust

01 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Layer

06 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/3 cup sour cream
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional

→ Swirl Colors

13 - Gel food coloring in purple, green, and yellow

→ Icing

14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Topping

17 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar for garnish

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and mix until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined.
04 - Divide cheesecake batter evenly into three bowls. Tint each portion with a different gel food coloring: purple, green, and yellow. Stir each portion until color is evenly distributed throughout.
05 - Drop spoonfuls of colored batters randomly over the cooled crust in alternating colors. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the colors together for a marbled effect, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is just set with slight wobble. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
07 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle evenly over chilled bars.
08 - Sprinkle purple, green, and gold sanding sugar over the iced bars to decorate. Slice into 16 equal bars and serve chilled.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours decorating when really you just dropped spoonfuls of batter and swirled them around.
  • The buttery cinnamon crust keeps everything grounded while the cheesecake stays silky and rich, no cracking drama.
  • Every bite tastes like celebration without needing an actual parade happening outside your window.
02 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is the difference between silky and grainy, so pull it out of the fridge at least an hour before you start mixing.
  • The gel food coloring trick changed everything for me because it keeps the batter thick and perfect for swirling instead of thin and runny.
  • Don't skip the full chilling time even though it's tempting because these need those hours to set properly and develop their real texture.
03 -
  • If your icing is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches that perfect drizzly consistency that flows but doesn't pool into puddles.
  • The wobble test is everything with cheesecake because a tiny jiggle in the center means carryover cooking will set it perfectly while the edges stay just tender.
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