Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

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Chocolate Cheesecake with pecan shortbread crust

If you're looking for the perfect cheesecake for the chocolate lover in your life, look no further than my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. They're sinfully delicious and easy to make

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Cheesecake is just one of those desserts you can’t go wrong with. And when you start creating deliciousness like my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust, you’ve taken Cheesecake to another level.

Chocolate cheesecake bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

I’ve made all types of cheesecakes from standard New York Style with just cream cheese. My personal favorites were the extra creamy Mascarpone Strawberry Cheesecake and my Ricotta Cheesecake. I get hungry just thinking about them!

Over the years I’ve made many other variations of the different styles of cheesecakes I enjoy eating. But for some reason I stayed away from adding chocolate to my recipes my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars are definitely a keeper.

Chocolate cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

I decided to take this cheesecake in a different direction, not only with the shape of my cheesecake, but with the flavors by adding two layers of chocolate. I adapted a shortbread crust recipe by Paula Deen from her Savannah bars for my masterpiece .

I created my chocolate cheesecake bars by using my standard mascarpone cheesecake recipe and folding in melted semi sweet chocolate. Then for good measure I topped it off with a rich chocolate ganache, garnishing the finished cheesecake with chopped pecans. If this oh so delicious cheesecake doesn’t make the chocolate lovers in your life ecstatic, check their pulse.

Chocolate Cheesecake with pecan shortbread crust

Chocolate Cheesecake with pecan shortbread crust
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4.8 from 5 votes

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

If you're looking for the perfect cheesecake for the chocolate lover in your life, look no further than my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. They're sinfully delicious and easy to make
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bars, Cheesecake, chocolate
Servings: 12
Calories: 552kcal
Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Pecan Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
  • 1 stick unsalted butter -melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese -softened
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese or substitute cream cheese
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut in small pieces

Chocolate Ganache

  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut into small pieces
  • 4 ounces heavy cream

Garnish

  • 2 ounces of chopped pecans optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Pecan Shortbread Crust

  • Mix together the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter in bowl, until well blended.
  • Press the dough into an ungreased 9"x 9"x 2"-inch pan.
  • Bake shortbread crust for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Allow crust to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes or more before filling

Cheesecake Filling

  • Using a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt 6 ounces of semi- sweet chocolate and allow to cool (you will reuse this bowl for the ganache)
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer add the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese and whip until smooth and creamy 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the sugar and whip until blended
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition, to make sure each egg is fully incorporated.
  • Add the vanilla extract and cooled melted chocolate, blending until all of the chocolate is completely mixed into the cheese mixture.
  • Pour batter into prepared crust
  • Place pan into preheated oven on center rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked and not loose in the center.
  • Allow to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes

Chocolate Ganache

  • Place chocolate and cream in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt chocolate and mix in cream until smooth and chocolate has been completely melted.
  • Pour Ganache over the top of cooked cheesecake, spreading evenly with an offset spatula.
  • Allow cheesecake to cool for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
  • If you are adding pecans as a topping sprinkle the pecans on top of the ganache before chilling.
  • Cut cheesecake into squares and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1.9mg

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About Chef Dennis

Picture of Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

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Comments

  1. Rosalie Flummer says

    I made this recipe and loved it ! It is rich and decadent. Perfect for all occasions. My only modification was I added more about 2 more ounces chocolate to the filling and topping. I will be making this for many special events and sometimes just because. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂

    Reply

  3. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says

    All favorite ingredients layered in this cheesecake! I like baking with mascarpone, though sometimes the flavor is hidden. But the creaminess is amazing.

    Reply

  5. Betty Ann @Mango_Queen says

    Oh this is delightful! Can’t wait to try baking it. Thanks for sharing these chocolate cheesecake bars, Chef Dennis. Perfect comfort food esp. this day 🙂

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis says

      I’m glad you found me Neel! Are you on Google+? I have a wonderful community of food bloggers there, almost 1500 of us now.

      Reply

  9. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says

    Wow, I’m floored! This looks so incredible, Dennis! Such an inventive and mouthwatering twist on cheesecake. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  10. RavieNomNoms says

    Oh I just love cheesecake. I always have such a hard time with it because I am so spoiled with my Mom’s. She makes the creamiest cheesecake I have ever had and whenever I try to make it on my own, it just isn’t as good haha.

    This looks superb!

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis says

      my regular cheesecake recipe might just change your mind Raven, this is a variation of it and it was delicious!

      Reply

  11. Kate | Food Babbles says

    These cheesecake bars look like pure decadence! I would certainly eat my fair share. I adore that sprinkle of pecans on top and can practically taste the shortbread crust and all those lovely layers of chocolate. I think this needs to happen in my kitchen. Yum!!

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis says

      Hi Kate

      I’m not too big on chocolate cheesecake but the combination of the shortbread and ganache made this one too good to pass up! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  15. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    If you see anyone, particularly a little woman, peering through your windows and gaping at those cheesecake bars. it might be me… might not but don’t bet against it.

    I could eat the whole pan.

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis says

      Ganache is a wonderful thing Lynn, you really only need a spoon wuith that bowl of ganache, no cake necessary!

      Reply
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