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These mulberry cheesecake squares are a fantastic summertime dessert! A velvety (and easy) cheesecake filling that’s rich and creamy is striped with swirls of a sweet mulberry compote. They both sit on an graham crust that’s the best part of a classic cheesecake recipe. What more could you want in a mulberry dessert?
Mulberry cheesecake bars are such a simple and delectable recipe! I cannot get over the crumbly crust, creamy filling, and sweet compote. The combination is just out of this world! Try them and see for yourself!
Have you got a mulberry tree in your yard that’s loaded with berries like ours? Are you looking for more great dessert recipes to use them? Be sure to check out my mulberry crumb cake with vanilla glaze, bakery style mulberry muffins, and no-churn mulberry ice cream!
Ingredients for this recipe
- Mulberries – Fresh or frozen mulberries work interchangeably in this recipe!
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is in the compote, crust, and cheesecake filling.
- Lemon Juice – A little bit of bright acidity for the compote.
- Cream Cheese – Can’t have cheesecake bars without it!
- Egg – To bind everything together.
- Vanilla Extract – It’s hard to imagine a baked good without vanilla.
- Kosher Salt – The salt helps balance out the sugary sweetness.
- Graham Crackers – Regular ol’ honey graham crackers for that classic cheesecake crust.
- Flour – To help give the crust more structure.
- Butter – Melted butter helps the crust come together and stay together.
What are the components of mulberry cheesecake squares?
Mulberry Compote – It’s sweet and simple and so perfect I had to put it in the cheesecake filling and add extra swirls on top! (My rhubarb cheesecake squares just have rhubarb compote swirled on top and I can’t decide which version I like better.)
Simple Cheesecake Batter – This mulberry cheesecake doesn’t require a water bath! It’s such a smooth and creamy filling that isn’t too time consuming or labor intensive. It bakes up rich and decadent, all without cracking on top.
Graham Crust – A simple press in crust that's got enough strength to stand up to the creamy cheesecake filling.
Recipe for Mulberry Cheesecake
This is just a very brief overview, detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
- Make the mulberry compote. Then blend it with an immersion blender to smooth it out.
- Make the crust. By combining graham cracker crumbs, flour, and sugar and holding them together with butter. Bake until golden brown.
- Make the cheesecake batter. I love this filling because it’s so easy and low-maintenance. It requires no water bath and doesn’t crack in the oven.
- Add the compote. Mix most into the batter and then scatter small scoops around the cheesecake and swirl to combine.
- Bake, chill, and enjoy. I love serving these bars plain, but a dollop of whipped cream would send them right over the top.
Storage Instructions
These cheesecake squares can be refrigerated in the pan they’re baked in, covered in foil, for up to five days.
Of course, you can also transfer them to a food storage container, too. But why make more dishes for yourself?
Especially when you could be making more mulberry cheesecake bars instead!
Mulberry Cheesecake Squares
Equipment
- 8x8 metal baking pan
Ingredients
For the mulberry compote:
- 2 cups mulberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the graham cracker crust:
- 9 graham crackers (1 sleeve), crushed into crumbs
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake batter:
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup half and half, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
For the mulberry compote:
- In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups of mulberries, with ½ cup of granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until berries have broken down and juices have reduced slightly.
- Carefully transfer the compote to a large jar and blend with an immersion blender. (Alternatively, you can blend the compote in a blender.) Set compote aside to cool, reserving ½ cup of the compote in the process.
For the graham cracker crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with baking spray, set aside.
- Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Pour in 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and mix to form a crumbly dough. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
For the cheesecake batter:
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy, about two minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in ½ cup half & half, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt mixing until smooth and once again scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure mixture is even and smooth.
- Stir in a pureed mulberry compote (save for the ½ cup you reserved earlier) and pour filling into prepared crust.
- Place small spoonfuls of reserved compote around the cheesecake batter. Swirl with a chopstick or butter knife to incorporate slightly.
- Bake cheesecake bars in preheated oven for 35 – 45 minutes, or until edges are set and lightly golden and center just barely jiggles.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack before chilling in fridge for at least four hours, or overnight.
- When ready to serve, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the parchment paper as handles. Run a sharp knife under a hot water and evenly slice cheesecake into 16 squares.
Notes
- Bars can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
- This recipe was developed to be baked in a metal baking pan. I do not recommend using a glass pan as it will alter cooking time significantly.
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