Who knew Tara could bake!?!? First of all, klet me introduce you to my new mini mixer, cause mixing everything by hand was no fun!! It’s yellow cause of course, I couldn’t buy a normal colour, and it’s mini cause I am obsessed with mini stuff! It’s cute! I had to try it out so IChatGPTchef (I call my ChatGPT Bob btw, so…meet Bob!) and I decided to make some mini oat cheesecake bars. I must admit, as the kids will eat most of them, I didn’t skimp too much on the butter this time, maybe a little…but they definitely got flullier than the last ones. I guess butter actually does have a purpose besides making you (me!?!? AHHHH!!) fat, huh?
I made two kinds: plain, and strawberry. The strawberry ones are a lil darker…I may have not put enough strawberries to make a difference. I didn’t have strawberries so I just added strawberry Jam to the topping once it was all done. And of course, as I love my desserts in little doses, I cut them in tiny little cute bars.
My dudes LOVE them. Kinda satisfying when you make yummy stuff 🙂
here is the recipe (I just went light on the butter, but you don’t need to…some of us can eat without it going straight to the hips. I hate you!)
Ingredients:
For the oat bar crust:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: fresh fruit, whipped cream, caramel sauce, etc.
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking pan (8×8 inches or similar size) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt for the oat bar crust. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Press the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- While the crust is cooling, prepare the cheesecake filling. In another mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled oat bar crust, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set and the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours or until firm.
- Once chilled, lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into mini bars or squares.
- Serve the oat bar cheesecakes chilled, topped with your favorite toppings such as fresh fruit, whipped cream, or caramel sauce.
Enjoy your delicious oat bar cheesecakes!
