Almond Cheesecake Bars start with a crumbly shortbread crust, are topped with an almond-flavored cream cheese filling, frosted with an almond vanilla frosting, and finally drizzled with milk chocolate.
If you love the taste of almonds, you will love these bars. From the crumbly crust to the creamy filling and frosting to the chocolate drizzle that tops off this dessert.
No matter what level you are at when it comes to baking, this recipe is for you. It is super simple to make, and it turns out irresistible.
Helpful tips
- The butter should be softened, but not melted, for both the crust and the frosting. This will help with incorporating the butter with the other ingredients.
- I like to use salted butter for both the crust and the frosting. I feel that salted butter has more flavor than unsalted butter.
- Have the cream cheese at room temperature before making this recipe. I like to beat the cream cheese before adding the sugar. These two steps will prevent the cream cheese from becoming clumpy when mixing the other ingredients into it.
- The chocolate drizzle is optional, but I would not skip it. It gives the bars another depth of flavor. I use milk chocolate chips, but white, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips can be used.
- When melting the chocolate chips in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate slowly. I like to take 20-second intervals of microwaving, stirring in between each 20-second interval.
- Store the bars in the refrigerator.
- The bars can be frozen in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Cream Cheese
- Granular Sugar
- Almond Extract
- Eggs
- Milk
Steps for making
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Steps one and two
Powdered sugar, flour, and butter are added to a medium bowl. The three ingredients are mixed with an electric mixer until they are well combined.
Steps three and four
Pat the crust into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes
Steps five and six
While the crust is baking, make the filling. Add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the sugar and almond extract. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Steps seven and eight
Spread the filling mixture over the baked crust. Place back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Steps nine, ten, and eleven
When the bars are done baking and cooled completely, make the frosting. Add the powdered sugar, butter, and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually add milk until you have the frosting with the correct consistency for spreading over the cooled bars. Spread the frosting over the top of the bars.
Steps twelve, thirteen, and fourteen
Add chocolate chips and shortening to a small bowl. In the microwave, melt the chocolate. Drizzle it over the top of the frosting.
More bar and cookie recipes
- Turtle Bars
- Pear Cream Cheese Crumble Bars
- Coconut Almond Macaroons
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
If you make these almond cheesecake bars, I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment and a rating.
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Almond Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Filling
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs
Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 – 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
Drizzle
- 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons shortening
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the flour, butter, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- While the crust is in the oven start to make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until it is fluffy.
- Add the sugar and the almond extract and mix until combined.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of the baked crust. Place the baking pan back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cream cheese mixture is set.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
- Once the bars are cooled, make the frosting.
- Add the 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, butter, and almond extract to a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually add the milk until the frosting is the correct consistency to spread.
- Add the milk chocolate chips and shortening to a small bowl. Microwave for 20-seconds increments, stirring in between each 20 seconds until the chocolate chips are melted.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over top of the frosted bars.
Notes
- The butter should be softened, but not melted, for the crust and the frosting. This will help the ingredients blend together more easily.
- I use salted butter for both the crust and the frosting. I feel that it has more flavor than unsalted butter. But unsalted butter can be used for this recipe.
- The cream cheese should also be at room temperature. I like to beat my cream cheese for about 30 seconds or until it is fluffy. This helps with not getting lumpy when adding other ingredients.
- The chocolate drizzle on the top of the frosting is optional. I do recommend that you add this step. The chocolate adds to the depth of the flavor of the bars.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave slowly. I like to do 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval.
- Bars should be refrigerated after they are baked.
Nutrition
This recipe was inspired by tasteofhome.com
This recipe was originally published on May 29, 2014. It has been updated with new content and pictures on June 26, 2025.
I’m definitely much more a fan of non chocolate sweet treats, and these would be such a winner in my book! Love almond-flavored baked goods!
Everyone at my house LOVES everything and anything Cheesecake. Can’t wait to try these.
That sounds really good! I love cheesecake and that would be just enough. A full piece of cheesecake is too rich.
These bars are simple to make and so delicious. After one bite, you want to eat the whole pan.
I love cheesecake! This looks like a keeper.
I think I want to call these an almond delight! I absolutely love the cream cheese filling flavored with Almonds… and of course the chocolate drizzle on top is a must. Everything is better with chocolate!!