Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars are a colorful way to show off your American spirit and the perfect easy Fourth of July dessert recipe. Creamy cheesecake bars with red and blue swirls, these red white and blue dessert bars are the perfect patriotic dessert to celebrate July 4th.

RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE BARS

Are you looking for a easy, quick patriotic dessert idea to appease the masses this Fourth of July?

I have your solution. Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars are the perfect sweet treat to celebrate the July 4th holiday with family and friends.

I love cheesecake and it doesn’t really matter what kind it is. It doesn’t matter if it’s traditional or otherwise, if it falls under the title of ‘cheesecake’, it can be bars, parfaits, bites or entire desserts, I just really love cheesecake.

Are you a cheesecake lover too? Check out my easy cheesecake recipes like my White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe, Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Bars and No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie.

THE BEST EASY 4TH OF JULY DESSERT RECIPE

So why are these swirl cheesecake bars the BEST patriotic dessert? Let me tell you!! ..

• Cheesecake is everyone’s favorite dessert for a reason.
• This is a classic cheesecake recipe, creamy and perfect!
• Red white and blue swirl cheesecake squares? Um.. yes please!
• Super easy cheesecake recipe so anyone can make this, regardless of their experience in the kitchen.
• These cheesecake bars are super stack-able and super portable. No stress bringing these to Fourth of July parties and potlucks.
• The fun red white and blue swirls makes these cheesecake bars fun and perfect for potlucks, parties and get togethers.
• Completely transportable and quick to bring together ensures this patriotic dessert will be your favorite easy dessert recipe.
• Making cheesecake bars is a lot easier and less stressful than making the perfect cheesecake.

RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS

• Graham crackers
• Butter
• Sugar
• Cream cheese
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• Fresh lemon
• Pink Food coloring

HOW DO I KNOW MY CHEESECAKE IS DONE?

When you make cheesecake, the hardest thing to know is when it is done.  To check if your cheesecake is done, gently shake the cheesecake and only a small circle in the center jiggles slightly, it is done.

The center of your cheesecake bars will firm up as it cools and I find turning your oven off when the cooking time has completed, opening the door and letting the cheesecake sit in the open oven for about an hour creates a perfectly cooked cheesecake.

WHY DO CHEESECAKES NEED A WATER BATH?

Cheesecakes and cheesecake bars are often baked in water baths or with a pan of water placed in the oven while the cheesecake cooks. This method is used because the hot water steam from the water will ensure even baking and lessen the likelihood of of the cheesecake cracking on top.

HOW DO I MAKE RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE BARS?

Easy! To make Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars preheat oven to 325 degrees and place a baking pan filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven.

Start by combining graham crackers, melted butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and then transferring the mixture to a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until creamy and then add in sugar and salt and mix well.

One by one, add in eggs and beat until each is incorporated before adding in the next one. Add in sour cream and vanilla and a squeeze of lemon then continue mixing until you have a creamy filling.

Transfer 1 1/3 cup of cheesecake filling evenly into two separate bowls and add red food coloring to one bowl and blue to the other.

Mix the food coloring in to combine. Pour the white cheesecake filling on top of graham cracker crust and smooth until even.

Using a spoon, pour alternating lines of blue cheesecake filling and red cheesecake filling down length of cheesecake. Swirl the colors into cheesecake filing using the back of knife (or a chopstick!) to create a beautiful swirl pattern. The more swirls, the better..

Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until center is no longer wobbly. When baking time is done, turn off oven, open oven door and let your Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars sit for one hour in the open oven.

Remove from oven and refrigerate overnight before pulling up on parchment paper and removing from baking pan. Cut into squares and serve!

PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST RED WHITE AND BLUE DESSERT

• Be sure to beat your cream cheese until they are creamy and fluffy.  If you skip the creaming step, you will end up with large lumps of cream cheese in your cheesecake bars.
• Use room temperature ingredients like cream cheese, eggs and sour cream.  They mix and emulsify better at room temperature.
• Don’t skip adding a squeeze of lemon to your cheesecake batter. Your cheesecake won’t taste like lemon but it does cut through and add acidity against the heavy richness of three blocks of cream cheese.
• Don’t care for a graham cracker crust? Graham cracker crumbs can easily be replaced with 20 cookie sandwich cookies pulverized or pulsed to crumbs in a food processor.  Then add the melted butter as called for and mix to combine.  Follow the remaining instructions to make your Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars.
• If your red and blue lines are uneven or messy, don’t sweat it .. it’s all getting swirled together anyways 🙂
• Give clear vanilla extract a try in light colored batters.  Your batter will not tint due to brown vanilla extract. You can find it in your spice/extract section of most grocery stores.
• I use gel food coloring when I can. Traditional food coloring is a liquid and using the gel coloring won’t water down your batter.. plus it seems more vibrant to me. 
• Want to know a trick for lining your pan with parchment paper? Turn your empty baking pan upside down on your parchment paper and then with a knife, draw the outline of your pan but with an extra one inch border. Lift up your pan and then cut your outline out of the paper. Perfect fit every time!

HOW TO STORE CHEESECAKE BARS

• To Store. Store these Fourth of July cheesecake bars in an airtight storage container or laid flat in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To Freeze. Place these patriotic cheesecake bars on a baking sheet, separate the individual bars slightly and freeze until solid. Then, store them in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

Making Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars for parties and get-togethers has become one of my favorite things to bring because they are so easy and so quick to make that it really frees up your extra time and you are still bringing an amazing dish to your backyard barbecue. Besides, what says love more than cheesecake?

Yes, a million dollars does also say love also but which are you more likely to share? And which comes with that darn delicious graham cracker crust? These Philadelphia cheesecake bars, do!!!

I thought so….

So, the next time your phone rings with a party invite this summer, don’t even stress on what to bring. Just make these Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars and everyone will have a great day!

MORE MUST HAVE DESSERT BARS

• Blackberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Homemade Reese’s Bars
• Classic Lemon Bars
• Easter Magic Cookie Bars
• Low Sugar Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Enjoy ♥ Heather

If you’ve tried these Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you it came out in the comments below.

Share a photo of your creation on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM  or save it to PINTEREST  and tag #AWICKEDWHISK. I can’t wait to see your work!

Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars are a colorful way to show off your American spirit and the perfect easy Fourth of July dessert recipe. Creamy cheesecake bars with red and blue swirls, these red white and blue dessert bars are the perfect patriotic dessert to celebrate July 4th.

4.66 from 32 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 15 ea

Calories: 434kcal

Author: Heather - A Wicked Whisk

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup Graham cracker crumbs
• ▢ 1 /3 cup butter melted
• ▢ 2 tbl sugar

Cheesecake Filling

• ▢ 3 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ▢ 3/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 3/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 3 eggs, large
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ Red and Blue Food Gel Coloring
• ▢ squeeze of fresh lemon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place a baking pan filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven
• Start by combining graham crackers, melted butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and then transferring the mixture to a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside
• In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until creamy and then add in sugar and salt and mix well. One by one, add in eggs and beat until each is incorporated before adding in the next one. Add in sour cream and vanilla and continue mixing until you have a creamy filling.
• Transfer 1 1/3 cup of cheesecake filling evenly into two separate bowls and add red food coloring to one bowl and blue to the other.
• Mix the food coloring in to combine. Pour the white cheesecake filling on top of graham cracker crust and smooth until even.
• Using a spoon, pour alternating lines of blue cheesecake filling and red cheesecake filling down length of cheesecake. Swirl the colors into cheesecake filing using the back of knife (or a chopstick!) to create a beautiful swirl pattern. The more swirls, the better..
• Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until center is no longer wobbly. When baking time is done, turn off oven, open oven door and let your Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars sit for one hour in the open oven. Remove from oven and refrigerate overnight before pulling up on parchment paper and removing from baking pan. Cut into squares and serve!

Video

Notes

PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST RED WHITE AND BLUE DESSERT

• Be sure to beat your cream cheese until they are creamy and fluffy.  If you skip the creaming step, you will end up with large lumps of cream cheese in your cheesecake bars.
• Use room temperature ingredients like cream cheese, eggs and sour cream.  They mix and emulsify better at room temperature.
• Don’t skip adding a squeeze of lemon to your cheesecake batter. Your cheesecake won’t taste like lemon but it does cut through and add acidity against the heavy richness of three blocks of cream cheese.
• Don’t care for a graham cracker crust? Graham cracker crumbs can easily be replaced with 20 cookie sandwich cookies pulverized or pulsed to crumbs in a food processor.  Then add the melted butter as called for and mix to combine.  Follow the remaining instructions to make your Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars.
• If your red and blue lines are uneven or messy, don’t sweat it .. it’s all getting swirled together anyways 🙂
• Give clear vanilla extract a try in light colored batters.  Your batter will not tint due to brown vanilla extract. You can find it in your spice/extract section of most grocery stores.
• I use gel food coloring when I can. Traditional food coloring is a liquid and using the gel coloring won't water down your batter.. plus it seems more vibrant to me. 
• Want to know a trick for lining your pan with parchment paper? Turn your empty baking pan upside down on your parchment paper and then with a knife, draw the outline of your pan but with an extra one inch border. Lift up your pan and then cut your outline out of the paper. Perfect fit every time!

Nutrition

Serving: 12ea | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.8g | Protein: 7.1g | Fat: 29.8g | Saturated Fat: 16.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 128.5mg | Sodium: 288.6mg | Potassium: 155.7mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 30.2g | Vitamin A: 1210IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @AWickedWhisk or tag #AWickedWhisk!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in June of 2023.