These creamy Honey-Lavender Cheesecake Bars feature a crisp graham cracker crust.
Honey-Lavender Cheesecake Bars
MAKES 24 (2-INCH) BARS
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons food-grade lavender*
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
- Garnish: food-grade lavender
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined. (Crumb mixture should stick together when pressed. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, if needed.) Using a straight-sided measuring cup, press into bottom and slightly up sides of prepared pan.
- Bake until set and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
- In a small saucepan, heat honey and lavender over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling and lavender is fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve; use warm. If allowed to cool, honey will not incorporate into cheesecake mixture. If honey becomes too hard to work with, place mixture in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 10-second intervals until liquid.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add brown sugar, warm honey mixture, flour, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; beat at low speed until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Add sour cream, beat until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Pour mixture onto prepared crust, spreading into an even layer using a small offset spatula.
- Place baking pan in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and add hot water to come up 1-inch on sides of baking pan.
- Bake until edges are set, top looks dry, center is almost set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. Refrigerate in pan overnight, loosely covering with foil to prevent condensation. Using excess parchment as handles, carefully remove from pan, and transfer to a cutting board. Using a warm dry knife, trim edges, and cut into 2-inch bars. Garnish with lavender, if desired.
Notes
*Food-grade (culinary) lavender is available in some grocery stores and can be ordered online.
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