Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Crust

This rich and creamy Nutella Swirled Cheesecake Bar is built on a buttery graham cracker crust and finished with generous swirls of Nutella folded into classic cheesecake. Made with just a few pantry staples, these bars are an effortless dessert for any occasion.

If you love Nutella and chocolate, try related treats like a peanut butter and Nutella milkshake or Nutella chocolate chip cookies for more indulgent ideas.

Homemade Nutella Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake is one of those desserts that always feels special. This simple bar recipe is a variation on classic mini cheesecakes, scaled into an easy-to-slice pan. The most challenging step is the waiting: cooling makes clean slices and develops flavor, so I recommend making these the night before serving.

This recipe yields 9 large squares or up to 16 smaller bars, depending on how you cut them. Store-bought graham crumbs and room-temperature cream cheese speed the process and improve texture. Enjoy!

Key Ingredients

• Graham cracker crumbs: Pre-crushed crumbs are convenient, but you can crush whole graham crackers in a bag with a rolling pin.
• Unsalted butter: Melted, to bind the crust and help it toast during baking.
• Sugar: Used in both the crust and cheesecake filling to balance flavors.
• Cream cheese: Softened to room temperature for a smooth, lump-free batter.
• Egg: One large egg to help set and bind the cheesecake.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances and harmonizes the flavors.
• Nutella: Slightly warmed so it spreads and swirls easily into the cheesecake layer.

How To Make Nutella Cheesecake Bars

• Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang to lift the bars out easily.
• Make the crust: Mix 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar until the texture resembles wet sand. Press into the pan and bake 5–6 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.
• Make the cheesecake filling: Beat 16 ounces softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mixing until combined and scraping the bowl sides as needed. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
• Add the Nutella: Warm about 1/3 cup Nutella for 10–20 seconds in the microwave until spreadable. Spoon dollops across the cheesecake and use a butter knife to swirl it gently through the batter.
• Bake: Bake 30–35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is only slightly jiggly.
• Cool and serve: Let the bars cool at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, then refrigerate until completely chilled—overnight is best. Use the foil overhang to lift the slab from the pan and cut into 9–16 squares.

Variations

• Add crunch: Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter or sprinkle on top before serving for texture contrast.
• Make minis: Divide the filling among muffin tins for individual cheesecakes, or bake in a springform pan for a classic round cheesecake.
• Extra chocolate: Fold in chocolate chips or top with a drizzle of melted Nutella or chocolate ganache after chilling.
• Change the crust: Use chocolate graham crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, or a cookie crust to vary the base flavor.

Love cheesecake? Try other favorites like triple chocolate cheesecake, no-bake vanilla cheesecake, or seasonal pumpkin cheesecake bars for more dessert inspiration.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Store: Keep leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Storing pre-sliced pieces makes serving easier.
• Freeze: Wrap cooled bars tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze whole or individually for convenient single servings.
• Thaw: Move frozen bars to the refrigerator to thaw before serving. These are best enjoyed chilled.

More Dessert Recipes To Try

If you enjoy these Nutella cheesecake bars, consider other crowd-pleasing desserts such as chocolate fudge cakes for two, browned butter chocolate chip blondies, copycat cosmic brownies, classic cheesecake cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter pie, or a rich chocolate layer cake.