If you love mint + chocolate but don’t want the stress of a tall cheesecake, these Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake Bars are your answer. They bake in a simple lined pan, chill into tidy squares, and taste like a peppermint patty crossed with creamy cheesecake. The crust is a cocoa-cookie base that stays crisp under the filling, and the topping adds a glossy chocolate finish with a festive crunch. You’ll know you nailed it when the center has a slight jiggle like set pudding—not liquid waves. Pro tip: cool the bars gradually (oven off, door cracked) to prevent sudden temperature shock and surface cracks.
Why this recipe works
Cream cheese cheesecake sets when its proteins coagulate gently; overheating tightens proteins too fast, pushing out moisture and causing cracks. That’s why we bake at a moderate temperature and stop when the center still jiggles. Peppermint extract is potent and volatile—adding it after the cream cheese and sugar are smooth prevents overmixing while still distributing flavor evenly.
A chocolate cookie crust acts like a moisture barrier, especially when pre-baked; that short bake helps the crust set and stay crisp under a wet filling. Finally, mixing eggs on low matters: whipping introduces air bubbles that expand in the oven and collapse during cooling, leaving cracks and a slightly dry texture.
Ingredients (weights + purpose)
Crust
- Chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos, with filling) — 200 g — about 2 cups crumbs — structure + chocolate base
- Unsalted butter, melted — 60 g (4 tbsp) — binds crumbs, helps crisp
- Fine salt — 1 g (pinch) — balances sweetness
Cheesecake filling
- Cream cheese, full-fat, brick style — 680 g (24 oz) — 3 cups — structure + creaminess
- Granulated sugar — 150 g (3/4 cup) — sweetness, helps smooth texture
- Sour cream (or thick yogurt) — 120 g (1/2 cup) — acidity for balance, softer set
- Eggs, large — 2 (about 100 g without shells) — sets the filling
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (natural) — 20 g (about 1/4 cup) — chocolate flavor without extra liquid
- Vanilla extract — 5 g (1 tsp) — rounds flavor
- Peppermint extract — 1–2 g (1/4–1/2 tsp) — mint punch (start small)
- Fine salt — 2 g (1/4 tsp) — sharpens chocolate/mint
Topping (optional but recommended)
- Semisweet chocolate, chopped — 120 g (3/4 cup chips) — ganache layer
- Heavy cream — 90 g (6 tbsp) — smooth ganache
- Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes — 20–30 g — festive crunch
Equipment
Required
- Metal baking pan: 20 cm square (8-inch)
- Parchment paper (sling makes lifting easy)
- Hand mixer (or sturdy whisk + patience)
- Digital scale (best for consistency)
- Oven/OTG, center rack
- Instant-read thermometer (nice but helpful)
Nice-to-have
- Offset spatula
- Fine sieve (for cocoa)
- Bench scraper or long knife for clean cuts
Step-by-step (timing + visual cues)
1) Prep pan and oven (10 min)
Heat oven to 160°C (325°F). Set rack in the middle. Line pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.
Visual cue: parchment should lie flat in corners; wrinkles can imprint the crust.
2) Make and bake crust (10 min + 10 min bake)
Crush cookies to fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter and salt until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into pan (use a flat-bottom glass).
Bake 10 minutes at 160°C (325°F). Cool while you mix filling.
Visual cue: crust should look slightly darker and smell like brownies; if it still looks dusty, it wasn’t pressed enough.
3) Mix filling (12–15 min)
Bring cream cheese to cool room temp (not warm/melty). Beat cream cheese + sugar on medium for 1–2 minutes until smooth. Add sour cream, cocoa (sieved), vanilla, peppermint, and salt; mix on low just until uniform.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low for 10–15 seconds each—stop as soon as the batter looks cohesive.
Visual cue: finished batter should look glossy and thick like pudding; if it looks foamy, you mixed too fast.
4) Fill, de-bubble, bake (35–45 min)
Pour filling over crust. Tap pan on counter 5–8 times to release bubbles; pop visible bubbles with a toothpick.
Bake 35–45 minutes at 160°C (325°F).
Doneness checkpoint: edges look set and slightly puffed, center (about a 7–8 cm / 3-inch circle) jiggles like set gelatin. If using a thermometer, aim for 68–72∘C68–72∘C (155–162°F) in the center.
5) Cool gradually (45–60 min) + chill (6 hours)
Turn oven off, crack door, and let bars sit inside 20 minutes. Then cool on counter 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 6 hours (overnight is best).
Avoid this: slicing warm cheesecake = smeared edges and a gummy middle.
6) Ganache + peppermint (10 min + set time)
Heat cream until steaming (not boiling). Pour over chocolate; rest 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Spread over chilled bars and sprinkle peppermint. Chill 20–30 minutes to set.
Visual cue: ganache should look shiny and fluid; if grainy, the cream was too cool—warm gently and stir.
Troubleshooting (common failures + fixes)
- Cracks on top
Likely causes: overbaked, air whipped in, cooled too fast
Fix next time: stop at jiggle stage, mix eggs on low, cool in turned-off oven - Gritty filling
Likely causes: cream cheese too cold, sugar not dissolved
Fix: room-temp cream cheese, beat cream cheese + sugar fully before adding anything else - Soggy crust
Likely causes: skipped pre-bake, too little butter, crumbs too coarse
Fix: pre-bake 10 min, press firmly, crush finer - Center won’t set
Likely causes: underbaked, wrong pan size, low oven temp
Fix: use 20 cm/8-inch pan, bake longer in 5-min steps, verify oven with thermometer - Dry, crumbly cheesecake
Likely causes: overbaked past set, baked too hot
Fix: bake at 160°C/325°F, pull when center still jiggles - Mint flavor too strong
Likely causes: heavy-handed extract (brands vary)
Fix: start at 1/4 tsp, add more next batch; serve with extra ganache to balance
Substitutions and variations
Dietary swaps
- Egg-free (best-tested option): replace eggs with 120 g thick Greek yogurt + 12 g cornstarch (about 1 tbsp). Texture becomes slightly softer, less “classic cheesecake,” but slices when fully chilled.
- Gluten-free: use gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies in equal weight (200 g)
- Dairy-free: use dairy-free cream cheese + coconut cream (in place of sour cream). Expect a softer set and stronger chill requirement; chill overnight and slice cold.
Flavor swaps
- Extra chocolate: add 80 g mini chocolate chips (fold in at the end)
- Mocha-mint: replace 10 g cocoa with 5 g instant espresso powder dissolved in vanilla
- Less mint, more vanilla: use 1 g peppermint + 8 g vanilla
Scaling
- 23 cm/9-inch pan: multiply everything by 1.25; bake about 5–10 minutes longer
- 20 cm/8-inch thick bars (as written): best texture-to-bake-time balance
Storage, make-ahead, and freezing
- Counter: not recommended beyond 2 hours (cream cheese filling)
- Fridge: 5 days in an airtight container; best texture days 2–3
- Freezer: 2 months (cut into bars, wrap individually + place in freezer bag). Thaw overnight in fridge.
Re-crisping note: crust won’t re-crisp after freezing (cheesecake moisture migrates), but it will still taste great.
Serving suggestions and pairing ideas
Serve chilled for the cleanest slices. Pair with hot coffee, peppermint tea, or a lightly sweet whipped cream to soften the mint intensity. If you want a “holiday dessert tray” vibe, drizzle with white chocolate and add a pinch of flaky salt to the ganache.
FAQs
Can I use peppermint oil instead of extract?
Yes, but reduce drastically—start with 1–2 drops (oils are far stronger). Mix in, taste, then decide.
How do I get super-clean slices?
Chill overnight, then cut with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes—use a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13-inch) pan and about 1.8× the ingredients (not quite double). Bake ~45–60 minutes, watching the jiggle.
Can I bake this in an OTG?
Yes. Preheat fully for 15–20 minutes, bake on the middle rack, and rotate once near the end if your OTG browns unevenly.
Why is my cheesecake bitter?
Usually from too much cocoa or using Dutch-process when the recipe expects natural cocoa. Use natural unsweetened cocoa here for a smoother chocolate flavor.
Notes from my kitchen (testing log)
- Batch 1: baked at 175°C (350°F)—set fast, but the top cracked and the edges tasted slightly dry. Lower temp fixed it.
- Batch 2: mixed eggs on medium—looked fluffy going in, but sank slightly after cooling and had tiny holes. Low-speed egg mixing gave a tighter, creamier slice.
- Batch 3: skipped crust pre-bake—flavor was fine, but crust turned soft by day 2. Pre-bake kept it crisp longer.
- Batch 4: used 1/2 tsp peppermint with a strong brand—tasted like toothpaste. Now I recommend 1/4 tsp first, then adjust.
- Batch 5: cooled on counter immediately—one long crack across the middle. Cooling in the switched-off oven reduced surface stress.
- Final method: 160°C (325°F) + jiggle test + gradual cooling = smooth top, creamy center, and neat edges for bars that travel well.
Conclusion and final thoughts
These bars are my go-to when I want peppermint chocolate flavor without the fuss of a tall cheesecake or a finicky water bath. If you follow the “low-mix eggs + bake to jiggle + chill overnight” rhythm, you’ll get a dense, creamy bite with a crisp chocolate base and a clean, bakery-style slice.
If you make these, write down your peppermint amount and brand—tiny differences change the final flavor more than you’d expect. And if you’re serving a crowd, slice them small: they’re rich in the best way.
Nutrition and disclaimer
Approximate nutrition (with ganache, assuming 16 bars): about 320–380320–380 kcal per bar (varies by brands and portion size). Values are estimates; always follow food-safety best practices (keep refrigerated, limit room-temp time).
