Favorite Cheesecake Squares

All the creamy payoff of cheesecake, none of the springform-and-water-bath fuss. These bars deliver a tangy cream cheese center over a buttery walnut crust, baked in a simple square pan and cut into tidy squares.

The crumb mixture is the workhorse. Brown sugar, flour, and chopped walnuts get pressed into the bottom and pre-baked for a sturdy base, while a reserved handful, tossed with chopped M&M’s, becomes the streusel scattered on top.

The candy does more than decorate. M&M’s layered over the crust and crumbled into the topping melt into little pockets of chocolate and stud the bars with bright color, which is exactly why kids hover around the pan.

The cream cheese filling itself is simple, blended smooth with sugar, vanilla, and an egg so it bakes up dense and silky.

Pro Tips

• Soften the cream cheese fully before mixing so the filling blends smooth without lumps.
• Line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang, to lift the whole slab out and cut clean squares.
• Cool completely, then chill before slicing; warm bars are too soft to cut neatly.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans, or skip the nuts for a plain crumb.
• Use chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, or crushed candy bars instead of M&M’s.
• Add a little lemon zest to the filling for a brighter cheesecake tang.