Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and bake the crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment. Set the pan aside so the crust can be pressed and baked right away.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes and look for a fragrant, lightly set crust.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Continue mixing until there are no visible lumps.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating just to incorporate after each addition. Stop as soon as the batter looks uniform.
- Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, melted butterscotch chips, and butterscotch extract until the filling is glossy and cohesive. Scrape the bowl to fully combine.
- Pour the filling over the baked crust and spread it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325F until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
Chill, top, and serve
- Cool the bars to room temperature before chilling. The surface should look fully set and not wet.
- Refrigerate the bars for 3 hours to firm up. Chill until the bars slice cleanly.
- Melt butterscotch chips with heavy cream together, then drizzle over the chilled bars. Finish by scattering crushed graham crackers for garnish, creating visible golden streaks and texture.
Notes
For the smoothest texture, beat only until combined and avoid overmixing after adding the eggs. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freeze bars (without topping garnish if you prefer) for up to 2 months. If you want a lighter option, swap low-fat cream cheese for the full-fat version and expect a slightly softer set.