St. Patrick’s Day Cheesecake Bars

St. Patrick’s Day Cheesecake Bars
By Tommy Burkhammer Jr.  

Cookie Crust 

• 24 Mint Oreo’s  
• 3 tablespoons melted butter  
• 1/3 cup sugar

 

Cheesecake Filling 

• 24 ounces cream cheese (room temp)  
• ¾ cup sugar  
• 3 large eggs (room temp.)  
• ¾ cup sour cream (room temp.)  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (measure with your heart)  
• ½ teaspoon salt  
• ½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream   
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour  
• Green gel food coloring  

 

Preparation Steps  

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and add a high-walled pan of water to lowest rack. Line  a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. (for easier removal) 
2. Add Oreos to food processor until finely ground. If you don’t have access to a food  processor, put them in a Ziploc bag and squeeze all the air out then close the bag  and go to town with a rolling pin. 
3. Once ground add your melted butter and sugar and fold together with a spatula. Add mixture to baking pan. Press mixture firmly into pan using (washed) hands. Set  aside. 
4. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer and large mixing bowl, beat room temp. cream cheese well, until smooth and creamy. Then add your sugar and mix together well. 5. One by one, add room temp. eggs until each is fully mixed in before adding the next  one. 
5. Add your room temp. sour cream, salt, vanilla, all-purpose flour, and Baileys and continue mixing until you have a smooth and creamy filling. 
6. Take one cup of your cheesecake filling and add to a separate bowl and add green gel food coloring and mix well. 
7. Pour your white cheesecake mixture onto your cookie crust, then add your green mixture on top. 
8. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes or until the center of your cheesecake is over 150 degrees.
9. Once done remove from oven and let rest on countertop for one hour, after the hour  set in the fridge overnight. Pull up on your parchment paper for easy removal and cut  into bars. 

These cheesecake bars are sure to be a hit at your St. Patrick’s Day parties. The mint flavor lends itself wonderfully to the taste of the Bailey’s Irish Cream. Don’t drink? No problem!  Remove both the Bailey’s Irish Cream and the all-purpose flour from the cheesecake filling  and you’ll still have a delicious cheesecake with a nice mint Oreo crust.