Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Bar | Make this easy creamy cheesecake bar with a no-bake filling and only 7 ingredients. The only thing baked in this recipe is the graham cracker crust. I use freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange juice and, combined with the whipping cream and cream cheese, it tastes just like an orange creamsicle.
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These orange creamsicle cheesecake bars are the perfect sweet and citrusy cool down on a warm weekend afternoon. These creamy, no-bake dessert bars would be great to bring to a summer bbq - easier (and less messy!) to eat than a melty drippy creamsicle on a stick, right?
Slice them and serve on a plate with an extra edible orange slice garnish. This bar is so rich and creamy and the orange flavor is so bright - you'll only need one piece! K, maybe two!
Ingredients you need
- cookie crumbs - I used graham cracker crumbs here
- cream cheese - softened - important for a smooth filling!
- whipping cream
- light brown sugar
- orange juice and zest - I use Cara Cara oranges because I love them, they are sweet and they are in season where I live right now!
Tools you need
- A microplane to zest the orange
Ingredient Substitutions
This is the third version of this dessert I've made. The other two were:
And I can imagine so many more versions when I think about it. For instance:
- Try lemon or lime juice instead of orange juice.
- You could try light cream cheese if you like it. I've never used it.
- You can also change up the cookies. Try vanilla cookie crumbs instead of graham. I use oreo crumbs for the peanut butter pie.
How to Make frozen, no-bake orange cheesecake bars
To start making this cheesecake bar, we'll need to make and bake the crust first so it can cool completely. Also, make sure that your cream cheese is at room temperature and very soft. If it isn't then the cheesecake bar can have lumpy bits of cream cheese in it because it won't mix properly.
Heat your oven to 350°F and line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. (Tip: This makes it easy to take the frozen bar out and place on a cutting board to cut into slices).
Melt the butter and mix it with the graham crumbs. This mixture should be wet but not glossy with butter. It should stick together a bit when you pinch it together. Place this in the lined pan, spread it out to the edges, and press it down. You can do this with your hands, the back of a spoon or a cup with a flat bottom on it. I use the flat bottom of my measuring cup.
Bake this for about 10 minutes. It'll smell really good! Let it cool completely so the filling doesn't melt when you pour it in. I put mine in the freezer. This only takes 15 minutes or so.
To make the filling, whip the cream with the brown sugar until it's soft and fluffy, to medium peaks. This means when you take the beater or whisk and hold it upright with the whipped cream on it, the cream will have a point on it, but the point will droop over instead of staying straight up.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the orange juice, zest and the vanilla. Whip until smooth.
Gently fold in a third of the whipping cream into the cream cheese mix. Fold in the rest. Pour this into the pan and smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a few hours. Let sit for about 10 minutes before slicing.
I slice mine into 16 by cutting 4 rows each way. I cut the whole bar at once and then leave it in the freezer, taking a few out at a time.
Tips and Tricks
To get your filling super smooth, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. And then whip it really well before adding the orange juice.
Recipes FAQs
Yes. I've made this using peanut butter instead. I've also made a blueberry version. Check above or below for links to those recipes.
More great BBQ recipes
Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Bar
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham crackers crumbs
- 5-7 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 cara cara oranges)
- 1 teaspoon fine orange zest (from 1 cara cara orange)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine enough melted butter with the cookie crumbs to get a moistened, wet sand kind of mixture. This should be moist but not glossy. Press this into a 9x9 pan and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Whip the cream until it starts to thicken, and then add the vanilla and brown sugar. Whip until well combined. Chill until needed.
- Beat cream cheese until very smooth, a couple of minutes in a stand mixer (if the cheese is not at room temperature it won't whip up nicely and this may result in a lumpy filling). Mix the vanilla extract, orange juice and zest with the cream cheese until well combined.
- Gently fold in the sweetened whip cream.
- Freeze for 3-4 hours, or until the dessert is fully chilled and hardened. Let stand 5 minutes or so before cutting – this will make it easier but keep the bar solid. Store in the freezer.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!