Cheesecake | The Domestic Rebel

Rice Krispy Treat No Bake Cheesecake

June 6, 2016 83 Comments

Today, I’m coming at ya with this AMAZING Rice Krispy Treat No Bake Cheesecake. And it’s a doozy!

So. I’m struggling.

Summertime’s in full swing in Sacramento and to call it ‘sweltering’ would be an understatement. Girl, it’s HOT here. Like denim shorts fusing to your skin hot. Like sweating profusely on a morning walk hot. Like if you turn on the oven I’m going to scream at you hot.

So no bake treats? We need them desperately.

I’m on a mission to create as many no-bake treats as I can this summer to avoid turning on my oven as much as possible. Of course I’m still going to bake traditional goodies like cookies, regular cheesecakes and cupcakes, but I want to save those for days when I’m feeling ambitious and somewhat sadistic.

Thus, this wonderful No-Bake Cheesecake was born!

I have a very similar version in my new cookbook, Out of the Box Desserts, which comes out in August… or which should be arriving on your doorstep shortly if you ordered from QVC! The cheesecake base is the same, but the crusts and toppings are a little different. Whether you make my cookbook’s version or this version, promise me you’ll make one or the other – they’re simply too good not to enjoy!

And everyone will flip out when they see that the crust is made out of a giant Rice Krispy Treat. I meeeeann… you are so welcome.

Of course, this cheesecake is only for die-hard RKT fans like myself. If you’re not a superfan of the stuff, then you may want to pass. This is pure, unadulterated RKT goodness.

So let’s break it down for ya. You make a standard batch of Rice Krispy Treats, except instead of pressing it into a square or rectangular pan, you’ll press it into a greased 9 or 10″ springform pan. Springform pans are also traditionally used for cheesecake, and it is necessary to help pop the crust out when it’s finished setting. Let the crust set in the pan for a couple minutes while you prepare the glorious marshmallow cheesecake filling.

For the filling, simply beat together some cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla – standard stuff. Beat in some marshmallow creme (and try not to groan audibly) and then fold in some Cool Whip. Now, whenever I make a Cool Whip recipe, all you naysayers come out of the woodwork, but PLEASE, use real deal Cool Whip. Real whipped cream isn’t as stable as Cool Whip is, and your cheesecake won’t stay as high, fluffy and airy with anything other than Cool Whip. So yeah, blame science.

Then, pour that wonderous marshmallow cheesecake goodness into your RKT crust. Garnish with whipped cream (there’s where you can use real-deal whipped cream) and plenty of stacked and cubed RKTs for garnish to really drive the point home that you mean business and are not to be messed with.

And that’s that! Fluffy, light, airy, marshmallowy goodness that sits inside of a giant, gooey, crispy RKT crust. The end.

*adapted from my Toasted Marshmallow S’mores No Bake Cheesecake in my book, Out of the Box Desserts

4.8 from 5 reviews

Rice Krispy Treat No Bake Cheesecake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: No Bake

Prep time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours 30 mins

Serves: 8-10

This No Bake Rice Krispy Treat Cheesecake is phenomenal! Light, fluffy and packed with flavor, it's perfect for any and every die-hard RKT fan!

Ingredients

FOR CRUST:
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
¼ cup salted butter
1 pkg miniature marshmallows
FOR FILLING:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme/fluff
1 (8 oz) pkg Cool Whip, thawed
FOR GARNISH:
Whipped cream
Cubed & prepared Rice Krispy Treat Squares (I used the ones from the box)

Instructions

Liberally grease a 9" or 10" springform pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add in the Rice Krispies cereal. Set aside momentarily. In a medium saucepan, melt the salted butter and marshmallows together over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss until totally combined. Pour the cereal into the prepared pan and, using a greased glass cup, press the cereal mixture into the pan, forming a base and sides. Put aside to set, about 20 minutes.
While crust sets, make your filling. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the marshmallow creme until smooth. Lastly, fold in the Cool Whip by hand until combined.
Spread the filling mixture into the crust, smoothing out the top. Garnish with whipped cream piped along the perimeter of the cheesecake and top with stacked prepared & cubed Rice Krispy Treats in the center. Chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge before cutting into slices.

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This Rice Krispy Treat No Bake Marshmallow Cheesecake is amazing! A total crowd pleaser, it's super easy to make and no-bake! Gooey, fluffy, creamy and smooth with that wonderful marshmallow flavor!

This cheesecake is SO creamy, decadent and delicious while still being light and fluffy. It’s sure to make a great impression at any backyard BBQ, party, or even a random Monday night! 🙂

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cheesecake, Everything!, Guilt-Free, No-Bake, Treats

Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert

April 18, 2016 3 Comments

What can I say? I am obsessed with these lush dessert recipes.

I’ve made S’mores. Cake Batter. Chocolate Mint. Even a Gingerbread Toffee version (my favorite).

So needless to say, a Strawberry Cheesecake Lush was bound to happen.

One, because it’s spring and this recipe is super springy. And two, because I don’t have very many strawberry recipes on this site. Sorry about that! I promise it’ll change, starting with this recipe!

What I love about lush desserts is that they’re incredibly versatile, portable, great for feeding a crowd, and they have a fun name. I mean, what other dessert can you call a lush? Although this doesn’t have booze in it, it’s lush in the fact that it’s so creamy and light… positively luscious.

Plus, they take minutes to make, and while they do take time to set up, you can make them the night before for easiness and just break it out when everyone has a dessert hankering. Easy as pie. Or lush. 🙂

So let’s talk more about this lush because I am obsessed with it, and also because you don’t want to hear about my other obsessions, which are far more boring than this.

This lush starts with a Golden Oreo base. Crush ’em up in coarse crumbs and mix it with a little melted butter to hold everything together. Press it into your greased pan – I like using an 8″ pan, but you could use a 9″ pan or double the recipe for a 13×9″ pan. This entire recipe is no-bake, so there’s no need to bake the crust, either. Yasssss.

Next, wipe out your bowl and make your pudding. For this recipe, you’ll need one box of instant cheesecake pudding mix. I use the 3.4 ounce box, which is sold at most grocery stores. Mix it up with a little milk and then fold in some Cool Whip until it’s nice and smoooooth. Then stir in some chopped fresh strawberries. So delicious, y’all!

Spread it in the pan and top with more Cool Whip and chopped strawberries. Let it set for a couple hours (at least 6, but preferably overnight) and then serve it up! This stuff is addicting! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

A few notes…

Oreo just released Strawberry Shortcake Golden Oreos. They are pretty darn tasty! You can absolutely use these in place of the Golden Oreos in this recipe for more of a strawberry flavor.

Please use instant pudding in this recipe! If you cannot find the 3.4 oz box of cheesecake pudding mix, use the 1 oz box – just make sure the 1 oz box yields the same amount as the 3.4 oz box (about 4 servings).

Now make this!

Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: No Bake Treats

Prep time: 8 hours 10 mins

Total time: 8 hours 10 mins

Serves: 9

This No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert is fantastic! Light, easy to prepare and so tasty! Double the recipe if you're feeding a crowd!

Ingredients

1 pkg Golden Oreos, coarsely crushed
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant cheesecake pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 (16 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
4 cups chopped strawberries, divided

Instructions

Grease an 8" or 9" square pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the coarse Oreo crumbs with the melted butter; toss to combine and coat completely until moist. Press the Oreo crumbs into the prepared pan in an even layer, compacting with the bottom of a glass if necessary.
Wipe out the bowl and add in the pudding mix and the milk. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Fold in half of the Cool Whip (about 2 cups) until combined. Fold in two cups of the strawberries.
Spread the mixture into the pan. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and the remaining strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until set.

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This Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert is so simple to make... and eat! Layers of Golden Oreos, cheesecake pudding, fresh strawberries and whipped cream come together in this easy, no bake recipe!

Creamy, sweet, light and luscious, this lush dessert is packed with amazing strawberries and is so simple to prepare… and even simpler to eat!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cheesecake, Everything!, No-Bake

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars

March 30, 2016 15 Comments

You guys. I can’t even with these bars!

So lately I’ve been on a cinnamon roll kick. This is probably because I never make cinnamon rolls because when I do, I promptly make it a one-woman race to see how many I can eat in a single sitting. Not surprisingly, I always win. Also not surprisingly, all the cinnamon rolls are gone.

In my head, I’ve been plotting and planning different cinnamon roll-esque recipes to share with you guys. One was the recipe for these Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars, the ones you see here. The other was for a cinnamon roll bundt cake which, it turns out, defied all laws of gravity and stayed inside the confines of the pan forever and ever.

I literally had to chisel it out with a knife and a spatula, contorting the pan around my body in ways no pan should be contorted, until it finally released and the bottom half plopped onto the counter all lame-like and pathetic.

I then had to exercise all of my muscle in order to pry the top half out of the pan. This resulted in me just giving up and soaking the pan in water for three days.

But luckily, these cheesecake bars were a screaming success. They are based off of my Perfect Cheesecake Bars, which, in my humble opinion, are totally the best. They’re creamy, light, fluffy and packed with flavor, and they’re basically foolproof. No scary springform pans. No frightening water baths. I mean, what’s up with water baths anyway? I don’t want to bathe my food period. I don’t even take baths, and I don’t want my food to get better treatment than I do. So yeah, no water baths. No spas or saunas either.

Here’s what goes down:

Prepare your cheesecake. Beat the living daylights out of some softened cream cheese with some sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract. Lastly, add in sour cream – this makes the cheesecake the creamy, dreamy success that it is. Pour it into your par-baked cinnamon graham crust. Allow me to repeat: CINNAMON GRAHAM CRUST (!!).

While all this is happening, make your oh-so-easy brown sugar cinnamon filling. You just melt some butter, brown sugar and a heap of cinnamon in a small saucepan until melted and gooey and divine. Then drizzle it onto the cheesecake bars and give it a little swirl. Bake until golden and juuuust about set and voila! Amazingness.

Also, I know I’ve been posting a lot of cheesecake recipes lately. If you mind, clearly you are in the wrong place. Sorry not sorry.

FYI: this is totally a breakfast food.

FYI #2: Even my dentist and dental hygienist approve. A DENTIST. So you know it’s good, y’all.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cheesecake

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 9

These Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars are such a dreamy, creamy masterpiece! Smooth, vanilla-scented cheesecake is swirled with a rich, gooey brown sugar & cinnamon swirl topped on a cinnamon graham crust. So easy, so delicious!

Ingredients

FOR CRUST:
2 cups cinnamon graham crackers, finely crushed
⅓ cup butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
FOR CHEESECAKE:
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened to room temp
⅔ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
FOR CINNAMON SWIRL:
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2-3 Tbsp ground cinnamon (depending on how cinnamon-y you want it)
6 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8 pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cinnamon graham crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar together until completely moistened. Press the mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan and bake for approx. 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on.
While crust bakes, prepare your cheesecake. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla. Lastly, beat in the sour cream. Set mixture aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
Spread half of the cheesecake mixture into the prepared crust. Top with half of the cinnamon mixture. I like to draw lines with the cinnamon mixture into the cheesecake and then swirl them together with a butter knife. Top with remaining cheesecake, then remaining cinnamon mixture, swirling together.
Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or until cheesecake is set and the center is just a little jiggly. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

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These Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars definitely qualify as breakfast! This EASY recipe tastes just like gooey cinnamon rolls but in a creamy cheesecake bar!

Gorgeous, perfectly spiced, gooey and creamy, this cheesecake may be my favorite yet!

Craving more cheesecake? Try my other delectable recipes!

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

The Best Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

March 25, 2016 8 Comments

Usually I’m not a big fan of spring, but I’ve come around to it this year.

For one, we’ve been blessed with wonderful weather here in California. I love the rain, so I’m welcoming El Nino with open arms. But on the days when it isn’t raining, it’s perfectly sunny and not too warm, not too cool. If it could be like this forever, I’d never leave!

I think my change of heart has to do with the fact that I found an allergy medication that works. Oh, how I love thee, antihistamines.

That, and I have about a bajillion sun dresses that I need to wear ASAP.

Okay, fine. That, and I love spring flavors. There’s something so refreshingly light and tasty about lemon and blueberries – besides the fact that they pair so beautifully together! Lemon just adds the right amount of tartness to any dessert recipe, and the blueberries bring such amazing sweetness and color. Together, this duo is killing it at this whole spring thing!

And that flavor combination is the inspiration for this gorg Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake. I mean… no words, people. I need an excuse to bring this to a springtime brunch or soiree because it’s the perfect sidekick to any party or get-together!

This cheesecake is so supremely creamy and dreamy, and it’s loaded with tart lemon flavor that adds such a wonderful brightness and lightness. Just before it’s baked, I swirled in some of Lucky Leaf’s Blueberry Fruit Topping, which adds tremendous flavor and a lovely purple-y blue swirl. Then I baked it until it was just about golden and set. I’m a brand ambassador this year for Lucky Leaf and I love their products and know you’ll love them, too.

Once it has time to chill in the fridge, it’s eating time! Just before serving, I highly recommend topping it with a healthy helping of more Lucky Leaf Blueberry Fruit Topping. Have you had the stuff? It’s just divine. Fruity, sweet and sublime. I eat fruit topping on just about anything I can, from pancakes & waffles to cake slices and cheesecake.

Lastly, I serve it up with a dollop of whipped cream and a lemon wedge in case someone wants to impart more of that juicy, bright lemon flavor. Either way you slice it, you’ve got one helluva yummy cheesecake on your hands!

So rejoice in the spring season with me and make this cheesecake!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cheesecake

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 8

This Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is phenomenal! Tart, sweet and bursting with juicy lemon and blueberries, it's so easy to make!

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened to room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
Zest of one lemon
1 can Lucky Leaf Premium Blueberry Fruit Topping & Filling, divided
1 graham cracker crust
Whipped cream and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the graham cracker crust onto a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add in the sour cream and lemon zest and beat to combine.
Pour the cheesecake into the graham crust. Top with 5-6 heaping dollops (about 2-3 Tbsp or so) of blueberry fruit topping onto the cheesecake in a circular pattern. Using a clean butter knife, swirl the blueberry fruit topping into the cheesecake.
Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or until the center is just about set - if it wiggles a little, that's okay. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Just before serving, top the slices with more blueberry fruit topping and garnish with whipped cream and a lemon wedge.

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This Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is outrageously delicious and SO simple to make! Juicy, sweet and tart, it's the perfect balance of flavors in one spectacular dessert!

Creamy, light, lusciously smooth and bursting with fresh lemon and blueberry flavors, you’ll love this fabulous cheesecake!

Be sure to connect with Lucky Leaf on their website, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Have a great day!

xo, Hayley

In the interest of full disclosure, I am working as a blog ambassador for Lucky Leaf. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep my blog business afloat!

Filed Under: Cake, Cheesecake, Everything!, Lemon

Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars

March 23, 2016 10 Comments

Pineapple upside down cake is one of those cakes I often forget about.

For one, it isn’t super popular – is it? I never see it on any restaurant menu, and even our local bakery doesn’t sell it readily. And growing up, we had it about as often as we had liver and onions, which, if you couldn’t guess, was never.

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I finally experienced this classic cake. Sure, it’s kind of retro, but it’s cute and delicious, unlike some other retro foods (I’m looking at you, Jell-O molds with hot dogs in them).

And lemme tell ya – these Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars are all kinds of awesome.

The idea came to me suddenly while I was grocery shopping. I was down the canned fruit aisle and needed crushed pineapple for my Hummingbird Bundt Cake when I realized, I don’t have any nearly as many pineapple recipes on here as I would like. And then I realized, I haven’t had anything pineapple upside down in like, forever. Thus, these cheesecake bars were born!

So the deal is very similar to my Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars – if you haven’t made those yet, I highly suggest you do; they’re one of my favorite recipes.

It’s pretty simple: grease your pan and lay out a sheet of refrigerated crescent rolls. Pinch all the seams up and spread on the cheesecake mixture. The cheesecake mixture is so decadently luscious you’ll want to cry. Instead of white sugar, I used brown sugar to mimic that rich flavor pineapple upside down cake has. I also folded crushed pineapple into the cheesecake batter for amazing flavor and texture.

Top the whole shebang with another layer of crescent roll dough, then cover that jazz with some melted butter and brown sugar. Bake ‘er up and HOLY MOLY, you have something seriously delish happening.

Does it taste exactly like the cake? No, but it has that same flavor profile – deep brown sugar, juicy sweet pineapple, and a cherry on top.

Even if you do eat pineapple upside down cake often, you ought to make these bars asap!

*adapted from my Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 15

These Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars are absolute stunners! They're so simple to make and taste incredible!

Ingredients

2 pkgs refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened to room temp
1 & ¾ cups brown sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
½ tsp cinnamon
Whipped cream and cherries for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray. Unroll one of the crescent dough sheets and lay it flat in the bottom of the pan. Pinch together all the seams to seal. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, one (1) cup of the brown sugar and the vanilla extract together until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the crushed pineapple, juice and all, until combined. Mixture may be slightly lumpy because of the pineapple; that's okay. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the bottom crust.
Immediately unroll the remaining crescent roll sheet over the cheesecake layer, pinching the seams to seal. Pour the melted butter evenly over the top layer. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining brown sugar and the ground cinnamon; sprinkle this liberally over the melted butter.
Bake for approx. 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until chilled. Cut into bars and garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired.

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These Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars are such a fun spin on the classic cake! This EASY recipe takes minutes to prepare and features rich brown sugar, juicy pineapple, creamy cheesecake and a brown sugary crust that's positively irresistible!

Creamy, decadent, tropical and delicious, these may be my new favorite bars!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!

Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake

January 26, 2016 11 Comments

Okay, so you know how everyone has that weird neighbor?

I definitely do.

We’ll call him Plaid Shirt, since that seems to be the only type of shirt he owns.

ANYWAY. Plaid Shirt is weird for many reasons. One, he likes to sometimes park his car on the other block, then walk back home and leave his garage door wide open for hours on end. Why? No idea. My guess? He probably wants it to look like no one’s home so when a burglar comes, he can go all ninja on them and chop them up with a machete. Or something along those lines.

He also loves to drive incredibly slow down the street and wave maniacally at me whenever I’m walking my dogs. Like, not a simple wave. I’m talking arms swinging, fingers fully spread, about to dislocate his shoulder waving, as if I can’t see him or something. Sometimes he even honks, which I loathe completely. And sometimes he’ll roll his window down, say “hiiiiiiiiiii” all weird-like, and wave crazily. The wave is always enthusiastic, always a driving hazard, and always happening.

Then there’s the tidbit about the time he stopped me on my walk to tell me all about his crazy ex-girlfriend. Like I’m talking mega deets about his love life, how she screwed him over, and how now she’s an ex for a reason. Meanwhile I just stood there in my gym shorts and sneakers trying to be like, “well, nice to talking to you but I gotta go. Forever.”

So all of this is fine and dandy (I guess) except for that my dogs literally hate me because every time we walk across the street from his house, my dogs will stop DIRECTLY across the street from his house and will take no less than 12 light-years to finish sniffing, peeing, whatever. It’s always in front of his house when he’s home or secretly home, and sometimes I can see him watching me through his front window even though I pretend not to notice because I’m a passive aggressive loner and don’t want to wave to him.

And I’ll desperately pull on my dogs’ leashes and try to drag them from the grass as if my life depends on it, because let’s face it, it probably does. This is totally the type of dude who would wear a human face mask like in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Well. Maybe I’m just overly suspicious of people who are way too enthusiastic and who willingly risk dislocation of the shoulder to say hello.

Or maybe I’ve just seen way too many episodes of Forensic Files.

Anywho, let’s talk about cake, because there’s always a reason to celebrate with cake… even if that reason is surviving a walk around the block with your dogs.

This cake is a special one, as it’s filled with a lusciously creamy cheesecake filling. From the outside, you wouldn’t be able to tell this sinfully rich and moist chocolate cake had a special secret. But it does, and it’s oh-so delicious.

Enjoy!!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 12-16

This Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake is extra special! While it may look like a standard chocolate cake on the outside, the inside boasts a creamy and luscious cheesecake filling!

Ingredients

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
½ cup oil
1 & ¼ cups water
3 eggs
1 small box chocolate pudding mix
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream
Chocolate sprinkles, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally (and I mean LIBERALLY) grease a bundt pan with cooking spray. I like to use the cooking spray that has flour in it. Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare the cake ingredients: beat together the cake mix, oil, water, 3 eggs, and the package of dry pudding mix for 2 minutes or until combined. Pour ¾ of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make your cheesecake filling. In a small bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and remaining egg until light and creamy. Spoon the cheesecake filling around the middle of the batter in the pan, careful not to let the cheesecake touch the sides or the inner tube of the pan. If it creeps toward the center or the edges, gently use a butter knife to move it back into place.
Spoon the remaining batter over the cheesecake filling and bake for approx. 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before carefully inverting onto a plate or wire rack.
Once cake has cooled completely, make your ganache. In a large bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and heavy cream for about 40 seconds. Stir until smooth. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully pour over the cake evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, if you'd like. Let set for about 20 minutes before cutting. Store cake in fridge.

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This Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake is so supremely moist, rich and utterly decadent! No one will know it has a secret creamy cheesecake filling! So easy and impressive!

This cake is so decadent, rich and utterly divine. You’ll love it!!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Cheesecake, Chocolate, Everything!

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

October 16, 2015 30 Comments

This week was a very important week for me: it’s OCD Awareness Week.

I’ve talked about my struggles with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in the past (click HERE to read about it) and I kinda wanted to update everyone as to how I’m doing and get this all off my chest.

First of all, this week. It’s important because OCD is a very real, very tangible disorder that affects millions of people across the US. It’s often misdiagnosed or swept under the rug, but it’s very real and very painful.

I was diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a teenager, but I’ve had it my entire life. As a child, I had very strict bedtime routines my parents would have to follow, and should the routine go awry or in a different direction, I’d beg them to start all over again. This meant singing lullabies in a particular order, tucking me in a certain way, and doing things in a proper order. As a child, I also had certain anxieties about smells. I’d even have my parents wash my toys because sometimes the smells of them made me uneasy.

As a teen, it was all about the obsessive thoughts and, well, obsessions. Thoughts about death and dying. Thoughts about sex and strange, peculiar, embarrassing fantasies. Obsessions with boys, people, routines. And a small-scale case of hoarding. Hoarding clothes, old makeup, magazines. To this day, I still hoard magazines – I have them saved in my closet for reasons unknown, but the thought of parting with them breaks my heart.

And as an adult, it’s the same story. Obsessed with routine, clinging to it desperately with a significant fear of change. Some days, it manifests itself as something more “minor”, like vacuuming the house until something inside of me clicks and feels better, or surrounding myself with magazines to feel more comfortable. Other times, it manifests as something far more sinister, and that’s when I begin picking. Nit-picking at myself and my flaws mentally, and physically ripping open my flesh and scalp with my fingers until I bleed. Those are the days where I feel completely overwhelmed by this disease; days where I feel like I’m stuck in a dark hole with the tunnel of light so far out of reach.

People often misunderstand OCD. OCD isn’t necessarily about being clean and tidy, though that’s most common. My OCD fluctuates. Some days, I’m obsessed with order and tidiness. I like my kitchen to be spotless and obsess over crumbs and counter stains until I can rid them. Other times, I have so much anxiety building up that piles of things build up, too. Books, magazines, receipts, pens, wrappers, clothes, garbage. I’ll be surrounded by it all without really noticing it. It isn’t until my mom comments on how my room is so dirty or someone complains that our kitchen table (where I work from) isn’t even visible under the piles of stuff. Then I get embarrassed. How did I let this get so bad? How did I let myself go?

It pains me when people make comments about being “so OCD” or joke about the disease. Just because you load your dishwasher a certain way or like to color coordinate your closet doesn’t mean you’re OCD. OCD is much more than that, it’s so much deeper and darker. It’s an insidious monster that affects the person’s every waking thought and action. In fact, each action we make, we’ve likely already obsessed about making it for hours, if not days before hand. We’ve already fantasized these elaborate scenarios of what could happen – what could go wrong – that when the scenario happens, we’re exhausted from dreading it and probing it for so long. It isn’t about wanting clean hands; it’s the intense, very real fear that something terrible will happen if we don’t clean them repeatedly. That sense of doom, like a dark cloud of dread and depression, looming over us, ready to open its arms and surround us any second. The very tangible feeling of panic coursing through our veins, our minds replaying everything in painstaking detail on repeat. That is what it’s like living with OCD. It’s no joke. It’s not funny. It’s very painful, very real.

And I understand that people joke. It’s not like I’ll start crying or slap you across the face if you make a joke like that. But personally, I liken it to the dreaded word “retarded.” I’d never make fun of someone and call them retarded because that hurts those who do have mental and/or physical disabilities. So why would you call yourself OCD when you don’t live your life suffering with it?

All I want is for people to be more aware of what they’re saying and how they say it. That’s all. And to have some compassion for those afflicted with this disorder. There’s such a gross, unnecessary stigma against mental illness in this country, making it often impossible to get the help people desperately need. We need to be more understanding and compassionate toward those suffering and offer an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and a heart to help them heal.

I hope, if nothing else, that you are more aware of OCD after this post, and will make the changes in your life to end the stigma of mental illness and raise awareness about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder if you know someone who may be suffering. And please, don’t blame them for the pile of magazines everywhere – sometimes, that’s the only shred of reality they have left.

Now, let’s talk about something far less sad, shall we? Liiiike these Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars, for example. They’re loaded with amazing caramel flavor and topped with a sprinkling of sea salt for that intoxicating sweet-and-salty goodness. And they’re a cinch to make!

Let’s just say Iatethewholepan. Because I’m not a liar and had no shame when devouring every last crumb. You will want to devour every last crumb, too!

*adapted from my Perfect Cheesecake Bars recipe

5.0 from 1 reviews

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 9

These Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars are a dream come true! Rich, creamy and loaded with buttery caramel and sea salt, they're a sweet and salty lover's perfect food!

Ingredients

1 & ½ cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, finely ground
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter
2 pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
⅓ cup sour cream
1 can prepared dulce de leche
Sea salt, for sprinking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8" pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Mist the foil lightly with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter and stir until moistened. Pour into the prepared pan and press into a compact, even layer. Bake for approx. 12 minutes.
While crust bakes, prepare your filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar for about 2 minutes or until fluffy and light. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Lastly, add in the vanilla, sour cream, and two Tablespoons of the dulce de leche sauce.
Pour the filling over the crust and return to the oven to bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or until the center appears just about set and isn't super jiggly. Tent with foil if the top begins to brown too fast. Cool completely, then spread with the remaining dulce de leche in an even layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

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These Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars are a sweet and salty lover's dream come true! You'll love this easy, foolproof cheesecake recipe!

Caramely, buttery, smooth and creamy, that’s what these cheesecake bars are all about! You don’t want to miss this recipe!

Have a sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Caramel, Cheesecake, Everything!, Sweet and Salty

The Best and Easiest Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

August 24, 2015 41 Comments

It is so hard meeting people as an adult.

As an adult who works from home.

I basically have no friends.

That was almost like the saddest haiku ever, wasn’t it?

I went to our family’s friend’s birthday party over the weekend and I was hoping I’d maybe get lucky and meet someone at the two bars we were going to on a poppin’ Saturday night. Maybe my knight in shining armor would be there playing ping-pong while I sauntered by. Maybe my one and only would be standing next to me, five people deep as we try to flag down the bartender for a drink.

But that didn’t happen. Instead, I stood next to sweaty people and it was not at all romantical.

And it got me thinking: I’ll probably be single forever. I know, poor me – cue the violins. But seriously, where am I supposed to meet the stud muffin in my life? Online? Fat chance – already tried online dating and it failed miserably. At the grocery store? Perhaps, if he wasn’t deterred by peeking in my cart full of chocolate chips, ice cream, cake mix and regret. Based on groceries alone, I look like I haven’t eaten in weeks. And maybe at the gym, if I went to the gym more often than once a week at best. Oops.

The next best thing is at friend’s birthday parties where we’re actually required to dress up nicer than my usual workout attire and shame. But alas, I just had an off night and didn’t meet any hotties. You win some, you lose most. Isn’t that how the saying goes?

Plus, if we’re being honest, maybe these Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are all I really need in life. I mean, they’re smothered in sweet and spicy cinnamon sugar, they’ve got the creamiest, dreamiest cheesecake filling, and they’re portable, so I could take them on vacations with me and pose them in my annual Christmas card. Isn’t that what being in love is all about?

Anywho, these bars are absolutely amazing. I first made them years ago and needed to update the pictures since they didn’t quite do these bars justice. These are crispy, creamy, chewy, glorious bars that deserve the very best… kinda like me. Thankfully, we have that in common 🙂

Make them!!

5.0 from 8 reviews

The Best and Easiest Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 15

These Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are to-die for! Rich, creamy, cinnamon sugary delights that are a cinch to make!

Ingredients

2 pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
¾ cup cinnamon sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Lay one roll of crescent rolls down in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, pinching together any seams to seal and stretching to fit the pan. Set aside.
Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla until combined. Spread the mixture evenly over top of the first crescent roll layer.
Unroll the other crescent roll sheet onto a cutting board and pinch the seams together to seal, lightly stretching it out as you go. Pick it up and carefully lay it over top of the cheesecake filling, covering it completely. Pour the melted butter evenly over the top, and evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake for approx. 30 minutes, then let cool completely before chilling in the fridge. Store bars covered in the fridge.

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These crispy, creamy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are the BEST and EASIEST recipe! This foolproof recipe is so simple to make and tastes amazing!

I love how the cinnamon sugar mixture completely caramelizes on top of the bars, creating this crispy, crunchy crust on top that’s absolute heaven. It melds so well with the light and vanilla-y creamy cheesecake filling. Drizzle on some honey for the complete and true sopapilla effect!

Have a sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!

Perfect Cheesecake Bars

July 27, 2015 17 Comments

Something terribly tragic recently happened. It shook me to my very core.

My oven died.

One day I was minding my own damn business, making spaghetti and getting ready to put some garlic bread in the oven when bam – dead. Kaput. Gone.

It was cold and lifeless. No spark. No light. Just darkness.

And since we already tossed the garlic bread packaging and ran out of gallon-size baggies, we wasted garlic bread. Dead and abandoned. What a shame.

So after complaining a million times, my mom finally contacted our landlord to let them know about our dead-as-all-hell oven. What my mom neglected to say though, was that her daughter is a baker and who bakes for a living and thus, the landlord decided to wait over the weekend before calling someone.

And that’s where I am now. Ovenless and dying, waiting impatiently for it to be fixed and resuscitated.

HOW my mom neglected to mention that I need the oven is beyond me. Did she forget about the fact that we constantly have no less than 5 assorted desserts at any given time? Where does she think these desserts come from? Magic? A dessert fairy? And what does that say about me? That I just sit around eating said assorted desserts all day, binge-watching TV and scratching myself? Come on Mom!

So yeah. Now I’m woefully without an oven and hating every moment of it. Thank goodness I had the good sense to make these Perfect Cheesecake Bars right before it went kaput, though!

These cheesecake bars truly are perfect. They’re soft, creamy, and absolutely heavenly. The secret ingredient is sour cream, which adds another level of creaminess and richness. You’ll adore them!

*adapted from my Easy Oreo Cheesecake Bars recipe

5.0 from 1 reviews

Perfect Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 3 hours 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 3 hours 55 mins

Serves: 9-12

These Cheesecake Bars are SO simple to whip together and taste AMAZING!

Ingredients

1 & ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
FOR CHEESECAKE:
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, at room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Mist the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the finely crushed graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter until combined and moistened. Press into the prepared pan in an even, single layer and bake for approx. 12 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on.
While crust bakes, prepare your filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar with the paddle attachment and beat on medium for about 2 minutes or until combined and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream for about 1 minute or until the cheesecake is very light and smooth.
Spread the mixture into the baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for approx. 35-40 minutes or until the edges are set, the top is very light golden brown and the center is just about set and only a little bit jiggly. Cool completely at room temperature and then once cool, refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before cutting into bars.

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These rich and creamy Perfect Cheesecake Bars are truly the BEST and EASIEST cheesecake bars you'll make! They turn out perfect every time!

Rich, creamy, thick and delicious, you’ll fall in love with these fabulous cheesecake bars! My family and I could not get enough of these!

Have a sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!

No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

July 3, 2015 28 Comments

I’m just gonna get straight to the point.

I hate the gym.

I hate cardio, I hate aerobics, I hate that I’m the only one in Zumba that looks like I’m having a grand mal seizure. I hate having to shower immediately after in fear of catching leprosy or something funky.

So yeah. I recently started up with the gym again and I’m having a helluva time. I know I need to be there so I put in the time, but damn. I’d much rather be shoveling this cheesecake in my face while binge-watching Orange in my pajamas.

…not that I do that or anything. Dontjudgeme.

But I’ll get straight to the point on this cheesecake: it’s the bomb. There’s a couple of qualifiers for you to check off in order to like this cheesecake.

1) You’re human
2) You like dessert
3) You like peanut butter cups in and around your mouth
4) You’re all of the above

This was originally going to be a Nutella cheesecake, but I spotted a jar of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread in the back of my pantry and knew I had to use that instead. It’s like Nutella but with a peanut buttery twist. And it’s oh so delicious in this cheesecake!

Creamy, rich, peanut buttery, thick and delicious, you’ll go nuts for this cheesecake. But you *may* want to make a date with the gym afterwards.

*adapted from the Sinful Sweets cookbook

5.0 from 2 reviews

No Bake Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours

Serves: 8-12

This cheesecake is totally decadent! Bursting with rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter flavors, it tastes like a giant, indulgent peanut butter cup!

Ingredients

1 jar Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ cup heavy cream
1 prepared Oreo chocolate cookie crust
1 bag Reese's Peanut Butter Minis, roughly chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add in the Reese's spread and blend until smooth. Blend in the heavy cream and beat until it has a mousse-like texture.
Spread the mixture carefully into the prepared cookie crust. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Before serving, garnish the pie with the chopped Reese's cups. Cut into slices and serve!

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This creamy, dreamy No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake is divine! It comes together in minutes, is easy to prepare and tastes like the inside of a peanut butter cup!

I promise, the 8 hr. chill time is worth the wait! This dreamy pie tastes just like the inside of a peanut butter cup: smooth, creamy, thick and totally, utterly scrumptious. You’ll love it!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cheesecake, Chocolate, Everything!, No-Bake, Peanut Butter, Sweet and Salty

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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Cheesecake Bundt Cake

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

The Best and Easiest Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Perfect Cheesecake Bars

No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

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