Lucky White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Feel lucky this St. Patrick’s day with these white chocolate cheesecake bars with a Lucky Charms crust and topping.

You know you’re a food blogger when: you separate out the marshmallows from the frosted oats of Lucky Charms cereal for a recipe. But there was no waste! Because the frosted oats were actually used first, ground up and mixed with butter for the crust of these darling little cheesecakes. After baking the crust, it was topped with white chocolate cream cheese filling. Once cooled, it was topped with more white chocolate in the form of green ganache. Last but not least, the marshmallows were reserved for the topping, right where they belong.

I love cheesecake bars because they cook faster than a regular cheesecake and they require less tricks to prevent cracking. Of course even if I had made a regular cheesecake that vibrant green ganache would’ve covered it right up. Not to mention the marshmallows on top. But what I’m getting at is that you really need to make these because they are deliciously perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.

As if I weren’t partly inspired by the knowledge of this, it also happens to be National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day today (and tomorrow is National Cereal Day). So whether you make them today to celebrate the food holiday, next week to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, or even next month for Easter, you have lots of opportunities and no room for excuses.

One year ago: Weekly Meal Plan: March 7-13

Three years ago: St. Patrick’s Day Recipe Roundup (2014)

Four years ago: Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla Pie

Five years ago: Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

Six years ago: Apple Harvest Oatmeal

LUCKY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE BARS

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

CRUST

4 oz. Lucky Charms cereal (frosted oats only, reserve marshmallows), crushed

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

6 oz. white chocolate, melted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 eggs

TOPPING

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 Tbsp heavy cream

Green food coloring

Reserved marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang and lightly grease with nonstick spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cereal crumbs and butter. Stir together to moisten the crumbs, then pour into the prepared baking pan. Press firmly onto bottom of prepared baking pan, using the bottom of a drinking glass to ensure that the crust is even. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add chocolate, vanilla, salt, and flour and stir. Add eggs and beat just until combined and no lumps remain. Pour filling onto prepared crust, spreading evenly.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. Cool in pan until cheesecake is room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator to chill. Once chilled, use parchment paper to lift cheesecake from pan.
5. In a small bowl add the white chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Stir in food coloring until blended.
6. Spread the ganache on top of the cooled cheesecake and sprinkle with reserved marshmallows. Refrigerate until ready to slice and serve.

Source: Adapted from my Eggnog Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Swirl.