Cate says: I promise that if you make these Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars and bring them to your next party or social gathering, you will be famous in less than five minutes.
Come, take my hand and let me lead you down a dissolute path of delicious decadence. These treats are not low-cal by any stretch of the imagination. They are, in fact, rather an evil force to be reckoned with. But trust me. One bite and you just won’t care.

You’ll find this recipe, along with helpful household hints and creative tips for vintage notions in the back of GOING THROUGH THE NOTIONS.

I hope you also enjoy these delectable bars with their creamy, luscious cheesecake filling, crunchy, buttery fudge-like crust and toasted toffee crumble topping.
Now, get ready for your fifteen minutes of fame!
Makes 36 bars
1 pouch (1 pound 1.5 ounces) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 box (4-serving size) French vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
½ cup melted butter
2½ teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
½ cup sugar
⅔ cup toffee bits, finely crushed
Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients—cookie mix, pudding mix, and brown sugar. Add the melted butter, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, and 1 whole egg until a soft dough forms. Press the dough to cover the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan (with your spotlessly clean fingers!).
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining whole egg, 3 egg yolks, and remaining 1½ teaspoons vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over the crust in the pan.

Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Cate Price’s debut novel is Going Through the Notions. The second book in the series will be A Dollhouse to Die For, and she is hard at work on the third one. Cate loves to chat with readers at her website or on Facebook.
Welcome to MLK, Cate. What a wonderful recipe! Thanks for sharing it and congrats on your series debut.
ReplyDeleteMJ
Thank you, Mary Jane. I'm honored to be here, and I hope everyone enjoys the recipe!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful cover! Congratulations on your cozy debut, Cate!
ReplyDeleteThese sound like they can't miss. I love recipes that are easy to transport and serve a big group. Hah! I was expected some kind of complicated topping -- toffee! Brilliant!
~Krista
Hi, Cate, and welcome to our Kitchen! You had me laughing out loud with your story about "hoping to have leftovers" after your meeting. You can't get a better recipe review than a plate that looks cleaner than your dishwasher leaves it! Your new cozy mystery series looks just delightful. (I have to tell you that I love the description of your husband character who's "endlessly renovating" their old house, lol.) Good luck with GOING THROUGH THE NOTIONS and come on back now, y'hear!
ReplyDelete~ Cleo
Cate, how easy and fun. Love these. Can't wait to share them at a gathering. Or just with myself LOL
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your cozy debut.
Best,
Daryl / Avery
Thanks very much, Daryl!
DeleteHi Krista and Cleo,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the warm welcome! This recipe seems to be a hit every time I've made it, so I hope it proves to be equally successful for others.
And Cleo, I actually live in a place that's over a hundred years old, so it's sort of like playing a never-ending game of Whac-A-Mole with the house. As soon as one thing is fixed ... well, you get the picture.
Thanks for having me, and I would love to visit again sometime!