I am obsessed with peppermint and chocolate. Whenever I think about what I want to bake next, all I can seem to think of is how to find another way to combine the two!

Maybe this is another weird - for me - pregnancy craving? Especially since I don’t really care two-bits about chocolate normally!

Today my obsession has taken the form of Peppermint Truffle Cheesecake Bars. Bars instead of a traditional cheesecake, because I wanted something a little easier and less-fancy…

(And what I really mean is, I wanted to be able to cut them up and eat a few before I stick the rest in the freezer for the holidays… which is not so easy with a traditional, too-pretty-to-cut-a-chunk-out-of-just-because-I-have-no-self-control cheesecake!)

These are actually a very light cheesecake bar. Not as rich and dense as a normal cheesecake, they have an almost mousse-like consistency. So yummy!

Peppermint Truffle Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Ingredients:
for the crust:
40 regular Oreo cookies (not double stuffed!), finely crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
for the filling:
2 cups chocolate chips, melted
2 (8oz each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs, room temperature
for the topping:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
4 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1 cup crushed candy canes

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×13″ baking dish with foil.

Stir together the crushed Oreos and melted butter until the crumbs are all moistened. Dump the mixture into your foil-lined pan and press firmly into the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set. Cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and 1 cup sour cream in the food processor until well blended and smooth. Add in the eggs, mixing until just incorporated. With the food processor running, stream in the melted chocolate and mix until blended.

Pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 35-40 minutes. The edges should be set but the center should still be a little wiggly at this point! Let the filling cool while you prepare the glaze.

Carefully melt together the 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butter and corn syrup. Stir in the sour cream and pour the glaze over the filling in the pan. Smooth the top and then sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.

Let the bars cool on the counter for about an hour before you stick them in the fridge to chill overnight, or up to 5 days, before cutting and serving! (These also freeze great… just wrap them well in foil after they are chilled and thaw them in the fridge for a few hours before serving!)