I love modifying recipes. Taking something traditional and trying a new spin on it. Like my Ravioli Lasagna Hack!
This week, I tempted fate (and my tastebuds) with a new take on… Cheesecake!
Now, I bet I’m going to offend some die-hard cheesecake lovers here, but… then just make cheesecake your plain old way. I like trying new things!
So… I was sent a stocking full of Fig Bars from Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars – the name kinda says it all! But not really because Fig Bars are more than just figs. They are strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, mango, peach-apricot, and apple cinnamon, not to mention lemon!! And, well, figs too.
I unwrapped one of these bars and was kinda tickled to see it’s not one big bar but two smaller bars – now isn’t that perfect for sharing with two little boys running around always wanting snacks?
But then for some reason, I got to thinking. What if I put something on TOP of these little Fig Bars? Hmm…. and that’s when it hit me: Cheesecake!
Because you know, making graham cracker crust is kinda messy and bothersome. Why not put a Fig Bar in the bottom of a muffin cup and pour the cheesecake batter on top?
And so that is what I did. Exactly so.
For the cheesecake batter I used a pretty basic recipe, which I’ll put here. I read about a dozen recipes online and they pretty much all say the same thing so I guess nobody has the copyright on cheesecake!
Fig Bar Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar (if you like it sweeter, increase to 3/4)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Fig Bars! (About 9 packages)
Instructions
- Blend the first four ingredients until smooth.
- Line muffin tins with 18 muffin cups. Place one Fig Bar piece into each cup and press down.
- Fill rest of muffin cup with cheesecake batter until 3/4 full.
- Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until done (center should just barely jiggle and will set up during cooling).
- Remove from oven and let cool. Peel muffin cup away and enjoy!
Notes
Add a dollop of jam or jelly or canned fruit to the top of each cheesecake for garnish and sweetener!
The Fig Bar Mini Cheesecakes are denser than your typical cheesecake crust, so be prepared for a more filling treat (that’s why I made minis!). The denseness may not be to your liking, but I found them to be rather tasty and different. As you bite into each mini cheesecake, you get a slightly chewy crust and then a flavor burst of whatever fruit filling was in the Fig Bar! Added bonus: the Fig Bar crust is easy to hold while you’re eating!
I used a variety of flavors – blueberry, raspberry, and lemon – and then placed a small dollop of matching jam on top of each for garnish!
So that’s my little cheesecake hack for your last minute holiday baking! But I also love that Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars make great pack-able snacks for all those trips over the river and through the woods that come up this time of year. And in so many flavor choices, who can resist nibbling!?
How about throwing some in a stocking? Care package? Gift basket? Lunchbox? Yes, there’s so many ways to enjoy Fig Bars!
While not organic, Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars are non-GMO Verified and contain no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or colorings. They do pack a bit of a sugar punch at 10 grams per bar package, that is to be expected from such a sweet fruit (1 fresh fig contains over 8 grams of sugar, according to www.whfoods.org). Just enjoy in moderation!
If you’re a fig lover, visit the Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar Fanatics Program.
WIN IT: One reader wins a package of Fig Bars – that is, one box of each flavor!! ARV $36. US only. Enter in the form below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This post was created in partnership with Nature’s Bakery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Both of my kiddos love these bars so much we get the variety pack from Costco!
Both of my kiddos love these bars so much we get the variety pack from Costco!
I think the Blueberry sounds amazing!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I think the Blueberry sounds amazing!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Vanilla raspberry sounds delicious.
Vanilla raspberry sounds delicious.
I think I would like the lemon flavor the best. Your recipe sounds very interesting! What a unique way to use fig bars!
I think I would like the lemon flavor the best. Your recipe sounds very interesting! What a unique way to use fig bars!
The lemon sounds good! I’m pregnant so this might be a nice mid afternoon pick-me-up, and also a healthy snack for the kids.
The lemon sounds good! I’m pregnant so this might be a nice mid afternoon pick-me-up, and also a healthy snack for the kids.
Your recipe looks tasty. I think I’d like to try the raspberry bars first.
Your recipe looks tasty. I think I’d like to try the raspberry bars first.
the strawberry flavor
the strawberry flavor
we love this brand of fig bars. blueberry is really good
we love this brand of fig bars. blueberry is really good
I would love to make the cheesecake fig bar recipe as a snack for me and my children!
I would love to make the cheesecake fig bar recipe as a snack for me and my children!
The Strawberry Fig Bars sound really yummy. I love fig in general.
The Strawberry Fig Bars sound really yummy. I love fig in general.
I like the raspberry
I like the raspberry
I would like to try the apple cinnamon and whole wheat fig bar flavors.
I would like to try the apple cinnamon and whole wheat fig bar flavors.
The cheesecake recipe looks yummy. I didn’t know you can add fig bars to cheesecake! 🙂
The cheesecake recipe looks yummy. I didn’t know you can add fig bars to cheesecake! 🙂
The raspberry fig bars sound good.
The raspberry fig bars sound good.
I would like the Vanilla fig the most. I love anything vanilla
I would like the Vanilla fig the most. I love anything vanilla
I think I would like the raspberry the most! I would love to try this recipe with them! I may have to check the stores here to see if they have them!
I think I would like the raspberry the most! I would love to try this recipe with them! I may have to check the stores here to see if they have them!
We love these fig bars… they are my go-to snack for my daughter. (She actually thinks of them as dessert.) The raspberry are our favorite, and I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
We love these fig bars… they are my go-to snack for my daughter. (She actually thinks of them as dessert.) The raspberry are our favorite, and I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Wow, this is extremely clever!! I’ve pinned it to try after the holiday rush is over.
Wow, this is extremely clever!! I’ve pinned it to try after the holiday rush is over.
I absolutely love Fig Bars. I would have never thought to use it as a crust for my cheese cake – I am totally trying this out.
I absolutely love Fig Bars. I would have never thought to use it as a crust for my cheese cake – I am totally trying this out.
My husband loves fig bars. I haven’t heard of Nature’s Bakery products — I’ll be sure to look for these on my next store trip!
My husband loves fig bars. I haven’t heard of Nature’s Bakery products — I’ll be sure to look for these on my next store trip!
That’s a really neat idea. I’d want to hide a Reese’s in there!
That’s a really neat idea. I’d want to hide a Reese’s in there!
YUMMM.. how sweet are these.. Love how simple they are and they look sooo elegant, I bet they are amazing, never thought of using a fig bar as a bottom.. Love it.. thanks for a great recipe idea for our next dinner party
YUMMM.. how sweet are these.. Love how simple they are and they look sooo elegant, I bet they are amazing, never thought of using a fig bar as a bottom.. Love it.. thanks for a great recipe idea for our next dinner party