Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Squares

Name: Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Squares
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 49 squares.
Ingredients: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs; 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans; 1/4 cup butter, melted; FILLING:; 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/4 cup sour cream; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; COATING:; 24 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped; 3 tablespoons shortening

Satisfy your cheesecake craving with these bite-sized treats. Dipped in chocolate, these sweet, creamy delights are party favorites. But be warned...you won't be able to eat just one! —Esther Neustaefer, La Crete, Alberta

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
FILLING:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
COATING:
24 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons shortening

Directions

Line a 9-in. square baking pan with foil and grease the foil. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans and butter. Press into prepared pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack. Freeze overnight.
In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
Using foil, lift cheesecake out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut cheesecake into 1-1/4-in. squares. Work with a few pieces at a time for dipping; keep remaining squares refrigerated until ready to dip.
Using a toothpick, completely dip squares, one at a time, in melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Spoon additional chocolate over the tops if necessary to coat. (Reheat chocolate if needed to finish dipping.) Let stand for 20 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 141 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated fat), 22mg cholesterol, 48mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

Originally published as Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites in Taste of Home October/November 2007

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Robin

Aug 30, 2017

I have been making these for YEARS, since the recipe came out in the magazine. If you follow the recipe for the most part, they will come out amazing.I melt the chocolate over a double boiler, I am not a fan of melting it in microwave. The chocolate seems to stay smoother. I also omit the pecans in the crust. I have added toppings over the years such as crushed peppermint, other types of nuts, crushed cookies. You can also flavor the chocolate. My family look forward to this EVERY YEAR AS WELL AS MY CO-WORKERS. Double batches are a must as I only make them during the holidays. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
J9M

Aug 29, 2015

Had so much trouble with the chocolate. Just could not get it to be thin enough to dip, so I decided to put it in a squeeze bottle and drizzle it all over. Much easier and more eye appealing I think. And had lots of chocolate left over :(
Kglossip

Jul 4, 2015

These are awesome! Very very easy ! I added extra butter in the crust and omitted the nuts... I also added s little extra shortening when melting the chocolate... They were super easy to dip when frozen. I used foil pans and just cut them open to release the cheesecake!
Cornwall

Jul 29, 2014

These are simply delicious. Everyone loved them. I made them ahead and froze them for a party. My recipe shows shortening for the chocolate and it works very well for coating.
jdh0731

May 4, 2014

This is like "cheesecake crack squares" these are totally amazing!!
Twodisneyfans

Feb 3, 2014

I made these for the Super Bowl. It was fun to have a bite-sized dessert that we could enjoy at any point in the day and was easy to serve up. I followed the directions and used 1/3 less fat cream cheese. I had no problems melting the chocolate - shortening is the thing to use and not butter (I've read the water in butter can make the chocolate seize up). I melted the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes - stir - and then go in 30 second increments at 50% power until it's all melted when I stir. My guests loved the treats!
angie159

Oct 5, 2013

I made these last night but I had a problem with melting the chocolate and the butter together (didn't have any shortening). After decimated a few villages of chocolate chips (ok it was alot) I finally got a batch to work by adding water. Just wondering if I should of just omitted the butter and just melted the chocolate? Other than the chocolate issue, these were super easy to make and I am sad that I have to share today at work.
mknuth

Mar 1, 2013

These delicious cheesecake bites are a runaway hit in my crowd! I took one reviewer's suggestion and tweaked it a little, to spectacular results. Instead of swirling something extra into the batter for another layer of deliciousness, I spread seedless raspberry jam over top of the whole thing and froze it all together. People were so surprised (and happy!) to bite into that little extra bit of flavor!
anrahadiaz

Jan 26, 2013

Made this recipe with 1 minor change. I bought the chocolate for that comes in chips ready to melt. I did this because I didn't want to have to buy 2 ingredients for it as recipe suggested and this was faster and easier. Having said that (and I always use those chips and they work perfectly and taste delicious) I couldn't quite get the technique down to cover them in chocolate. I did a few but felt like I was using too much chocolate. I ended up just heavily drizzling them and they still looked fantastic and the taste is to die for. I will definitely make these for any event I may have. Fabulous!!! Oh, the chocolate I used was Dolci Frutta which can be bought at Ralphs or Food for Less. Other stores might also carry it but I know these places definitely carry it. Enjoy!
TerryAndMike

Dec 6, 2012

These cheesecake bites are a must-have on any Christmas cookie tray! I've been making them for several years, and they're always one of the most popular. They're time-consuming to make, but well-worth the time and effort. I suggest you be sure the cheesecake is frozen before dipping; I take no more than a dozen out of the freezer at one time for dipping.