Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Rich, tangy chocolate cheesecake with a subtle stout flavor and a salty-sweet pretzel crust. Add the stout-spiked whipped cream for an extra dose of stout flavor.
Texture: Silky-smooth cheesecake with a slightly crunchy crust.
Ease: So much easier than a full cheesecake – no water bath needed!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’s the perfect unique dessert for St. Patrick’s Day, Father’s Day, or any party.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Chocolate. Stout. Pretzels. All in one cheesecake bar? Yes, please! These Chocolate Stout Cheesecake Bars are about to make all your sweet-and-salty dreams come true.
It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with chocolate. I’ve made my Chewy Brownies well over 100 times. I make my indulgent Chocolate Cake for every birthday. And my Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies are among my most frequently requested desserts.
So when I set out to create this Cheesecake Bars recipe, I knew I wanted to combine rich chocolate with the roasty, toasty, malty depth of stout beer… but I also craved a fun twist.
The answer? A graham cracker and PRETZEL crust for some sweet-and-salty magic.
The texture alone is heavenly, but the addition of that salted pretzel crust takes these bars to another level.
And trust me, even stout haters will want a second slice of these Chocolate Stout Cheesecake Bars!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Chocolate Stout Cheesecake Bars
Use the Right Pan!
Use a light-colored 8×8-inch metal pan like this one for baking cheesecake bars. Avoid using glass or ceramic pans – learn why in my Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans article here.
What Kind of Beer Should I Use?
- My team and I tested this recipe using both Guinness Stout and Guinness Extra Stout.
- I recommend sticking with a stout, as other beer varieties won’t provide the same rich flavor.
- Avoid stouts with added flavors (like coconut, coffee, etc.), as this may add too much extra sweetness.
- Alcohol-free stouts may work, but we haven’t tried that to verify. If you give that a try, let me know in the comments below!
Can I Make These Cheesecake Bars Without the Beer?
This recipe was designed to include beer. If you need to skip the beer, I recommend trying my Nutella Cheesecake Bars or my Chocolate Cheesecake.
The Stout-Spiked Whipped Cream Topping
If you’re a stout fan, don’t skip the stout spiked whipped cream topping! The flavor of the stout in the cheesecake bars is subtle, so adding that topping boosts the stout flavor.
I piped the whipped cream on each individual slice using a disposable piping bag and a Wilton 1M star tip, but feel free to use an offset spatula to smooth it across the top of the whole slab of cheesecake bars and lightly dust cocoa powder to make it quicker and easier.
The Cream Cheese
Use high-quality bricks of full-fat cream cheese (not tubs meant for spreading on bagels). Be sure your cream cheese is totally softened to room temperature before beginning for the smoothest, lump-free cheesecake bars.
The Pretzel & Graham Cracker Crust
My testers said this was their favorite part of the cheesecake bars! I recommend sticking to the graham cracker and pretzel combination as written – but feel free to use the crust recipe from my Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars instead if you’re not a fan of the salty-sweet flavor combination.
Be sure to press the crust down very firmly to prevent it from crumbling as it’s sliced and served.
The Chocolate
Stick to using bittersweet baking chocolate bars for best results. We used Ghirardelli and Baker’s brands in testing. Learn more about chocolate substitutions, using chocolate chips, and more in my Chocolate in Baking article here.
Chocolate Stout Cheesecake Bars FAQs
Sure – simply double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch metal pan, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Refrigerate undecorated cheesecake bars inside an airtight container for up to 4 days. Once topped with whipped cream, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day for best results.
Note that the longer the cheesecake bars sit, the softer the crust will become.
Freeze the completely cooled, undecorated cheesecake inside an airtight container for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge before adding the whipped cream topping.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
Email This Recipe
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup (109 grams) graham cracker crumbs (about 7 whole graham crackers)
- 1 cup (109 grams) pretzel crumbs (about 64 mini pretzels)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup (130 grams) stout beer, such as Guinness
- 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (don’t skip sifting!)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup (180 grams) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 4 tablespoons (31 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons (55 grams) stout
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all crust ingredients until well combined and evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the filling:
- While the crust is baking, make the filling.
- In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate and beer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, at least 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl often.
- Add the sour cream and cocoa powder and beat until combined. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix in the vanilla, espresso powder, and salt until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
- Pour the batter evenly into the cooled crust. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any bubbles.
- Bake at 325°F for about 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly, letting the cheesecake rest inside for 10 minutes. Transfer the entire pan to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Make the topping:
- When ready to serve, make the topping. In a mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add the stout and whip on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into bars using a sharp knife. For cleaner cuts, wipe the knife with a warm, damp cloth between slices.
- Pipe rosettes onto each slice and sprinkle with cocoa powder, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- With Topping: Store the decorated cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- Without Topping: Refrigerate undecorated cheesecake for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Freeze undecorated cheesecake in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then add the whipped cream topping.
This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated with new photos, recipe improvements, additional baking science tips. Photos by Joanie Simon.
I’m not a fan of beer, but I still want it to have an Irish flare. Would a mix of coffee and whiskey work in place of the Guinness?
Hi Mary! We haven’t tried swapping the stout for coffee and whiskey, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. If you’d prefer to skip the beer entirely, check out the other chocolate cheesecake options linked in the “Can I Make These Cheesecake Bars Without the Beer?” section, or try our Bailey’s Cheesecake Bars.
You could also reduce the stout to 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 — our team found that made the stout flavor a bit too subtle and more chocolate-forward, but it might be just right for you so you can still enjoy that pretzel crust! I hope this helps.
May I assume the unsweetened cocoa powder called for here is not Dutch processed? Thanks!
Correct! Unsweetened cocoa powder is also known as natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed. You can learn more about Dutch-Processed vs. Natural Cocoa Powder here. Hope that helps!
These were pretty simple to make, turned out pretty much perfect and are delicious!
These look amazing and I want to make them for a party. Do you think I could triple the recipe and make them in a sheet pan? Dimensions work out okay, but I’m not sure on the height of the bars. My sheet pan in 1.25 inches tall, would they go over or do you think it would work? Thanks!!
Oh man…I cannot wait to make these for a tailgate party!!! Im going to top them with a chocolate ganache and beer-candied bacon 🙂 thoughts?
I’ve just taken the brownies out of the oven. Its going to be really hard waiting for them to cool and chill in the fridge.
That’s definitely the hardest part about cheesecake!
I’ve never tried the beer + chocolate flavor combination before, but it must be good with all of the chocolate stout cakes, cupcakes, and now cheesecake around blog world. Personally, I just love the fact that you used a pretzel crust! It’s such a nice contrast to the chocolate cheesecake.
Oh these are perfect for St Patty’s day! I agree, sometimes you just have to combine chocolate and beer. And, the only con is that it’s not a health food? I’m in for these! Delicious!
Definitely saving this for St. Patty’s day. Love the new blog design too!
Thanks for your post. I also feel that laptop computers are getting to be more and more popular today, and now tend to be the only form of computer utilised in a household. This is because at the same time that they are becoming more and more economical, their working power is growing to the point where they’re as highly effective as pc’s through just a few in years past.