Chai Cheesecake Bars with Pumpkin Spice Ganache
When did it become so improper for one to dive head long into a pan full of anything – three year old style? Perhaps when we grew up, gained some semblance of fine motor skills and our parents gave us a wicked side eye and a week’s worth of extra chores for plundering into said pan.
Geez, growing up sucks. But this doesn’t. In any possible or conceivable way.
This weekend, wild and crazy turned lazy and bake-y, was just what the doctor’s ordered. No, I mean that literally – because Julie was going to make her grand arrival to the wonderful world of the PNW and we were going to party like its 1999 with a roadtrip down to Portland for a weekend full of fat pants and food-gasms, but got saddled with a wicked case of the laryngitis whilst I battled on with a lingering case of bronchitis. We are a sexy pair. Me with a smoker’s cough and her with a scratchy throated man voice. Really, I’m so glad I’m telling you all about these top tier ailments we’ve both been dealing with when I’m going to be discussing food here shortly.
Mmmm, mmm.
Our men are just diggin’ every moment of this. These are what those vows are allll about. Yay, vows!
So next weekend – WE RIDE! And dang am I amped. It’s like Christmas at the airport. And a stocking full of food and off tune car karaoke!
Anyway – since I had so much time on my hands I spent two straight days in the kitchen, wearing yoga pants and super nifty hair in headbands that go back to middle school. And lots of chai tea and pumpkin spice Hershey Kisses to be had by all. I mean, me.
In other news, when Ben came home he brought my wedding gift with him. It’s the bookcase you see below. Hand made. He went all New Yankee Workshop for me and gave me a Megan-Only bookcase to stock with all my cookbooks, props, and all the crap he didn’t want on “his” bookcase anymore. So now I see that his wedding gift wasn’t as self sacrificing as it first appeared – he just wanted a book case sans cookbooks. Which I guess is fair – cause there are a highly unreasonable amount of them.
Whatever his motivations – I love this bookcase. And I know deep down, it was made with all the love in the world. Precisely why I married him.
But that begs the question – or just the statement – that with all his hard work, what did I do with the remaining three shelves he left for excess storage and shelves should I need? I use them as photoboards. Win-Win! Now I don’t have to go and make all the boards I’ve been procrastinating on making. Much like looking into switching car insurances…
Lastly – when my mind (and hormones) changed up on me mid-way through making these, I opted for switching up ganaches from Pumpkin Spice to Dark Chocolate because well, DUH. It’s dark chocolate ganache. Needs I speak forthwith?
Just go forth and make it. Chai, friends. That’s all I have to say.
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Chai Cheesecake Bars with Pumpkin Spice Ganache
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chai Cheesecake in small bites with Pumpkin Spice or Dark Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Biscoff cookies (about 27 cookies/1 package)
- 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 6 tbsp. butter, melted
For the cheesecake
- 3 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dry Chai Tea Mix – not liquid chai tea mix
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Spice ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbsp. butter, cubed
- 15 Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses
If making Dark Chocolate Ganache (optional variation)
- 1 cup Dark Chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 4 Tbsp Butter, cubed
Instructions
Crust:
- In a food processor, pulse Biscoff cookies until pulverized and no large chunks remain.
- In bowl mix together cookie crumbles with butter and brown sugar. Press into a 13×9 inch pan and set aside.
Cheesecake:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl to ensure all cream cheese is smooth.
- Beat in sugar and chai tea mix until thoroughly mixed. Add in flour and beat again.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds between eggs. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Scrape into the 13×9 inch pan and smooth. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Pumpkin Spice Ganache or optional Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- In a microwave safe bowl, add pumpkin spice Hershey Kisses, pouring heavy cream and cubed butter over the top. Place in microwave and heat in 30 second intervals on 50% intensity.
- Stir in between intervals and cook until chocolate/Kisses have just melted. Do not over cook and burn the chocolate.
- Pour Pumpkin Spice Ganache/Dark Chocolate Ganache over the top of the completely cooled cheesecake bars.
- Wait for ganache to cool completely or chill for at least 30 minutes. Slice, serve and devour.
Notes
Original recipe from Bakerella, adapted from Table for Two Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache
Source: Original Cheesecake Recipe from Bakerella, adapted from Julie Table for Two’s Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache
Seriously Megan, THIS. IS. BEAUTIFUL! Love you married lady!
like whoa. chai is my life! life blood! need this!
What a sweet wedding gift…I would die for a bookcase all to myself! These bars are ridiculous….pumpkin spice ganache?! Yum!!
Um… I thought normal chocolate ganache could never be topped. Man, I was SO wrong!!
Jeez louise. I’d be eating these face-first, that’s for sure. I LOVE chai & cheesecake is my jam.
I hope you and Julie are feeling better! But uh, if I had these bars…yeah, I think they’re the cure to any ailment. 😉
Pumpkin spice ganache?! Amazing!
LOVE! Chai + pumpkin have to be an out-of-this-world combo! Can’t wait for one of these! hope you are feeling better, love!
That ganache is crazy and totally perfect for October.
This is so perfect! I love how you add Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses. Yummm! and have a fat pants weekend with Julie!
i want to live at your house. Have a spare bedroom?
Holy crap, girl. These look amazing.
Seriously, killing me with this. Looks SOOOO good 🙂
I’d find myself out of control with these bars…not even close to control. Not even in the same realm. Chai, YES….cheesecake, YES…pumpkin genache, YES! I bet these bars cured your ailments! I’m having some serious envy because I bet all of the flavors in these bad boys are absolutely marvelous together!
oh girl, i know these are amazing and i love that you made the pumpkin spice ganache – KILLER. can’t wait for thursday!! xo
Yah, you’re kinda brilliant. I love these flavours!
Mercy! I need to try these!
I hope you both are feeling better! These bars are just over the top! Pumpkin spice ganache?? I’m in love.
Looks amazing! Have to try this soon!! :))
Omg, the ones with the chocolate ganache look soooooo heavenly.
Umm, pumpkin ganache?! Wowza! Love it!
I must make a rule never to read your blog while hungry…seriously, this could be dangerous!
Pumpkin spice ganache – seriously?! I am not sure it would have made it to the bars, I might have just licked the bowl clean!
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Some semblance of motor skills? Missed that boat on the way to GrownupVille! I didn’t really need an excuse to buy any more of these pumpkin spice kisses, but I’ll use this absolutely phenomenal looking recipe as justification for an extra, extra bag 😉
I’ve still got 2 whole bags left – they’re an obsession now – I’m trying to ration them until next year haha
So I tried making these last night and they didn’t turn out as expected, what brand chai tea mix did you use? The only one I found in the store was the liquid concentrate and the box with bags of chai tea, so I cut opened the bags and used a 1/2 cup of the dry tea. Also, my pumpkin ganache was really thin, should i have added more pumpkin kisses? Help! What did I do wrong??
Hi Amy! I’m sorry they didn’t turn out as you expected. I used a powdered brand of Chai tea that I found at World Market. Oregon Chai team has a powdered mix that is usually widely found, though their liquid concentrate is more popular. Definitely use the powdered chai mix, not the regular “chai tea” from tea bags. Those are more herbal and can be too strong.
and if the ganache is too runny – add more Kisses! 🙂
Hope that helps! Megan
So I tried making these last night and they didn’t turn out as expected, what brand chai tea mix did you use? The only one I found in the store was the liquid concentrate and the box with bags of chai tea, so I cut opened the bags and used a 1/2 cup of the dry tea. Also, my pumpkin ganache was really thin, should i have added more pumpkin kisses? Help! What did I do wrong?
These look AWESOME! Keeping these on the “to be baked” list for sure!
What are those rainbow striped books on the bookcase?!
Hi! I really want to try this recipe as it sounds amazing! However, I cannot find Chai powder in any stores. Did you order it on-line? Get it from a grocery store? Any idea where I can find some? Thanks!!
Hi Marisa,
You can find powdered chai at places like Cost Plus World Market, or I used powdered Oregon Chai which you can often find in the store – but their dry version might be easiest to find online. 🙂 Hope that helps! Good luck!
Thanks Megan for letting everyone know about our wonderful chai tea. The post is beautiful and you sure made us all hungry.. Have a great day!!
– World Market
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