If you love peppermint bark and creamy cheesecake but want a holiday dessert that feels a little less heavy, these Lighter Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars give you the best of both. A crisp chocolate cookie crust holds a smooth peppermint cheesecake filling made with reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt, while a thin white chocolate topping and crunchy crushed peppermint candies give every square that unmistakable Christmas flavor.

These bars are also much easier to serve than a full cheesecake. Bake everything in one square pan, chill until firm, slice into individual bars, and you’re ready for a Christmas party, cookie exchange, holiday dessert tray, or make-ahead family dessert.

Best of all, the peppermint flavor is noticeable without tasting like toothpaste. The combination of chocolate, creamy vanilla cheesecake, white chocolate, and peppermint gives you the classic peppermint-bark experience in cheesecake-bar form.

Easy Lighter Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

Traditional cheesecake can be incredibly rich because the filling relies heavily on full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, and sometimes heavy cream.

For these bars, we’re keeping the essential cheesecake character while making a few intentional changes.

Reduced-fat cream cheese forms the base, while plain Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a slight tang without requiring sour cream. We’re also keeping the white chocolate layer relatively thin rather than burying the cheesecake under a thick topping.

This is still a dessert, not a diet food—and that’s important. “Lighter” simply describes the recipe’s approach compared with an especially rich traditional cheesecake.

The chocolate crust provides just enough cocoa flavor to mimic the dark-chocolate component of peppermint bark, while the white chocolate and peppermint topping provides the recognizable holiday finish.

If you’re putting together several handheld Christmas desserts, these bars pair particularly well with Easy Christmas Cake Pops with White Chocolate Drizzle because both can be prepared ahead and served without plates and forks for every guest.

Why You’ll Love These Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

🎄 Perfect for the Holidays

Chocolate, white chocolate, and peppermint make these instantly recognizable as a Christmas dessert.

🤍 Creamy Without Feeling Excessively Heavy

Reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt create a smooth cheesecake filling while keeping the recipe lighter than many traditional versions.

🍫 Chocolate + Peppermint

The chocolate cookie crust balances the sweet white chocolate and cool peppermint topping.

❄️ Make-Ahead Friendly

Cheesecake needs time to chill anyway, making this an ideal dessert to prepare the day before a holiday gathering.

🔪 Easier Than a Full Cheesecake

No springform pan, water bath, or complicated unmolding is required.

🎁 Easy to Portion

Cut the chilled cheesecake into small squares for Christmas parties, dessert platters, or holiday treat boxes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chocolate Cookie Crust

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

You’ll need approximately 24 chocolate sandwich cookies.

Crush the entire cookies into fine crumbs.

The chocolate crust provides the darker chocolate flavor associated with traditional peppermint bark.

Unsalted Butter

Use 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter.

Butter binds the cookie crumbs together and helps create a crust sturdy enough to support the cheesecake.

Peppermint Cheesecake Filling

Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese

Use 16 ounces reduced-fat block-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature.

Block-style cream cheese is preferable because spreadable tubs generally contain more moisture and can produce a softer filling.

Plain Greek Yogurt

Use ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt.

A thicker Greek yogurt works best.

It contributes creaminess and tang while replacing some of the richness you’d otherwise get from heavier dairy ingredients.

Granulated Sugar

Use ½ cup granulated sugar.

This provides enough sweetness to balance the tangy dairy and peppermint without making the filling overwhelmingly sweet.

Eggs

You’ll need 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature.

Eggs provide structure as the cheesecake bakes.

Vanilla Extract

Use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Vanilla rounds out the peppermint and prevents the filling from tasting one-dimensional.

Peppermint Extract

Use just ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.

Peppermint extract is powerful.

More is not automatically better—you want Christmas peppermint, not mouthwash.

Cornstarch

Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

This helps stabilize the lighter cheesecake filling and encourages clean slices after chilling.

Salt

A small pinch of salt balances the sweetness.

White Chocolate Peppermint Topping

White Chocolate

Use 4 ounces good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped.

We’re intentionally creating a relatively thin layer.

Greek Yogurt

Use 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt to soften the topping slightly and prevent it from becoming an excessively thick candy shell.

Crushed Peppermint Candies

Use approximately ⅓ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes.

Keep the pieces irregular rather than reducing everything to powder.

That gives the finished bars better texture and a more natural homemade appearance.

How to Make Lighter Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

1. Prepare the Pan

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the chilled cheesecake from the pan later.

Lightly grease any exposed sides.

2. Make the Chocolate Cookie Crumbs

Place the chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor.

Pulse until you have fine crumbs.

A few extremely small irregular pieces are fine, but avoid leaving large cookie chunks.

3. Add the Melted Butter

Pour the melted butter over the cookie crumbs.

Pulse or stir until all the crumbs look evenly moistened.

When pressed together, the mixture should hold its shape.

4. Press the Crust into the Pan

Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan.

Use the bottom of a measuring cup or flat glass to press the crumbs firmly into an even layer.

Pay particular attention to the corners.

5. Pre-Bake the Crust

Bake for approximately 8 minutes.

Remove the pan and allow the crust to cool slightly while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Keep the oven at 325°F.

6. Beat the Cream Cheese

Place the softened reduced-fat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat just until smooth.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

7. Add Sugar and Cornstarch

Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Mix on low speed until combined.

Avoid aggressively whipping the filling.

Too much incorporated air can cause cheesecake to puff significantly in the oven and then sink or crack as it cools.

8. Add Greek Yogurt

Add the Greek yogurt.

Mix on low speed until the filling becomes smooth and uniform.

9. Add the Flavorings

Mix in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract.

Stick with the measured amount of peppermint initially.

10. Add the First Egg

Add one egg and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

11. Add the Second Egg

Add the second egg and again mix only until incorporated.

Scrape the bowl gently with a silicone spatula.

The finished batter should look creamy and smooth rather than foamy.

12. Pour Over the Crust

Pour the cheesecake filling over the slightly cooled chocolate crust.

Spread it gently into the corners.

13. Smooth the Surface

Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to level the top.

Tap the pan gently against the counter once or twice to release large trapped air bubbles.

14. Bake

Bake at 325°F for approximately 30–36 minutes.

The outer edges should look set while the center still has a slight wobble when the pan is gently moved.

Don’t wait until the entire cheesecake looks completely firm.

15. Cool Gradually

Turn off the oven and crack the oven door.

Leave the cheesecake inside for approximately 10 minutes.

Then remove it and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.

16. Refrigerate

Once cool, cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

This chilling period is essential for the texture and clean slicing.

17. Prepare the White Chocolate

Once the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, finely chop the white chocolate.

Melt it gently in short microwave intervals, stirring between each interval.

Don’t overheat white chocolate because it can become thick or grainy.

18. Finish the Topping

Allow the melted white chocolate to cool slightly.

Stir in the Greek yogurt until smooth.

The mixture should remain spreadable.

19. Spread Over the Cheesecake

Spread a thin layer of the white chocolate mixture across the chilled cheesecake.

You don’t need a perfectly smooth surface.

A few subtle spatula marks make the bars look naturally homemade.

20. Add the Peppermint

Immediately scatter crushed peppermint candies over the white chocolate before it sets.

Use a mixture of larger red-and-white fragments and smaller peppermint crumbs.

21. Chill Again

Return the pan to the refrigerator for approximately 20–30 minutes, until the topping is firm enough to slice.

22. Lift from the Pan

Use the parchment overhang to carefully lift the entire cheesecake onto a cutting board.

Peel the parchment gently away from the sides.

23. Slice

Use a large sharp knife to cut the cheesecake into 16 bars.

For cleaner slices, wipe the knife between cuts.

Don’t worry about making every peppermint fragment or edge identical—these should still look homemade.

Equipment

• 8×8-inch square baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Food processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Offset spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large sharp knife
• Cutting board

Variations

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

Drizzle a small amount of melted dark chocolate over the finished white chocolate layer.

The slight bitterness works especially well with peppermint.

Extra Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the cheesecake filling for a chocolate-peppermint center.

Mini Peppermint Cheesecakes

Prepare the recipe in a lined muffin pan rather than an 8×8 pan.

Baking time will need to be reduced because the individual cheesecakes are much smaller.

Peppermint Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Reserve a few chocolate cookie pieces and gently fold them into the cheesecake batter before baking.

Less Peppermint

If you’re sensitive to peppermint flavor, reduce the extract to ¼ teaspoon and let the crushed peppermint topping provide most of the flavor.

No Peppermint Candy

Leave off the candy canes and finish with a thin dark chocolate drizzle instead.

You won’t get quite the same peppermint-bark appearance, but the cheesecake will still have peppermint flavor from the extract.

Pro Tips

Use room-temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese is one of the easiest ways to end up with lumps.

Use block cream cheese. Tub-style cream cheese can contain additional moisture.

Don’t overbeat after adding the eggs. Mix only until incorporated.

Measure peppermint extract carefully. A little goes a very long way.

Don’t overbake. The center should still have a gentle wobble when you remove the cheesecake from the oven.

Chill completely before adding the topping. Warm cheesecake and melted white chocolate are not a good combination.

Keep the white chocolate layer thin. This maintains the cheesecake-to-topping balance and keeps the bars from becoming excessively sweet.

Add peppermint immediately. The crushed candy needs the unset white chocolate to adhere.

Use a clean knife. Wiping between cuts makes the layers much easier to see.

Make them the day before. Overnight refrigeration improves both convenience and slicing.

How to Store Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

Because these bars contain cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and eggs, keep them refrigerated.

Place the bars in an airtight container or cover the pan tightly.

For best quality, enjoy them within approximately 4–5 days.

If stacking the bars, place parchment between layers to protect the white chocolate and peppermint topping.

Can You Make Them Ahead?

Yes—and this is actually one of the best things about cheesecake bars.

Bake and chill the cheesecake the day before your gathering.

You can either add the peppermint bark topping that evening or finish the topping the following morning.

This makes them particularly convenient when you’re also preparing other Christmas desserts such as Easy Christmas Cake Pops with White Chocolate Drizzle.

Can You Freeze Peppermint Cheesecake Bars?

Yes.

For the best texture, I prefer freezing the cheesecake before adding the final peppermint candy topping.

Once completely chilled, cut the cheesecake into bars, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer-safe container.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

You can then add the white chocolate and crushed peppermint finish after thawing.

This helps keep the candy topping from becoming sticky as condensation forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes These Cheesecake Bars “Lighter”?

This version uses reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt rather than building the filling entirely around full-fat cream cheese plus richer dairy ingredients.

The white chocolate topping is also intentionally thin.

They’re still a dessert, however, and “lighter” shouldn’t be interpreted as calorie-free or a health food.

Can I Use Full-Fat Cream Cheese?

Absolutely.

The recipe will become richer and slightly denser, but it will work.

Can I Use Fat-Free Cream Cheese?

I don’t recommend it.

The texture and flavor can change considerably, and the cheesecake may not have the same creamy consistency.

Can I Use Regular Yogurt Instead of Greek Yogurt?

Greek yogurt is preferable because it’s thicker and contains less free moisture.

If using regular yogurt, the filling may be softer.

Can I Make These Without a Food Processor?

Yes.

Place the chocolate cookies in a sturdy zip-top bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin.

Can I Use Candy Canes?

Yes.

Candy canes are perfect for the peppermint topping.

Crush them into a mixture of small pieces and crumbs.

Why Did My Cheesecake Crack?

It may have been overbaked, cooled too rapidly, or had too much air incorporated into the filling.

Small cracks aren’t a major problem here because the white chocolate topping will cover the surface.

Why Is My Cheesecake Filling Lumpy?

Your cream cheese was probably too cold.

Bring it fully to room temperature before mixing.

Why Is My White Chocolate Thick?

White chocolate is sensitive to excessive heat.

Melt it slowly in short intervals and stir frequently.

Why Are My Peppermint Candies Getting Sticky?

Crushed candy can absorb moisture in the refrigerator over time.

For the crispest appearance, add the topping relatively close to when you plan to serve the bars.

How Do I Get Clean Cheesecake Slices?

Chill the cheesecake thoroughly.

Use a large sharp knife, make one firm downward cut, then wipe the blade clean before the next slice.

What to Serve with Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

For a Christmas dessert platter, combine these cheesecake bars with Easy Christmas Cake Pops with White Chocolate Drizzle. The cake pops provide a vanilla-forward bite while the cheesecake bars bring chocolate and peppermint.

For a classic cookie option, add Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Their familiar buttery chocolate flavor provides a nice break from peppermint-heavy desserts.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies can also bridge the transition from fall baking into Christmas with warm cinnamon and brown-butter flavors.

If you want something fruitier alongside the chocolate and peppermint, small pieces of Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars give guests a second cheesecake-bar flavor without repeating the Christmas peppermint profile.

Nutrition

These bars are designed to be lighter than an especially rich traditional cheesecake, but exact nutrition varies considerably depending on the brands of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cookies, white chocolate, and peppermint candy used.

For Yummizer, calculate the nutrition through WPRM using the exact ingredient products and quantities entered into the recipe card rather than making a broad “low-calorie” claim.