Santa Hat Cheesecake Bars (with a Crispy Treat Crust!)

Are you searching for the ultimate cute, easy, and completely irresistible no-bake dessert for your next Christmas party or holiday gathering? A festive, crowd-pleasing treat that looks like a masterpiece but is secretly simple to make? These incredible, from-scratch-tasting Santa Hat Cheesecake Bars are that perfect recipe! We’re talking a chewy, buttery crispy rice treat crust, a luscious and creamy no-bake cheesecake filling, and an adorable “Santa Hat” topping made from a fresh strawberry and a fluffy frosting pom-pom.

This isn’t just another dessert recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a flawless, show-stopping holiday treat that requires almost no oven time. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a perfect, sliceable no-bake cheesecake that never fails. This is a guaranteed, crowd-pleasing hit that is as fun to decorate as it is to eat, making it the perfect project for the whole family.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: The Ultimate No-Bake Holiday Treat

What makes these Santa Hat Cheesecake Bars so spectacularly delicious is their incredible combination of textures and their wonderfully simple, no-bake (mostly!) preparation. This recipe is a masterpiece of festive creativity. The base is a classic, chewy, and buttery from-scratch crispy rice treat crust. This is topped with a thick, luscious, and tangy no-bake cheesecake filling, which gets its perfect, sliceable set from a little bit of gelatin. The final, show-stopping touch is the adorable “Santa Hat” decoration: a fresh, juicy strawberry, a fluffy frosting “brim,” and a tiny, piped “pom-pom.”

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	3 hours (includes chilling)
Active Prep Time	40 minutes
Difficulty Level	Easy
Servings	25 squares

The Baker’s Workshop: The Essential Ingredients

This iconic party treat uses a handful of high-quality ingredients and smart techniques to create its signature festive look and delicious flavor.

• The Crispy Treat Crust (A Fun Twist!): A classic, soft and chewy crispy treat base is made from melted butter, fresh marshmallows, and crispy rice cereal.¹ It’s a fun, nostalgic, and naturally gluten-free (if using GF cereal) alternative to a classic crumb crust.
• The No-Bake Cheesecake Filling:
  • Cream Cheese & Sour Cream: The secret to a rich and tangy, authentic cheesecake flavor is a combination of room temperature, full-fat cream cheese and tangy sour cream.
  • Gelatin (The No-Bake Secret!): The magic that allows this creamy, no-bake filling to set up perfectly firm for beautiful, clean slices is a simple packet of unflavored powdered gelatin.
• The Santa Hat Topping:
  • Fresh Strawberries: A beautiful, whole, fresh strawberry makes the perfect, conical shape for our Santa hats.
  • The Frosting “Fur”: A simple, but delicious, from-scratch cream cheese frosting is the perfect, fluffy “glue” for our Santa hats and their adorable pom-poms.

The No-Bake Cheesecake Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect, Sliceable Set

The number one, non-negotiable secret to a successful no-bake cheesecake that slices beautifully is the proper use of gelatin.

1. “Bloom” the Gelatin: You must “bloom” your powdered gelatin before you use it. This simply means sprinkling it over a small amount of cold water and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. This is the key that hydrates the gelatin granules and ensures they will dissolve smoothly and evenly into your filling without any lumps.
2. Melt and Incorporate: Once the gelatin has bloomed into a thick paste, a quick 10-30 seconds in the microwave will melt it into a liquid. It is then ready to be blended into your cheesecake filling, where it will work its magic as it chills.
3. The Long Chill: Once assembled, the cheesecake must chill for at least 2 hours. This crucial, patient step is the key that allows the gelatin to fully set and firm up the entire dessert, which is the magic that will allow you to get beautiful, clean slices.

Step-by-Step to the Best Santa Hat Cheesecake Bars

This fun and festive project is a joy to prepare.

Part 1: Make the Chewy Crispy Treat Crust

Step 1: First, line a 9-inch square pan with foil, making sure to leave a 2-inch overhang on two of the sides to act as “handles.” Lightly coat the foil and a wooden spoon with cooking spray.

Step 2: In a medium saucepan over a medium heat, melt your 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the 5 ounces of mini marshmallows, the 2 teaspoons of honey, the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir with your greased wooden spoon until the marshmallows have completely melted.

Step 3: Add the 4 cups of crispy rice cereal and stir until the mixture is fully combined.

Step 4: Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Use a greased spatula or a piece of greased parchment paper to gently press the mixture into an even layer. Let this sit at room temperature until it is firm, for about 20 minutes.

Part 2: Create the Creamy No-Bake Cheesecake Filling

Step 1: In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine your 1 packet of unflavored gelatin with 2 tablespoons of water. Let this sit and “bloom” for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: In a large bowl, beat your two 8-ounce packages of room temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer until they are completely smooth. Add the 1 cup of sour cream, the 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar, the 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on a medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth.

Step 3: Microwave your bloomed gelatin in 10-second increments until it has dissolved, for about 30 to 50 seconds. Pour the melted gelatin into your cream cheese mixture and beat on a medium-high speed until it is incorporated.

Step 4: Pour the cream cheese mixture over your cooled crispy treat layer and spread it out evenly. Wrap the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cheesecake layer is completely set, for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Part 3: The Art of the Santa Hat Decoration

Step 1: To make the frosting, in a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter and the 2 tablespoons of room temperature cream cheese. Add the 1/2 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar and the 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and whisk until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Use the foil “handles” to lift your chilled cheesecake out of the pan. Cut the cheesecake into twenty-five, 1 3/4-inch squares.

Step 3: Transfer your frosting to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag and snip off a 1/4-inch hole in the corner.

Step 4 (The Fun Part!): Pipe a small circle of frosting on the top of each square. Place one of your hulled strawberries, cut-side down, on top of each frosting circle, pushing down gently so that the frosting comes up around the bottom of the strawberry to create the fluffy “brim” of the Santa hat.

Step 5: Pipe a final, small ball of frosting on the very tip of each strawberry to create the “pom-pom.”

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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead holiday dessert! You can prepare and fully assemble the cheesecake bars (without the strawberry topping) up to 3 days in advance.
• Storage: For the best and freshest result, it is a great idea to wait to add the fresh strawberry and frosting “hats” until the day you plan to serve them. Store the finished, decorated bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)