Chef Jake Thompson - Comfort Baking Specialist
👨‍🍳 Home Baking Enthusiast

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Culinary Arts Graduate ⏰ 18+ Years Experience 🍽️ Dessert Bar Expert

❤️ My Recipe Story

"I love the combination of cheese and fruit on a charcuterie board. Inspired by the classic pairing of sharp cheese and sweet fig jam, I decided to translate those flavors into a decadent dessert bar. The oatmeal crust adds a necessary hearty texture that balances the rich, creamy filling perfectly."

Jake specializes in elevated comfort food and rustic baking that brings bold flavors to classic formats. He loves creating desserts that look impressive but are approachable for home bakers.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
A stack of layered Creamy Fig Cheesecake Bars on a white plate, showing the oatmeal crust, white filling, dark fig layer, and crumble topping.

The Homemade Fig Layer

While you could use store-bought fig preserves, making your own quick fig jam elevates these bars significantly. Using dried mission figs provides a deep, concentrated, almost caramel-like flavor and a wonderful texture that contrasts with the smooth cheesecake.

Simmering the figs with a touch of honey and lemon juice brightens the flavor profile, ensuring the bars aren't overly sweet. It only takes about 15 minutes and is well worth the extra step.

💡 Professional Tip

For the smoothest cheesecake filling, ensure your cream cheese and eggs are truly at room temperature before mixing. Cold ingredients lead to lumpy batter and overmixing, which can cause cracks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but fresh figs have more water content. You will need to cook them down longer to achieve a thick, jam-like consistency so they don't make the cheesecake soggy.

Absolutely. You will need about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of high-quality fig preserves. Warm it slightly so it's easier to spread over the cheesecake layer.

They need to chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. This is crucial for the cheesecake to set properly so you can cut clean squares.

Yes! Once fully chilled and cut, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Par-baking the bottom oatmeal layer ensures it stays crispy and doesn't get soggy once the wet cheesecake filling is added on top.

No problem. Once the figs are simmered and soft, you can mash them thoroughly with a potato masher or a sturdy fork for a more rustic, chunky texture.

Yes, you can double the ingredients and bake it in a 9x13 inch pan. You will likely need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.

Ensure the bars are completely chilled. Use a sharp chef's knife, wiping it clean with a damp cloth between each cut.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Cracked Cheesecake

Problem: The cheesecake layer has cracks after baking

Solution: This usually happens from overmixing the batter (incorporating too much air) or cooling too quickly. Fortunately, the fig and crumble topping hides any imperfections!

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Soggy Crust

Problem: The bottom oatmeal layer isn't crisp

Solution: Ensure you didn't skip the par-baking step. Also, make sure your fig jam is thick and not too watery before adding it.

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Runny Fig Layer

Problem: The fig layer leaks out when cutting

Prevention: The figs weren't cooked down enough. The jam should be thick and hold its shape on a spoon before being added to the bars.

✅

Hard Crumble Topping

Problem: The top crumble is too hard or burnt

Recovery: If the top is browning too quickly before the center is set, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

✅

Bars Falling Apart

Problem: Bars crumble when trying to lift them out

Prevention: They likely weren't chilled long enough. The fats in the butter and cream cheese need significant time in the fridge to solidify again after baking.

✅

Flavor Adjustments

Too Sweet: Reduce the sugar in the cheesecake layer slightly or add more lemon juice to the figs.

Too Salty: Ensure you used unsalted butter. If using salted butter, omit the added salt in the crust.

Bland: Increase the vanilla extract or add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the oat crust mixture.

Raw ingredients for fig cheesecake bars including dried figs, cream cheese blocks, butter, oats, flour, and brown sugar on a gray counter

The Oatmeal Crumble Crust

The crust is a crucial element of these bars, providing a sturdy base and a textural contrast to the soft filling. Using rolled oats gives it a chewiness and nutty flavor that graham crackers just can't match.

The brilliant part of this recipe is that the crust and the topping are the same mixture. By pressing two-thirds into the base and reserving the rest for sprinkling on top, you save time and ensure consistent flavor throughout the bar.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Dried Figs: Mission figs are preferred for their dark color and rich, sweet flavor. Calimyrna figs also work but will result in a lighter colored jam.
  • Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick style cream cheese for the best texture and stability. Tub cream cheese has too much air and water whipped into it.
  • Rolled Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the best texture. Quick oats can be used but will result in a softer, less defined crumble.
Square baking pan showing baked fig cheesecake bars with golden brown oat crumble topping and dark fig jam bubbling slightly at the edges

The Importance of Chilling

It is tempting to cut into these bars as soon as they come out of the oven, but patience is key. Cheesecake needs time to set properly. Cutting them while warm will result in a messy, gooey disaster rather than clean, layered squares.

The chilling process allows the butter in the crust to re-solidify and the custard filling to firm up. For the best results, bake them the day before you plan to serve them and let them chill overnight.

The Clean Cut

For picture-perfect squares, lift the entire slab out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang once fully chilled. Use a large, sharp knife and wipe it clean with warm water and a towel between every single cut.

Creamy Fig Cheesecake Bars

Prep 30 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 16 servings
Level Intermediate

📋 Ingredients

Crust & Topping

  • 12 oz dried figs, stemmed/chopped
    Mission figs recommended
  • 1/2 cup water
    For simmering figs
  • 1/4 cup honey
    Adds sweetness and flavor
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    Balances sweetness with acidity

Cheesecake Filling

  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
    Full fat brick style is best
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    Sweetens the filling
  • 2 large eggs
    Room temperature, for binding
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    Flavor enhancer

Instructions

  1. Prepare Fig Layer

    In a medium saucepan, combine chopped dried figs, water, honey, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium-low heat until figs are very soft and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 15 minutes. Mash with a fork or blend briefly to create a thick jam. Let cool.

  2. Make Crust and Topping

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Press two-thirds firmly into the pan bottom. Reserve the rest.

  3. Par-bake Crust

    Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while preparing the filling.

  4. Make Filling

    Beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Do not overmix.

  5. Assemble and Bake

    Pour filling over crust. Dollop and carefully spread cooled fig jam over the filling. Sprinkle reserved oat crumble over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until set and golden.

  6. Cool and Chill

    Cool completely on a wire rack for 1 hour. Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage

Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Fig Jam Alternative

If you are short on time, you can substitute the homemade fig layer with 1 1/2 cups of high-quality store-bought fig preserves.

Serving Suggestion

These delicious bars are perfect on their own, but a drizzle of honey or a dollop of whipped cream right before serving makes them extra special.