In New Orleans, Mardi Gras’ king cake isn’t a dessert, it’s a seasonal flavor. Every cafe, bar, and restaurant alike has a King Cake-flavored something. King cake is great, but there’s only so much of it you can eat before you go into a bread overload. Enter the King Cake Cheesecake Bars. All the elements of a king cake, just in a creamy decadent dessert form.

Down in New Orleans, Mardi Gras isn’t just a day, it’s a holiday season starting from the first week of January and ending on the actual day of Mardi Gras itself. While the world is winding down from the Christmas and New Year seasons, people in New Orleans are just starting to party. Mardi Gras is a long affair that is jam-packed with parades, masquerade balls, and parties on top of parties on top of parties. The Mardi Gras feeling is everywhere. From the smallest gunshot home to the largest double porch mansion, and every storefront in between, there’s a flash, a sparkle of adornments — necklaces, wreathes, and glittery ribbons — in purple, green, and gold.

Outside of New Orleans, everyone knows of Mardi Gras. We’ve all seen those boxed cakes in the corner of a grocery store’s bakery section, but no one really thinks of the holiday outside of the official day itself. Whether you’re in the epicenter of the celebrations or far away from it all, take the time to let loose a little with these King Cake Cheesecake Bars. A buttery shortbread crust is the base for a cinnamon-sugar filling and a silky cinnamon cheesecake. Baked and sliced, these bars get a coating of glaze and sprinkles, just like the classic king cakes themselves.

Start by making your crust. After whisking your flour, sugar, and salt together, cut your butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like a dry, sandy mixture. Pour in some milk, and the mixture will turn into more of a proper dough. Press the dough into a greased and parchment-lined 9-x-9 baking pan and bake the dough until it starts to get slightly golden around the edges.

While the crust is baking, prepare your cinnamon-sugar filling by combining brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter.

Next is the cheesecake base. Combine super soft cream cheese with sugar, heavy cream, and flour. Beat in the eggs, and then add in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. You don’t want to beat the cheesecake mixture for too long, nor do you want to beat the mixture at a super high speed.

Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the crust, followed by the cheesecake mixture, making sure to spread everything evenly. Gently tap the pan against the counter to remove any air bubbles in the batter.

Bake the cheesecake at a low 250°F temperature for fifty to sixty minutes. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for another hour before removing the cheesecake to cool completely to room temperature. This gradual cool-down prevents the cheesecake mixture from breaking or cracking.

These King Cake Cheesecake Bars have all of the elements of a king cake but in a smooth cream cheese form.

The cookie crust is a neutral but delicious base. This cinnamon sugar filling bakes up to a great cinnamon roll-like texture that contrasts against the creamy cheesecake layer above.

A trio of rich decadent dessert goodness definitely puts you in a Mardi Gras state of mind. These bars are a satisfying rich bite of decadence that lifts you up and out of the gloomy days of the winter. But honestly, you can make this cheesecake bar recipe any time of year.

The notes of cinnamon give this dessert a cozy fall and winter vibe as well or would be a fun alternative to the classic cinnamon rolls or hot cross buns around Easter. You don’t need an excuse but you’ll find an excuse to make these bars again and again!