Pineapple Cheesecake Squares

These cheesecake squares have two distinct layers that each bring something different. The bottom is a proper baked cheesecake: cream cheese beaten smooth with eggs and pineapple juice, poured over a crust and baked until just set in the center.

The top layer is where the actual pineapple lives. Crushed pineapple gets folded into a cooked juice-and-flour base, then lightened with whipped cream. It sets up in the fridge into something like a pineapple mousse, cool and fruity against the dense, tangy cheesecake below.

Using the juice from the canned pineapple in both layers is smart. It goes into the cheesecake filling AND the cooked topping, so nothing gets wasted and the pineapple flavor runs through the whole dessert.

Four hours of chilling firms everything enough to cut clean squares. Rush it and you get a smeary mess.

Chef Tips

• Beat the cream cheese until truly smooth before adding anything else. Lumps in the batter stay lumps in the finished cheesecake.
• “Just until center is set” means a slight jiggle, not liquid. Overbaking cracks the surface.
• Cool both the cheesecake layer and the pineapple topping completely before combining. Warm topping melts the whipped cream.
• Run a knife under hot water between cuts for the cleanest squares.

Variations

• Use a graham cracker crust for a sweeter, more classic cheesecake base.
• Fold in toasted coconut flakes with the pineapple for a tropical twist.
• Top each square with a maraschino cherry for a retro presentation.