Sooz, I've made various cheesecake recipes in bar form. Since baking times and recipes vary, I'll offer what's worked for me. Obviously the baking time will be shortened due to the shallower pan you're using. If the original recipe has you bake the cheesecake for, let's say, an hour or so, start checking early at maybe 25-30 minutes just to be safe. Keep a close watch...you'll know when it's done when the center is still just slightly jiggly.

ETA - You could also look at a few recipes online for cheesecake bars to compare and check baking times. Again, lots of variations in recipes, but the "jiggly test" has always worked for me when converting to bars..

There are many versions of "Lindy's cheese cake"....how many pounds of cream cheese? and how thick will it be in the 9 by 12 dish. I have made the recipe in mini muffin tins and they baked in about 12 to 14 minutes....watch it...don't let it brown too much....you talking glass dish? or metal? convection oven or not? it's done when a toothpick comes out fairly clean.....and the top has just begun to get golden. Can't give a time.

Thanks, Chloebud! I'll use the jiggly test--it's what I use for cheesecakes anyway!

Thanks, LindaC -- the recipe used 2 1/2 lbs of cream cheese, and I'll be using a glass baking dish in a gas oven.

Smiles,

Sooz

My most reliable “doneness” test for cheesecake has been using an instant-read thermometer, specifically a Thermapen. For a regular round cheesecake, I cook it to 150 degrees in the center, which is quite “jiggly.” The first time I pulled out a cheesecake at 150, it was not without considerable trepidation. However, when it cooled, it was absolutely perfect - silky and creamy. Of course, YMMV due to the differences in the types of pans.

Please come back and let us know what worked for you.

"And then WRITE IT DOWN!"

Martha, I always intend to do that and forget. Then it's back to "jiggly" the next time!

Thanks, best and Martha for ringing in, and yup, chloebud & Martha, gotta remember to write it down! lolam!

Sooz, if it's any help, I found a pretty basic cheesecake recipe in my file that I'd used for bars. The recipe instructs to bake the cheesecake for an hour and 10 minutes at 325. I scribbled a note next to it that says "35-40 minutes for bars." Guess I don't always forget to write it down! I'd still check early, especially with the heat conduction in the glass baking dish you mentioned using.

A cheese cake in a 9 by 12 glass dish using 5 packages of cream cheese will cook in less time than in a spring form pan. I would use a lower temperature than what you use for a spring form, because other wise it will get too brown on the bottom.
And 35 to 40 minutes sounds like a good start....you can always cook it more....but not less.

Thanks for the extras, chloebud and lindac!

Update: I made this tonight and decided to try putting in a maple syrup "ribbon" in it before it baked, using a squeeze bottle with a nozzle tip. It baked at 350º for 10 minutes (oven was preheated), then I reduced the temp to 200º for the next 35 minutes. It came out with a slight jiggle in the middle. I'll know more tomorrow when we eat it, but I think I could have maybe done 200º for 30 minutes instead of 35 minutes, and it still would have been fine! Hopefully tomorrow there will be a photo! Meanwhile, there is anticipatory salivating.