Easy Cheesecake Cranberry Bars (Perfect for the Holidays!)
These Cheesecake Cranberry Bars are perfect for the holidays with a tart cranberry filling, crumbly shortbread layer and cream cheese filling.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cranberry Bars
Prep Time 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time 42 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour27 minutesminutes
Servings 15bars
Author Valya's Taste of Home
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
12oz.– fresh cranberries
½cup– organic sugar
3tbsp.- water
Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
8oz.– cream cheese(softened)
½cup– organic sugar
1small – egg
¼cup– heavy whipping cream
Shortbread Dough Ingredients
2cups– organic all-purpose flour
2tbsp.– cornstarch
¼tbsp.– sea salt
8oz.– unsalted buttersoftened
⅓cup– brown sugar
1tsp.– pure vanilla extract
1tbsp.– confectioners’ sugarfor dusting
Instructions
How to Make Cranberry Sauce
Let’s start by first making our tart cranberry filling sauce. It tastes like jam but even better! To make it, start by adding fresh cranberries, water, and sugar into a small saucepan.
Place the saucepan on the stove and stir constantly it starts to boil. Then reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring it from time to time.
Once done, remove it from the stove and set it aside to cool.
How to Make Cream Cheese Filling
Time to make our cream cheese filling. Place cream cheese and sugar into a large bowl. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes or until well combined. Then add egg and mix it again for 2 minutes.
Now add heavy whipping cream and beat it for 2 minutes until it’s all well combined. Place the bowl in the fridge until you are ready for it. The cream will become a little thicker and make it easier to coat the cranberry sauce over it.
How to Make Shortbread Dough
Now let’s make the shortbread dough to bring all our layers together in the end! To do this, start by beating softened butter on high speed for 3 minutes or until it turns creamy. Scrape down the dough on the sides of the mixing bowl in between mixing.
Now add brown sugar and beat for a couple of minutes until combined. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl again and then beat again for a minute.
Then add vanilla extract and beat once more for another minute. Next, sift in the flour, and add cornstarch and salt. Mix until all are well incorporated.
Pinch off ¼ of the dough, shape it into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to chill for shredding.
How to Assemble Cranberry Bars
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Next, scatter chunks of the remaining dough over the pan. Press the dough down evenly to flatly cover the entire pan.
Now spread the cream cheese mixture over the pressed dough.
Then spread the cooled cranberry sauce over the cream cheese.
Do this by scattering small amounts of sauce, then carefully connect the globs to each other, to prevent mixing it into the cream. If you pour all the sauce out at once it won’t spread evenly and makes a big mess.
Then take the frozen dough from the freezer and grate it over cranberry sauce. Gently spread the grated dough evenly with a fork.
How to Bake Cranberry Bars
Time to bake our holiday bars! Bake uncovered at 350 F, for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes in the baking pan before removing it from the pan onto a wire rack.
Let it cool completely then cut it into 15 equal bars. Dust with 1 tbsp. of confectioners’ sugar for a soft, powdery touch.
Your delicious Cranberry Bars are ready to be served! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as it goes perfectly with the flavors in the bar. You can also enjoy the bars with a hot cup of coffee or tea.