Christmas Cheesecake Bars
Indulge in the holiday spirit with these Christmas Cheesecake Bars, a delightful blend of sugar cookie crust, creamy cheesecake, luscious cherry filling, and a crunchy almond topping. Perfect for festive gatherings, these bars are a must-try for cheesecake and cherry lovers!
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
- Sugar Cookie Mix: 8.5 ounces
- Unsalted Butter Cold: 4 tablespoons
- Cream Cheese Softened: 8 ounces
- Granulated Sugar: ¼ cup
- All-Purpose Flour: 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla Extract: ½ teaspoon
- Egg: 1 large
- Cherry Pie Filling: ½ can
- Toasted Sliced Almonds: 1/3 cup
Instructions
- Preparation of Baking Environment: Begin by preheating the oven to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Proceed to line an 8x8 inch or 9x13 inch baking pan with foil, ensuring complete coverage. Apply a coat of non-stick spray to the foil-lined pan.
- Crust Formation: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix with the cold unsalted butter. Employ a pastry blender to effectively integrate the butter into the cookie mix until the mixture achieves a crumbly consistency. Reserve approximately ¾ cup of this crumbly mixture for later use. Press the remaining mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake this crust for 10 minutes and then allow it to cool. Note that the crust will be partially baked at this stage and may seem underdone.
- Cheesecake Mixture Preparation: While the crust is cooling, begin preparing the cheesecake layer. In a separate large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and one egg. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and creamy in texture.
- Layering: Once the crust has cooled, evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over it. Then, carefully spoon the cherry pie filling onto the cream cheese layer, ensuring it is evenly distributed to cover the surface.
- Topping Creation: In a small bowl, mix the reserved crumbly cookie mixture with the toasted sliced almonds. Sprinkle this combined mixture evenly over the cherry layer.
- Final Baking: Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 40 minutes if using an 8x8 pan, or approximately 45 minutes if using a 9x13 pan. The indication of doneness is a light golden brown color on the top.
- Cooling and Storage: After baking, allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Following this, refrigerate the bars for a few hours to ensure they are thoroughly chilled. For storage, keep the bars covered in the refrigerator.
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