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These mouth-watering Cherry Cream Cheese Bars are made with a pecan-shortbread-like crust, a creamy cheesecake layer, and an almondy cherry topping with a coconut-pecan crumb. Cut into single-serving bars, these tasty treats are perfect for that potluck or large family gathering.
Someone in my family makes these Cherry Cream Cheese Dessert Bars for almost every family gathering. Made especially at Christmas, it is a recipe that is easy to make that will please a wide variety of taste buds.
Ingredients
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Set cream cheese and eggs on the counter to come to room temperature. Use a food chopper #ad to chop half of the nuts finely for use in the crust and the remainder pulse several times for a larger chopped nut for the topping. Set aside.
Step 2. Mix flour and brown sugar in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the shortening until it forms large crumbs and there is no remaining flour or brown sugar. Add in finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Reserve 1/2 cup of crust for topping and set aside.
Step 3. Use the remaining shortening from the measuring cup to lightly grease the 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle crust mixture over the baking dish and press with a hand to compact and form a crust. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes until the crust just starts to brown.
Add Cherry Layer & Crumb
Step 4. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended. Add vanilla and continue to beat with a mixer until the cream cheese mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over hot crust. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 5. Mix almond extract into the cherry filling. Spread evenly over the cream cheese layer. Add chopped nuts to the reserved crust crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of cherry filling pressing in your hand to form large crumbs. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes.
Step 6. Remove pan from oven. Cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cut into bars and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
These dessert bars include a cream cheese layer so should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
This is an easy recipe to split. Just halve the ingredients for the crust and filling and use a 9 x 9 pan. You can use the whole can of cherry pie filling or use half and discard the remainder.
This dessert bar has a thin layer of cream cheese. If you prefer more cream cheese flavor, use 3 packages (8 ounces) of cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, 3 eggs, and 3 teaspoons of vanilla for the filling. Keep the crust ingredients the same. This will thicken the cream cheese layer.
How to Serve Dessert Bars
Cherry cheesecake bars with a shortbread crust are a perfect dessert for a potluck or large family gathering.
I make Cherry Cream Cheese Dessert Bars as a special treat for Valentine's. Day. They are stored in the refrigerator and served cold or at room temperature. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Other Family Favorite Dessert Recipes for You
Cherry Cream Cheese Dessert Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup pecans divided
- 1 1/4 cup flour all-purpose
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup coconut flaked
Cream Cheese Layer
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
Cherry Layer
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cream cheese and eggs from the refrigerator. Add pecans to a fo choppern and pulse 3-4 times to roughly chop into large pieces. Remove half of the pecans and reserve for crumb topping. Pulse remaining pecans into fine pieces for crust.
Crust
- Combine flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in shortening. Press down on shortening into the flour and brown sugar until the mixture starts to form larger clumps and there is no free flour and brown sugar to incorporate. Mix in finely chopped pecans and coconut. Remove 1/2 cup of crumb mixture and set aside from crumb topping. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over baking dish and press firming with hand to form a crust. Place on the bottom rack of oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Layer
- Next mix cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer until well blended. Add in eggs, one at a time and mix until blended. Add in vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour and spread evenly over baked crust. Return pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Add almond extract to cherry pie filling and lightly mix. Spread evenly over baked cheesecake layer. Mix reserved crust mixture with remaining pecans and sprinkle evenly over cherry layer. Press crumb mixture in hand to form larger crumbs. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Cover pan and place in the refrigerator for several hours until ready to serve. Cut into bars to serve.
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