Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

These Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect for the holidays and beyond. Made with an oat crust and filled with a cheesecake layer, cranberry layer, and then topped with an oat crumble, these bars are sweet, tart, and just perfect.

For more holiday worthy bars, try these Pumpkin Pie Bars or these Coconut Pecan Bars.

I am a believer that you can do no wrong with a cheesecake bar.

Especially when you add cranberries and an oat crumble base and topping. It’s a winning combination!

I absolutely loved these Cranberry Cheesecake Bars. The crust is super buttery, followed by a decadent cheesecake layer and just the perfect amount of cranberry. These are perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But to be honest, I’d happily eat them year round!

Ingredients

• Flour: You will need all-purpose flour.
• Oats: I have only made these using old fashioned oats, and I love the texture they bring. You may be able to use quick cooking oats, but I have not tested them personally.
• Sugar: You need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Butter: Your butter needs to be cold when you cut it into the flour, oats, and sugar.
• Cream Cheese: If using standard 8 oz bars of cream cheese, you will need 1 1/2.
• Eggs: I use large eggs.
• Vanilla: Use a good quality vanilla extract for the best results.
• Cranberry Sauce: You need canned whole-berry cranberry sauce. Make sure you are using whole berry sauce, not jellied cranberry sauce.
• Cornstarch: This just helps the cranberry sauce to thicken up a little bit.

How to Make Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

STEP 1: The first step is to make the crumb mixture. This will be both the crust and the topping. Mix together the flour, oats, and brown sugar, then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork.

STEP 2: Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture, and press the remaining into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake this for 15 minutes.

STEP 3: While the crust is baking, make the cheesecake filling by mixing together the cream cheese and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla extract.

STEP 4: Also prep the cranberry mixture by mixing together the cranberry sauce and the cornstarch. You will need to break up the cranberry sauce a bit.

STEP 5: Once the crust has baked, take your cheesecake mixture and pour it over the crust. Spread the batter to the edges of the pan.

STEP 6: Take the cranberry mixture and dollop it over the top of the cheesecake layer, keeping things as even as possible.

STEP 7: Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top. Transfer the pan back to the oven and bake until everything is set up, about 40 minutes. Refrigerate the bars completely before setting.

Tips and Tricks

You need to make sure and give the bars at least 3 hours of refrigeration time so that the cheesecake layer will set up successfully.

You can spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray, but I have found that the bars come out easier if you line the baking dish with parchment paper.

Make sure you give the bars at least 3 hours in the refrigerator to set up

Storage Instructions

Store the bars in a covered container in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to 7 days.

You can eat the bars straight from the refrigerator, or let them sit out until they are at room temperature.

More Cranberry Recipes

Cranberry Cake with Warm Butter Sauce
Cranberry Orange Cheesecake
Cranberry Salad

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Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

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Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Refrigeration:: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 32 bars

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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These Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect for the holidays and beyond. Made with an oat crust and filled with a cheesecake layer, cranberry layer, and then topped with an oat crumble, these bars are sweet, tart, and just perfect.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
• ▢ 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1 cup butter cut into cubes
• ▢ 12 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 1 (16 oz) can whole cranberry sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×31-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Add the butter, and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract. Spread the cheesecake mixture over the baked crust.
• In another bowl, combine the cranberry sauce and the cornstarch. Carefully spoon the cranberry mixture over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the reserved oat mixture evenly over the top.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until the bars are set. Once baked, let the bars cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Cut into bars to serve.

Recipe Notes:

Adapted from Our Best Recipes

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 190kcal (10%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 10g (15%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 39mg (13%), Sodium: 87mg (4%), Potassium: 32mg (1%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 13g (14%)

Keywords: cheesecake bars