Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are a simple and festive treat for the holidays or any day. They feature a velvety, rich, and creamy cheesecake filling swirled with a tart homemade cranberry sauce for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
Equipment
- 8 inch square pan
- Stand Mixer or Hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Swirl:
- 1 ½ cups (200 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 2-3 tablespoon orange juice or water
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 4 tablespoon (58 grams) melted butter
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 oz (453 grams) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100 grams) white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- For the cranberry sauce, In a small saucepan, cook cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool.
- For the crust, Combine gingersnap crumbs and melted butter, then press into the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- For the cheesecake mixture, In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar on high speed until smooth.
- With the mixer on medium speed stir in vanilla extract, all purpose flour, salt and sour cream.
- Add eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing well after each addition. Do not over mix the batter.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked crust. Drop spoonfuls of cranberry sauce on top and swirl gently with a knife or skewer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is only slightly jiggly. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing.
- Using a sharp knife slice into bars and serve chilled.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries: Either works great, but if using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them before making the sauce.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Mix just until everything is combined to avoid incorporating too much air, which can cause cracks.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 216mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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