Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

Here is a recipe for cheesecake bars using fresh cranberries. It is easy to make and super tasty. Perfect for your holiday gathering!

As you've noticed lately, I am on a cranberry kick. I just love fresh cranberries so much! The cranberry season is short, so I have to create what I can while they are fresh. I have frozen them to use later, but they only work in recipes where you cook them. They will just turn to mush in non-cooked dishes.

I've already made three batches of cranberry relish this year, so I wanted to create something that used a different preparation technique. My Oatmeal Cranberry Apple Crisp used whole cranberries and it turned out great. This recipe involved boiling down the cranberries to create a jelly type sauce for baking.

Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

by Diana Rambles

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 50-60 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert cranberry Christmas Thanksgiving cake fall

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Ingredients (24 servings)

• fresh cranberries
• juice from a small orange
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 block of cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Combine the cranberries, juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The cranberries should all pop and form a thick sauce. I smashed a few stubborn cranberries to speed up the process. Set aside and let cool for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Stir the cake mix, melted butter, and egg together to form a thick dough. Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the casserole dish.

Blend the softened cream cheese, egg, and powdered sugar with a mixer. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Spread this mixture over the dough in the casserole dish.

Spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the cream cheese layer. Swirl the cream cheese and cranberry.

Drop the remaining dough into small pieces on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool before cutting and serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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I don't have a lot of experience making cheesecake recipes, but I am pleased with how this turned out. It's the right combination of tart and sweet. I will definitely be making this again!

I have apple photographed in the ingredients, but when I went to boil down the cranberries I realized it wasn't necessary. I did use apple when I made Cranberry Pepper Jam a few years ago, but it served as a natural pectin in that recipe. I suppose it would be OK in this recipe, but I don't recommend it.

This recipe can be made with canned cranberry if you want. Would I judge you for not using fresh? Heck, no! I like to cut corners in my cooking by using premade ingredients like cake mixes, so go for it if you want.

What do you think of this recipe? Would you like the creaminess of cheesecake with the tartness of cranberry?