Holiday Cheesecake Bars

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Bake: 40 min.
Yield 2 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
Christmas officially arrives at our house when I make these melt-in-your-mouth bars. Red and green maraschino cherries add a jolly finish to each light and creamy morsel. —Kathy Dorman, Snover, Michigan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup cold butter
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • FILLING:
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup 2% milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Sliced red and green maraschino cherries, optional

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Reserve 1 cup. Press remaining crumbs onto the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour filling over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.
  3. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until edges are lightly browned and filling is almost set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Garnish with cherries if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 195 calories, 12g fat (6g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 89mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.

Christmas officially arrives at our house when I make these melt-in-your-mouth bars. Red and green maraschino cherries add a jolly finish to each light and creamy morsel. —Kathy Dorman, Snover, Michigan
Recipe Creator

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