Holiday Cheesecake Bars

Name: Holiday Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 dozen.
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

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

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.
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.
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.

Originally published as Holiday Cheesecake Bars in Country Woman Christmas 1997

Reviews

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DivaLicious1

Oct 25, 2012

Exellent..........
linsvin

Dec 14, 2011

Every Christmas I try to add at least one or two new cookies/bars for the holidays. This is terrific! Rich, beautiful presentation and delicious! Will add this to my recipe box!
Erikajo

Dec 21, 2009

This is a family favorite. I grew up making this with my mom every year for Christmas, and now I make it for my own family too.
gavingrma_OH

Dec 15, 2009

These are GREAT. My only change was to make a graham cracker crust (2-1/2 cups ground graham cracker crumbs mixed with 1 stick (1/2 cup) of melted butter) to make them nut allergy friendly. I will definitely make them again.