Description

These festive Christmas Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery sugar cookie crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and sweet cherry pie topping, all topped with a crunchy almond crumble. Perfectly balanced with fruity and nutty flavors, these bars make a delightful holiday treat that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress at any Christmas gathering.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust and Topping

1 (8.5 oz) Sugar Cookie Mix
4 tbsp Butter, Cold and Cubed
1/3 cup Almonds, Sliced

Cheesecake Filling

1 (8 oz) Cream Cheese, Softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg

Topping

3/4 can Cherry Pie Filling (about 9 oz)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set it aside to prepare the crust.
Make Crumble Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix and cold, cubed butter. Use a fork to blend until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Form Crust and Bake: Reserve 3/4 cup of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake this crust for 10 minutes, then place the pan in the refrigerator to cool quickly.
Prepare Cheesecake Filling: While the crust cools, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and egg together in a bowl until smooth and creamy without any lumps.
Spread Filling on Crust: Evenly spread the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust, ensuring full coverage.
Add Cherry Pie Filling: Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the cheesecake layer, spreading it carefully to cover the surface.
Prepare and Add Topping: Stir the sliced almonds into the reserved crumble mixture and sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cherry pie filling.
Bake the Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is set.
Cool and Chill: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, refrigerate until cold and firm before cutting into bars and serving.

Notes

Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in the cheesecake filling.
For quicker cooling after the initial crust bake, you can place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes if short on time.
You can substitute cherry pie filling with other fruit pie fillings for variety.
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Let the bars come to room temperature briefly before serving for best texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas desserts, cheesecake bars, holiday treats, cherry cheesecake bars, sugar cookie crust