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Lemon Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

These lemon cheesecake bars topped with sweetened cranberry sauce are perfect for the holidays!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 24 people
Calories 6398.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Pan
  • 2 Mixing Bowls One medium, one small
  • 1 Electric mixer or whisk For beating cream cheese
  • 1 Rubber Spatula For spreading layers

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 16 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Stir flour, oats, and 3/4 cup brown sugar together in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture and press remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.
  • Bake crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes .
  • Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in lemon juice and spread mixture evenly over prepared crust. Empty cranberry sauce into a small bowl and stir in cornstarch and brown sugar. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle top with reserved crust mixture.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

For the crumble, ensure your butter is truly softened for even incorporation, but still slightly cool to create the best crumbly texture; a pastry blender can be very helpful here. When preparing the cream cheese layer, avoid over-beating once the lemon juice is added, as it can thin the mixture. For clean, precise cuts, it's crucial to allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, or even overnight. A touch of lemon zest added to the cream cheese mixture can brighten the lemon flavor significantly, and a pinch of fine sea salt in the crumble will beautifully balance the sweetness.