Description
Whip up these delightful cherry cheesecake bars for a sweet treat that’ll make your dessert dreams come true. Creamy cheesecake meets tangy cherries in a perfectly balanced bar that’s sure to impress your friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 large eggs
Dairy and Binding Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
Flavor and Seasoning Ingredients:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: Fresh cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over the sides for easy removal.
- Mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and ½ cup melted butter in a bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan, creating an even, compact layer using the back of a measuring cup.
- Beat 16 oz softened cream cheese and ½ cup sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, and ¼ cup sour cream to the cream cheese mixture, blending until completely incorporated.
- Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the graham cracker crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Spread the entire 21 oz can of cherry pie filling evenly across the cooled cheesecake layer.
- Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours to allow them to set completely.
- Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and slice into 24 square pieces.
- Garnish with fresh cherries if desired and serve chilled.
Notes
- Chill the cream cheese to room temperature for smoother, lump-free mixing.
- Press the graham cracker crust firmly and evenly to create a solid base that won’t crumble when cutting.
- If fresh cherries aren’t available, use high-quality cherry preserves or canned pie filling for consistent flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, swap graham crackers with almond flour or gluten-free cookie crumbs to maintain the classic texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 135 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg