Description
These Cranberry Crumble Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy and smooth cream cheese filling, topped with a tangy cranberry compote and a crunchy, spiced pecan crumble. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a festive dessert, these bars offer a delightful balance of sweet, tart, and nutty flavors with a luscious texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- Cooking spray
- 12 graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Cranberry Compote
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 2 large eggs
- 2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper leaving a 2″ overhang on two opposite sides for easy removal. Grease the parchment with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make the crust: Place the graham crackers in a large resealable bag and crush them with a heavy skillet, or pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs form (about 1 1/2 cups). In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs with melted butter, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Mix until the texture resembles wet sand. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until it turns golden brown. Remove the pan and let the crust cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare the cranberry compote: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces, and cranberries burst and thicken, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest and vanilla extract. Let cool slightly.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat together eggs, room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until smooth and fully combined, with no lumps.
- Prepare the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add coarsely chopped raw pecans and melted butter, stirring until the mixture becomes crumbly but holds together when pressed.
- Assemble the bars: Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cooled crust. Evenly dot the surface with spoonfuls of the cranberry compote. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top.
- Bake the assembled bars: Bake in the oven until the cheesecake layer is puffed and just set in the center, approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chill the bars: Once cooled, cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 5 days, to allow the cheesecake to set properly.
- Serve: Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- For easiest removal, be sure to use the parchment paper with overhang and grease it well.
- Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Fresh cranberries can be frozen if not available fresh; thaw before cooking.
- These bars can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans from the crumble topping and increase flour by 2 tablespoons.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approximately 1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
