Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
These cranberry cheesecake bars are creamy, gently spiced, and swirled with a bright cranberry sauce that bakes up into a striking holiday dessert. A buttery gingersnap crust gives every bite a warm crunch, and a touch of orange zest in the vanilla cheesecake batter is a classic pair for the tart cranberry flavor.
Servings: 16
Calories: 281kcal
Equipment
- 8x8" pan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- Fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
Cranberry Puree
- 2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups gingersnaps finely ground
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Layer
- 16 oz cream cheese (full fat) room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 orange zested
- 2 large eggs room temperature and whisked
- ¼ cup sour cream (full fat) room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cranberry Puree
- Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the cranberries are completely broken down. Use the back of a spoon to crush them as they begin to soften.2 cups cranberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks, then let the mixture cool.
Gingersnap Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃ and line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper overhangs so you can easily remove the bars after baking. It helps to lightly grease the pan first so the parchment sticks.
- Using a food processor, pulverize the gingersnaps until finely ground. Add the salt and melted butter and pulse until combined and moistened.2 cups gingersnaps, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, taking care to press it into the sides and corners.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 315℉.
Cheesecake Layer
- In a stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese on low speed to break it down then scrape down the sides.16 oz cream cheese (full fat)
- Rub together the sugar and the orange zest with your fingertips, then add the sugar and mix on low speed until creamy, then scrape down the sides again.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 orange zested
- Drizzle in the whisked eggs on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, then add in the sour cream and vanilla and mix on low until it's just incorporated.2 large eggs, ¼ cup sour cream (full fat), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assembly
- Reserve a couple of small spoonfuls of the cranberry mixture.
- Add ⅓ of the cheesecake batter to the larger batch of cooled cranberry puree and mix it until combined. Alternate adding the vanilla batter and cranberry batter to the prepared pan until both batters are used up. Dollop on the remaining cranberry puree in small spots all over.
- Using a butter knife, swirl the cranberry and cheesecake mixtures together to create a marbling effect. Don't over swirl!
- Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set and matte on the edges but still jiggles in the center. If the center looks sloshy in any way, continue baking.
- Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge to cool for at least 4 hours, uncovered. Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper slings, cut into slices, and serve!
Video
Notes
Store lightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
It's very important to use room temperature ingredients for the cheesecake layer or else they won’t combine properly and you'll have a lumpy batter.
Run a knife under hot water and wipe off completely before each cut to get very clean cuts.
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 577IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
