Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 10 full sheets
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 5-ounce bag dried cherries
  • 1 cup cherry juice
  • 1 8-ounce block cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp. sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt until combined.
  • Press mixture evenly over bottom of lined baking pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes and remove from oven; keep oven set to 325 degrees F.
  • Combine cherries and juice in a medium-size bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Let stand 15 minutes
  • Meanwhile, place cream cheese and sugar in bowl of mixer and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix. Add sour cream and salt and mix until smooth, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl occasionally.
  • Pour cream cheese mixture over baked crust. Remove cherries from juice using a slotted spoon and saving juice; sprinkle cherries evenly over cream cheese mixture.
  • Stir cornstarch into reserved juice in bowl; microwave on HIGH 1 additional minute to thicken. Gently spoon about half of thickened sauce over top of bars; carefully use a knife to make a swirl pattern over top of bars. (Reserve any remaining cherry sauce to serve with bars on the side or for another use.) Sprinkle top of bars with almonds.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until center is set. Let cool at room temperature before placing in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. Store in refrigerator.
Keyword cherry

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