Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe came about from a recipe I had for a cheesecake bar. I had a can of cranberry sauce left over and decided to add a layer of that to the recipe and it has become a favorite ever since. I had this recipe published in our 'home town' cookbook that was a fundraiser for our local Heritage Society.
Ingredients You'll Need
1-1/2 cups oatmeal (quick cooking or old-fashioned)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar, divided
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with Reynolds Parchment paper. This makes for easy removal after baking.
To make crust:
In a bowl, combine flour, uncooked oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar and butter. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1-1/2 cup crumbs for topping. Press remaining crumbs into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
To make filling:
In a bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over crust.
To make topping:
In a bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and cranberry sauce. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool at room temperature. Refrigerate before cutting into squares.
