Creamy cherry cheesecake bars! Super easy to make and a real crowd pleaser! Change them up by using your favorite natural pie filling, if desired!
Course bars, cheesecake, Dessert
Cuisine American, southern
Keyword bars, cheesecake, cherries, cookie crust, cream cheese, graham crackers
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Chill Time 8 hourshours
Total Time 8 hourshours20 minutesminutes
Servings 9people
Calories
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
2cupsgraham cracker crumbs(about 8 graham cracker sheets)
1/4cupgranulated sugar
8tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
Cheesecake Filling
1 cupheavy whipping creamcold
16ozcream cheese room temperature
3/4cuppowdered sugar
1/4 teaspoonlemon juice
1/2cupwhite vanilla baking chipsmelted
Topping
21ozNatural Cherry Pie Fillingchilled
Instructions
Make The Crust
Line a 8x8 glass pan with parchment paper and set aside. (see note)
In a bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
Add melted butter and stir until mixture resembles wet sand.
Pour the mixture into the prepared and spread into an even layer.
Press the crumbs down as tight as you can can using the bottom of a measuring cup or a fondant smoother.
Freeze the crust until ready to use.
Make The Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, add heavy whipping cream.
Mix on medium-high until the cream becomes fluffy and can hold stiff peaks. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar.
Mix in lemon juice and melted vanilla baking chips.
Fold in the whipped creams using a rubber spatula until well combined.
Spoon the mixture onto the prepared crust and spread into an even layer.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hour or until firm.
When ready to serve, top with chilled cherries.
Remove from pan, cut into bars and serve. (see note)
Video
Notes
A Better Way Of Serving: Parchment paper is optional and ONLY if you wish to lift the bars out of the pan to cut them. (I don't recommend this unless you wish to serve these bars on a platter for a special event) Otherwise just grease the pan well and the crust shouldn't stick.Although these bars look really pretty cut into perfect squares, they are SUPER messy to cut and handle. I'd suggest just cutting the bars into squares while leaving them in the pan for your guest to scoop out with a spatula. We always make this dish in a huge pan and then just scoop it out with a spoon! Works great!