Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Bars

Cranberry Cheesecake Bar Recipe

Cheesecake is always a guaranteed hit at the holidays or anytime dessert is being served. Sometimes it feels overwhelming or you just want a better grab and go dessert, and that is when cheesecake bars are a fantastic option.

I used these popular Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars for the base of the recipe. But instead of seasonal rhubarb, I opted for some cranberries paired with Grand Marnier and orange juice. The resulting Cranberry Cheesecake Bars were equally delicious and perfect for a winter holiday dessert!

Much like this Cranberry Orange Custard Pie, you really can’t go wrong with that flavor combination in the fall and winter.

• Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Orange Custard Pie

Cheesecake Bars with Sugar Cookie Crust

Instead of the classic graham cracker crust that most cheesecake recipes are served on, we use a sugar cookie mix. Not only does it provide an amazing chewy crust that tastes great, but it’s super simple.

The great part about bars is that you can cut them as big or small as you’d like, depending on whether you are serving family with a hearty appetite, or what to stretch them further for a holiday party or potluck. When you cut them into small pieces, they make a great bite sized finger food.

When you use a graham cracker crust, this doesn’t work quite as well. The crust tends to crumble and not hold up as well. The sugar cookie crust on the other hand, is a thick chewy crust that will withstand cutting the bars into small pieces.

Cranberry Orange Swirl Cheesecake

The cranberry orange swirl with Grand Marnier is really the star of these cheesecake bars. The balance of tart cranberries, sweetened with orange juice and sugar is the perfect compliment to rich cheesecake.

The Grand Marnier, which is an orange liqueur is just an added special touch that will really bring the flavors to life. If you don’t have Grand Marnier in your liquor cabinet, any orange liqueur will do. From Triple Sec to Cointreau, you can use whatever you have on hand. I just happened to keep Grand Marnier on hand for my favorite cocktail, a Purple Rain.

If you don’t have any on hand or don’t want to include any alcohol in the recipe, then you can happily substitute some additional orange juice in it’s place. The Cranberry Cheesecake Bars will still be delicious!

• Purple Rain

How to make Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

To get started, mix the following ingredients in a bowl until a crumbly mixture forms

1 (21 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup softened butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large egg

Press the mixture lightly into a greased 9X13 baking pan. Bake at 350F for 18 minutes.

Cranberry Orange Sauce

While your crust is baking, in a small saucepan, over medium high heat, add the following ingredients.

1 1/2 cups whole cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1/3 cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier or orange liqueur of your choice (substitute additional orange juice for non-alcoholic option)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Bring the cranberries to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until the cranberries are cooked down and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in one teaspoon of orange zest.

Creamy Cheesecake Recipe

Next up, add two packages of cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat on high with 3/4 cup sugar until super smooth. Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract and two large eggs and mix just until well combined. Be sure not to overbeat the mixture with eggs in it.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the par baked crust. Dollop the cranberry sauce over the cheesecake filling and using a butter knife, swirl the sauce into the cheesecake.

Bake the bars at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before serving.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

This recipe works great with fresh or frozen cranberries. The cranberries ultimately get cooked down into a sauce, so it doesn’t matter which you use. Whatever you have on hand will work best!

Just be sure that there isn’t a lot of frost buildup on the cranberries. Not only will the cranberries not be the freshest, but it will add additional moisture to the sauce. If all you have are some frozen cranberries with frost, be sure to rinse them under warm water first, to get all off he frost off.

How to store Cheesecake Bars

Many desserts with high sugar content can be stored at room temperatures, but when it comes to cheesecake, you will want to refrigerate it. It helps hold the firm texture of the cheesecake and keep it food safe. After the bars have cooled to room temperature, cover them and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Can you freeze Cheesecake Bars?

If you made a pan of these Cranberry Cheesecake Bars and have some leftovers, you can absolutely freeze them! Just be sure to freeze them within the first couple days of making them for optimal freshness.

To freeze the cheesecake bars, remove them from the pan they were baked in and place on a cookie sheet. You can leave them uncut, or go ahead and cut them up if you want to be able to sneak a single bar from the freezer later.

Once the bars are frozen solid after a few hours, wrap them in tinfoil and store in a resealable bag up to 3 months. To thaw the frozen cheesecake bars, place them in the refrigerator overnight.

More holiday cranberry recipes!

If you love the classic flavor of cranberries during the holidays as much as we do, then be sure to check out some of these other recipes for sweets, drinks, appetizers and more!

Cranberry Orange Mimosas – What holiday isn’t a good excuse to sip on one of these!

Cranberry Goat Cheese Appetizer – Made with a similar sauce to these cheesecake bars, this savory appetizer is the perfect holiday appetizer.

Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing – This is one of our most popular recipes around the holidays. It is a great way to make a tasty holiday side dish without taking up oven space.

Cranberry Fluff – If you love a good Midwestern Jell-O salad for the holidays, be sure to try this cranberry fluff.

• Cranberry Orange Mimosas
• Cranberry Goat Cheese Appetizer
• Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

Notes

You can substitute the Grand Marnier for Triple Sec or Cointreau. If you prefer to omit alcohol, substitute additional orange juice in it's place.

Serving: 1 g | Calories: 163 kcal | Carbohydrates: 21 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 56 mg | Sodium: 94 mg | Sugar: 19 g