Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Dessert arranged neatly on a white plate, garnished with glossy cherries.

Creamy cherry cheesecake bars made with a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth vanilla cheesecake filling, and sweet cherry pie topping.

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Course: Bars, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake bars, Cherry Cheesecake Bars, graham cracker crust cheesecake bars, old-fashioned cherry cheesecake bars

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Servings:

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 16 full sheets
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter melted

For the Cheesecake Filling

16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

For the Cherry Topping

1 can cherry pie filling 21 oz

Instructions

Preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Prepare the baking pan.

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.

Prepare the crust mixture.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Press the crust into the pan.

Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.

Bake the crust.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Prepare the cheesecake filling.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just incorporated.

Add vanilla and salt.

Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

Add the filling to the crust.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled graham cracker crust and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Bake the cheesecake layer.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center remains slightly jiggly.

Cool completely.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cheesecake bars to cool completely at room temperature.

Chill the bars.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until fully chilled and firm.

Add the cherry topping.

Before serving, spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the chilled cheesecake layer.

Remove from the pan.

Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cheesecake bars out of the pan.

Slice and serve.

Cut into squares and serve chilled.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free, replace the graham cracker crumbs with certified gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or gluten-free cookie crumbs.

Confirm that the cream cheese, vanilla extract, salt, sugar, butter, and cherry pie filling are certified gluten-free.

Use gluten-free cherry pie filling, as some canned fillings may contain gluten-based thickeners or be processed in shared facilities.

Prepare the bars in a clean baking pan with clean mixing bowls, utensils, measuring tools, and parchment paper to prevent cross-contamination.

If using gluten-free cookie crumbs for the crust, adjust the melted butter slightly as needed until the crumb mixture holds together when pressed.

Store and serve the bars separately from gluten-containing desserts if preparing them for guests with gluten sensitivity.