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Cozy Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars: Easy Holiday Dessert

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These Cozy Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars are the dessert equivalent of a warm blanket on a cold night. They have a buttery, golden crust, a luscious and creamy cheesecake layer, and a tart, jammy cranberry topping that’s all finished with a crunchy, sweet streusel.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 12 oz)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks, 226g), cut into small cubes
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 16 oz (two 8-oz blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the 3 cups of cranberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup orange juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries start to pop and the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and vanilla extract, and cook for another minute until it’s nice and jammy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter lumps. Stir in the beaten egg until the mixture is just combined. It will be crumbly.
  4. Reserve about 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumble mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
  5. In a separate bowl using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and ½ cup sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low after each until just combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and the 2 tablespoons of flour. Beat just until smooth.
  6. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the pressed crust and spread it evenly with a spatula. Spoon the cooled cranberry filling over the cheesecake layer in dollops, then gently spread it into an even layer.
  7. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the cranberry layer. Don’t press it down.
  8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is just set. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes.
  9. Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Then, transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  10. Once fully chilled, use the parchment handles to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut into squares. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest edges.

Notes

Don’t overwork the crumble; leave pea-sized butter chunks. Room temperature ingredients are key for a smooth cheesecake layer. Chilling is non-negotiable for clean slices. Watch your oven and tent with foil if browning too quickly. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry cheesecake bars, holiday dessert, crumble bars, easy dessert, cranberry dessert, cheesecake bars

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