Welcome to Day 2 of
The Twelve Days of Holiday Treats!
Once again, this year, from December 1-12th I’ll post a new holiday treat recipe every day – inspiration for your holiday entertaining!
The recipes I’m sharing are small batch (perfect for this year of smaller gatherings – each recipe makes 1-dozen) that are simple to prepare and that use everyday ingredients and equipment so hopefully you’ll be able to whip up any of these on a whim.
Today’s treat is inspired by one of my online baking class students! We were making the Speculoos Swirl Cheesecake Bars a few weeks ago and they couldn’t find cookie butter to swirl into the top. I suggested a tart jam and it worked really well against the gingerbready base and the not-too-sweet cheesecake topping and they were thrilled.
A couple of days later, I found myself with extra cranberry sauce, leftover from the Triple Layer Parsnip and Cranberry Cake and wondered if that might work in a cheesecake topping too. Since cranberry sauce typically has large pieces of fruit, it doesn’t work so well as a swirl but it DOES work when you fold it into the cheesecake topping just before you pour it over the base.
Bonus? It makes for a lovely pink-hued cheesecake studded with pops of red fruit which it really pretty for a holiday dessert (or, anytime!).
This is such an easy dessert (no water bath needed for baking the cheesecake) and it looks so cheery – I can’t think of a more happy-making dessert…
Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Easy cranberry swirl cheesecake bars for the holidays.
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1/2 cup (75g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 28g (2 tablespoons/) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 125g brick style cream cheese, at room temperature (this is half a brick package)
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1 large egg white (you can use the white you didn’t use in the base)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
Instructions
Make the base
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Grease and line an 8 x 4-inch loaf tin with parchment paper, making sure you have some overhang (this will help you lift the cheesecake out when it’s baked).
- Pulse the flour, baking soda and butter in a food processor (I use a mini food processor for this) until combined.
- Add the brown and granulated sugar, egg yolk and vanilla and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together around the sides of the bowl.
- Press the mixture into the prepared baking tin - use your fingertips, the bottom of a glass or a wide flat spatula to press the mixture in as tightly as possible.
- Bake for 10 minutes. The base will look slightly puffy and might not look completely cooked at this stage but that’s ok.
- Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Lower the heat to 325˚F.
- Using handheld electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and creamy.
- Add the icing sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the egg white and vanilla and and mix until completely combined.
- Add the yoghurt and fold gently with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
- Fold in the cranberry sauce very gently.
- Make sure your oven is at 325˚F.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the cookie base.
- Bake your cheesecake bars for 30 - 35 minutes until the filling is just set. It might still be a little jiggly on top in the very centre.
- Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and allow the cheesecake to cool slightly for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Slice into squares with a long, sharp knife.
- To store: Place squares in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make the cheesecake filling:
Bake the cheesecake:
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Stay tuned to see what tomorrow brings and in the meantime…
Check out the rest of the 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Rice Krispie Wreaths
Day 2: Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Day 3: Peppermint Bark
Day 4: Orangettes
Day 5: Rocky Road Chocolate Crackle Slice
Day 6: Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Day 8: Mendiants
Day 9: Chewy Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookies
Day 10: Apricot, Coconut and Cranberry “truffles”
Day 11: Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Brownies
Day 12: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
OR
Check out last year’s 12 Days of Holiday Cookies:
Day 1: Easy Three Ingredient Shortbread
Day 2: Jam Drops
Day 3: Chocolate Caramel Slice
Day 4: Melting Moments
Day 5: White Christmas
Day 6: Langues de Chat
Day 7: Chocolate Coconut Slice
Day 8: Cornflake Biscuits
Day 9: Rocky Road
Day 10: Honey Joys
Day 11: Rum Ball Truffles
Day 12: Giant Florentine Cookie (to share)
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