Cranberry Cream Cheese Bar Recipe

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars stacked on a white plate.

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Buttery crust and streusel meet a creamy cheesecake-style layer and a sweet-tart cranberry sauce ribbon in these Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars. They’re easy, holiday-perfect, and slice cleanly after a short chill, no overnight setting required.

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Total Time1 10

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Author: Kellie

Cost: $10

Equipment

mixing bowl
pastry blender or fork
hand mixer
square baking pan
parchment paper

Ingredients

For the crust

1 cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream Cheese Filling

1 8- ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Streusel Topping

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cranberry sauce You can use whatever variety you'd like, I used my Easy Cranberry Sauce.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and flour until crumbly and combined thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish and pat the crust firmly and evenly into the dish using your hands. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and allow to cool completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, using a pastry blender, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, butter and salt until the mixture comes together and forms coarse crumbs. Using your hands or a fork, toss until the ingredients are combined and set aside.
Once the crust has cooled, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the crust leaving a 1/4 inch edge all the way around. Spread a thin layer of cranberry sauce over the cream cheese and then sprinkle the streusel topping over the entire top.
Bake for 40 minutes, remove and cool completely on a wire rack for 1-2 hours.
Cut into bars and store in an airtight container, refrigerated.

Notes

Cranberry sauce: Whole berry adds texture; jellied spreads smoother. If very thick, stir briefly before spreading.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for the best texture (skip whipped).
Don’t overmix: Mix the egg into the filling just until combined to keep the layer creamy.
Clean slices: Chill 1–2 hours, lift out with parchment, and wipe the knife between cuts.
Storage: Refrigerate covered up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze sliced bars (parchment between layers) up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge.

Nutrition