These easy Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars are a festive and flavorful dessert for the holiday season. The base layer is made of sugar cookie mix paired with crushed Lotus Biscoff® cookies for a warm buttery foundation. A smooth cream cheese layer adds a richness that's met with a tart cranberry filling followed by crumble topping. These bars are simple to assemble and are a definite crowd pleaser for any holiday gathering.
Here are the key ingredients needed to make this delicious dessert.
Sugar Cookie Mix: Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix is the main ingredient that provides structure for the base and crumble topping.
Crushed Lotus Biscoff® Cookies: The caramel and buttery notes of the cookies pair perfectly with the sugar cookie mix. Make sure to crush the cookies into a very fine in texture so the dough can come together.
Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries work in this recipe. If using fresh, the cooking time may be a little less. You know the cranberries are done cooking when they have burst and the mixture has a jam-like texture.
Cream Cheese: For the best results, we recommend full-fat cream cheese to create a smooth, rich texture for the cheesecake layer.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Large egg, unsalted butter, sugar, cornstarch, water, and vanilla.
We've put together a list of simple steps along with tips and tricks for making these delicious and festive Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars
For the cookie base layer, we recommend pressing the dough into the pan with your hands or the back of a measuring cup to make sure it’s even. Break up the reserved 3/4 cup of the dough into pieces that are no bigger than the size of a quarter for the crumble topping.
Mix all the ingredients well and continue stirring while the cranberries cook to prevent burning, you want the mixture to be jam-like.
Beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth before adding the other ingredients. Continue mixing until fully incorporated and the texture is smooth with no lumps.
Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the prebaked sugar cookie base. Dollop cooled cranberry filling onto the cheesecake layer and swirl to create a marble effect. Crumble reserved cookie dough over top.
Proper storage of these bars ensures you get the most enjoyment out of this dessert.
These bars must be stored in the refrigerator. They cannot be left out at room temperature for food safety reasons. Place bars in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can keep them in the baking pan and cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight storage container, placing parchment or wax paper in between layers to prevent sticking.
Let the bars cool completely at room temperature (about 1 hour). You can freeze the uncut bars for 2 hours and then cut into 16 bars. Or refrigerate overnight, cut into 16 bars, wrap individually with plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag, and freezer for up to 3 months. Let the bars sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
The chilling time for the Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars is so important! If you cut into the bars too soon, you will get a runny bar that is messy. We strongly recommend waiting the full amount of refrigeration time before cutting. When cutting the bars, run a knife under hot water and wipe clean in between cuts.
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine frozen cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently over medium heat until cranberries have burst and mixture is thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix dry sugar cookie mix, crushed cookies, egg, and melted butter using a spoon or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, until the mixture just starts to come together into a dough. (It will be slightly crumbly in texture.)
Reserve 3/4 cup of mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture evenly in the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the partially baked crust; spread evenly. Drop cranberry mixture into 9 dollops over the cream cheese mixture (3 rows by 3 rows).
Using a knife or a wooden skewer, gently swirl cream cheese mixture and cranberry mixture to create a marble effect.
Sprinkle the reserved 3/4 cup of cookie mixture evenly over top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center still jiggles slightly when moved. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Cut into 16 bars (4 rows by 4 rows).
To add a zesty orange flavor, replace the water in the cranberry mixture with 1 tablespoon orange juice and stir 1 tablespoon orange zest into the cheesecake mixture.
To make these bars extra special, serve topped with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream and crushed Lotus Biscoff® cookies.
Make sure the cream cheese is softened, and eggs have been allowed to sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before preparing the cheesecake layer. This is key to making a smooth filling.
