Cherry Cheesecake Bars

A good friend of mine sent me an old cookbook the other day and this recipe caught my attention. I'm a cherry cheesecake lover from way back so I knew this would be good. I changed the recipe a little bit to suit us but it was really good. This makes a nice big pan full of cherry yumminess. I think the next time I make it though, I'll use TWO cans of cherry pie filling on top...just because I love cherries...but using just one can was good, too. A really fun and tasty dish!

Cherry Cheesecake Bars



1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese ~ room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 21-oz. can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, brown sugar and shortening in a medium bowl and mix until crumbly.

Add the nuts and coconut and stir. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture to use later.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Pour cream cheese mixture over partially baked crust then return to the oven for 15 more minutes. 

Carefully spoon pie filling over cheese layer.

Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and return to oven for another 15 minutes.

Cool completely then cut into bars.

Here's the stuff you'll need.

Combine flour, brown sugar and shortening 

in a medium bowl and mix until crumbly.

Add the nuts and coconut and stir.

Remove 1/2 cup of mixture to use later.

Press mixture into the prepared 

pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

Beat until smooth.

Pour cream cheese mixture over partially 

baked crust then return to the oven for 15 more minutes.

Carefully spoon pie filling over cheese layer.

Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture 

and return to oven for another 15 minutes.

See how pretty?

Taste how yummy!