Cranberry Dessert Bars
This delicious cranberry dessert bar recipe is made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, and topped with a fresh cranberry and orange sauce. The perfect holiday dessert everyone will enjoy.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 485kcal
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Topping
- 12 ounce fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- 8 ounce container cool whip
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cranberry Orange Topping
- In a medium saucepan add cranberries, sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and cornstarch. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the cranberries start to burst and thicken up remove from the heat and let cool.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Using a medium mixing bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together until combined.
- Spread mixture into prepared baking dish, and press into an even layer.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese for approximately 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and beat until combined then fold in cool whip and stir until incorporated.
- Once the crust has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the crust.
- Spread the cranberry sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4+ hours or overnight.
Notes
Tips
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- 4 hours is the minimum chilling time for these cheesecake bars. Overnight is even better!
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- Crush your graham crackers into crumbs, but don't pulverize them into powder. They need to have enough body to stick together and create a crust.
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- Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture. Don't stir it. Folding helps combine the ingredients while keeping them light and airy.
- Baking the crust for 10 minutes brings out the buttery flavor. However, it is not necessary if you want a no-bake dessert.
Nutritional values are approximate.
Please note that these values can change with different brands and any modifications made to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 829IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg