Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars. A luscious combination of sweet cherries, creamy cheesecake and indulgent chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

One great recipe can sometimes inspire another. We have had a few cheesecake cookie bars featured over the past few years and I particularly like the ones that combine a shortbread like base and crumble topping.

With the success of a recent chocolate shortbread recipe experiment, I decided that a cherry cheesecake version of these cookie bars could work well.

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars ready for the oven.

I drizzled them with a little chocolate for presentation purposes only, they certainly don’t need it, so omit it if you prefer.

This type of cheesecake square, like the others here at Rock Recipes, freezes quite well making them an excellent choice for early, pre-holiday baking. This batch went very quickly into my freezer after I sampled one…so lusciously delicious!

Originally published November 13, 2013. Photo and recipe update November 2017.

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares

I think this recipe could be adapted to other types of  chopped fruits or berries that naturally pair well with chocolate. Almost everything goes with cheesecake in my opinion, so different fruits or berries could be an option. 

Cherries for Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

I like the idea of using raspberries, blackberries or strawberries in this recipe. I recently had some chocolate dipped apricots, my favourite dried fruit, so an apricot version of this one has got me thinking too. Maybe add a splash of Amaretto to the cheesecake batter just to enhance the flavour of the apricots; that sounds divine!

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Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares

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Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars - a luscious combination of sweet cherries, creamy cheesecake and indulgent chocolate.

Course: Cookies/Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Servings: 3 dozen cookie bars

Author: Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CRUMBLE MIXTURE

• 3 cup flour
• ⅔ cup cocoa
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1½ cup cold butter

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 2 cup (1 pound) cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1⅓ cups fresh or frozen cherries , quartered

FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE (Optional)

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp whipping cream

Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa and butter until crumbly (or simply cut the butter through the flour,cocoa and sugar with a pastry knife or two butter knives held between your fingers)
2. Save a 1 cup of this crumble mixture to sprinkle over the top later.
3. Press the rest of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a greased or parchment lined 9×13 inch rectangular baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes while preparing the cheesecake filling.
5. Beat together the cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Beat in the egg.
7. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly onto the pre-baked cookie base.
8. Sprinkle the chopped cherries evenly over the cheesecake batter.
9. Press together the the reserved cookie crumble in your fist, break off small pieces and sprinkle over the surface.
10. Bake at 325 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cheesecake is set at the center.
11. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
12. You can drizzle the squares with chocolate too id f you like. Just melt together the chocolate chips and whipping cream in a double boiler. Spoon into a piping bag (or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) and drizzle a thin stream over each cookie bar.
13. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Freezes well too.

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