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Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars close up photo of the cookie bars stacked with oranges and apricots in background

Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars

Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars - a freezer friendly recipe with the delicious combination of dried apricots in a citrus flavored cheesecake surrounded by buttery shortbread crumble.
Course Cookies/CookieBars
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 24 cookie bars
Calories 100 kcal
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cold butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • 1 cup 8 ouncescream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp grated orange zest finely minced
  • 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Instructions

  1. In a food processor pulse together the flour, vanilla, sugar and butter until crumbly (or simply cut the butter through the flour and sugar with a pastry knife or two butter knives held between your fingers)
  2. Save a 1/2 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 9x9 inch square baking pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 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 and orange zest.
  7. Fold in the chopped apricots.
  8. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly onto the pre-baked cookie base and sprinkle the reserved cookie crumble over the surface.
  9. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
  10. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Freezes well too.