Cherry Cheesecake Bars — Big, Detailed Recipe

A crowd-pleasing dessert that looks fancy but is very easy to make: a buttery shortbread-like crust, a creamy cheesecake layer, and a glossy cherry pie filling sandwiched on top. These bars are perfect for parties, picnics, or a cozy dessert for two (or lovers of cherries and cheesecake!). Yield: about 16 bars (9×13-inch pan). Total active time ≈ 30–40 minutes; bake + chill time ≈ 3 hours (most of that is hands-off chilling).

Ingredients

Crust

1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
½ cup (113 g / 1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Cheesecake layer

16 oz (448 g) cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream (or plain yogurt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tsp lemon zest (optional — brightens flavor)

Cherry topping

24 oz (about 680 g) cherry pie filling (canned or homemade)
OR use ~3 cups fresh cherries cooked with ½–¾ cup sugar and 2 tbsp cornstarch + splash lemon juice until thickened.

Finishing

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
A few fresh cherries for garnish (optional)

Methods & Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment leaving an overhang for easy removal. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick spray.

Make the crust

In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter, two forks, or pulse in a food processor, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to clump when pinched. Add vanilla if using.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan (use the bottom of a measuring cup for firm, even pressing). Bake 15–18 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Remove and let cool slightly (5–10 minutes).

Make the cheesecake layer

While crust bakes, beat room-temperature cream cheese until smooth (no lumps). Add ½ cup sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest until just combined — don’t overmix (too much air makes cracks).
Pour cheesecake mixture gently over the warm crust and spread evenly.

Add cherries & bake/finish

Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the cheesecake layer. (If you want a marbled look, lightly swirl with a knife — but for neat layers, spread evenly.)
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22–28 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly (it will firm while chilling).
Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours (overnight is best) to fully set. For clean squares, chill until firm.

Serve

Using the parchment overhang, lift the slab from the pan. Slice into 16 bars with a sharp knife (wipe blade between cuts for clean edges). Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh cherries if desired.

Formation (Assembly Tips & Tricks)

For even layers, press the crust firmly and level before baking.
Spread the cheesecake gently — tap pan once on the counter to remove bubbles.
If using fresh cherry compote, cool it before adding to avoid making the cheesecake runny.
Chill thoroughly — bars cut neater when fully cold.

History (Short)

Cheesecake has ancient roots (Greeks and Romans), evolving over centuries into many regional styles. The cheesecake bar is a modern American convenience — combining a shortbread or graham base, a creamy cheesecake layer, and fruit or pie fillings on top. Cherry is a classic pairing with cheesecake because the tart-sweet cherries cut through the richness.

Benefits (Why this dessert is great)

Shareable & portable — easy to cut into bars for parties or potlucks.
Balance of flavors — creamy, tangy cheesecake + bright cherry makes each bite interesting.
Flexible — swap cherries for blueberry, strawberry, apple, or caramel & nuts.
Make-ahead friendly — keeps and actually firms up and improves after chilling.

For Lovers (Serving & Pairing Suggestions)

For cherry lovers: add a thin layer of cherry jam under the filling for extra intensity.
For cheesecake lovers: use high-fat cream cheese and add a vanilla bean (seeds) for luxury.
Pairings: espresso or strong coffee, late-harvest Riesling or Moscato, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Romantic serving idea: cut bars into hearts (use a cookie cutter) and serve with fresh berries and a candle.

Variations & Methods

Gluten-free: use a 1:1 GF flour blend for the crust or almond flour + butter (reduces bake time).
Lower-sugar: use sugar substitutes suitable for baking for the crust and cheesecake; use fresh cherries sweetened lightly.
Mini version: bake in an 8×8 pan for thicker bars (reduce bake time slightly) or in muffin tins for single-serve bites.

Nutrition (Estimated per bar — approximate)

(Calculated for recipe yielding 16 bars using listed ingredients; this is an estimate and will vary with brands/changes.)

Calories: ≈ 310 kcal per bar
Carbohydrates: ≈ 33 g
Fat: ≈ 17 g
Protein: ≈ 4 g

These are rough values based on standard ingredient nutrition and rounded. If you need an exact label for dietary reasons, use specific product nutrition facts and calculate with a nutrition app.

Troubleshooting

Cracks in cheesecake layer: don’t overmix and avoid too-high oven temp. Use room-temp ingredients.
Soggy crust: let crust bake until set and slightly golden; if oven is humid, bake a couple minutes longer.
Cherry filling sinks: slightly cool very hot filling before spreading, or spread gently.

Conclusion

These Cherry Cheesecake Bars are the best of both worlds: the silky tang of cheesecake and the bright, jammy pop of cherries on a buttery crust. They look impressive but are straightforward — great for bakers of any level. Make them for friends, family, date night, or whenever you need a dessert that says “I made something special.”

Final Notes for Lovers (extra love tips)

Make them a day ahead — flavors develop and they slice beautifully.
Personalize: a sprinkle of toasted almonds, a drizzle of dark chocolate, or a pinch of cinnamon in the crust can turn them into your signature bar.
If you want, tell me whether you prefer more cherry or more cheesecake and I’ll tweak ingredient ratios to make a version just for you (thicker cheesecake layer / extra cherries / gluten-free, etc.).

Enjoy — and if you try them, tell me how they turned out (pics welcome!). ❤️🍒🧀