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the whole slab of cranberry swirl cheesecake bars on a cooling rack. So pretty!
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Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars feature a crunchy chocolate cookie base, tangy, rich, creamy cheesecake filling, and a tart but sweet fresh cranberry swirl. These bars are so pretty, so delicious, and perfect for the holidays!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chilling time 5 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings 9 large or 16 smaller bars
Author Tessa Arias

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 10 full (150 grams) chocolate graham crackers
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted

For the cranberry swirl:

  • 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons Chambord or Grand Marnier, optional (replace with orange juice or water if not using)
  • 3 tablespoons water

For the filling:

  • 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

Make the Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square light-colored metal baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a food processor, pulse the chocolate graham crackers until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

Make the cranberry swirl:

  • Place the cranberries, sugar, zest, liqueur, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the mixture is thickened and syrupy. Cool for 20 minutes. Using a mini food processor, blender, or immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth, adding a little more water to thin out if necessary. You want this mixture to be a similar thickness and consistency to the cheesecake batter.

Make the filling:

  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla at medium-high speed until completely smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the flour and salt and beat until combined. Be careful not to overbeat.
  • Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Drop teaspoon-sized dollops of the cranberry mixture onto the cream cheese mixture and swirl with a butter knife. Bake at 350°F until the edges are slightly golden and the cheesecake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center, about 35 to 40 minutes. Do not overbake.
  • Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, cover and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. Using the overhang, transfer the cheesecake to a cutting board to cut into squares before serving.

Notes

If you can't find chocolate graham crackers, use the same amount by weight of chocolate Teddy Grahams. Feel free to use plain graham crackers instead.