Lemon Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

Ingredients

Crust & Base:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cranberry Compote:

- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cream Cheese Layer:

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whipping cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Prepare the Crust & Base:
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, beat 1 large egg. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract; mix well.
- Gradually incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a greased 9x9-inch baking pan.

3. Bake the Crust:
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden. Remove and set aside to cool.

4. Prepare the Cranberry Compote:
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

5. Make the Cream Cheese Layer:
- In a large bowl, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whip 1/2 cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined and smooth.

6. Assemble the Bars:
- Spread the cream cheese layer evenly over the cooled crust.
- Spoon the cranberry compote over the cream cheese layer, gently spreading it to cover the entire surface.

7. Chill:
Refrigerate the assembled bars for at least 2 hours, or until set.

8. Serve:
Cut into squares and serve chilled.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation Time: PT20M
20 minutes

- Cooking Time: PT25M
25 minutes

Total Time

PT2H45M
2 hours and 45 minutes

Type of Dish

Dessert

Keywords

Cranberry dessert, Lemon bars, Cream cheese bars, Holiday dessert, Oven-baked dessert, Easy dessert recipe, Homemade cranberry sauce, Creamy dessert bars, Sweet and tangy bars, Holiday baking

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

Total: 1,200 calories

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