Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

By emp1438

Ingredients

• 18 shortbread cookies (from a 10-oz box)
• 3 tablespoon(s) butter, softened
• 1 jar(s) (12 oz) seedless red raspberry jam
• 2 (8 oz each) bricks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup(s) sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel

Details

Servings 36
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 90mins
Adapted from womansday.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 300°F. Line a 13 x 9-in. baking pan with foil, letting foil extend about 2 in. above ends of pan. Lightly coat with nonstick spray.

Crust: Pulse cookies in food processor to fine crumbs. Add butter; pulse until blended. Remove processor blade; scrape crumb mixture into lined pan; press evenly over bottom. Bake 10 to 13 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Remove and reserve 2 Tbsp jam. Spread remaining jam over crust up to 3/4 in. from edge.

Filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on high speed until smooth. On medium speed, beat in eggs and lemon peel just to blend. Spoon around edges over jam, then pour over jam in middle. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp jam, stirring until runny. Spoon into a small ziptop bag, cut a tip off 1 corner and drizzle on Filling.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set around edges but jiggly in center. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting.

Lift foil by ends onto a cutting board. Cut in 36 bars.