Praline Crumb Caramel Cheesecake Bars

By littlefish

Prize-Winning Recipe 2010! Enjoy cheesecake as an easy bar wtih gooey caramel, rich toffee and crunchy nuts

Ingredients

• Cookie Base and Topping
• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits
• Filling
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup caramel topping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg

Details

Servings 36
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 240mins

Preparation

Step 1

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in bowl; cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, 1/4 cup of the caramel topping, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
3 Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping, pecans and toffee bits.
4 Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup caramel topping. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

TipsCold butter is needed to create a "just right" streusel and crust texture