Christmas Cherry Cheesecake Bars – Festive, Creamy & Holiday-Perfect
Christmas Cherry Cheesecake Bars – Festive, Creamy & Holiday-Perfect
There’s something magical about Christmas baking that doesn’t happen any other time of the year. Maybe it’s the way the kitchen fills with warmth while the cold weather presses against the windows, or the way sugar, butter, and nostalgia seem to mix into their own kind of holiday music. Christmas isn’t just about gifts and glittering lights — it’s about the recipes that come out year after year, the pages in a family cookbook that are smudged and worn because they’re loved beyond measure.
These Christmas Cherry Cheesecake Bars belong to that kind of tradition. They’re the dessert you make when carols are playing, when wrapping paper is scattered across the coffee table, when you want something sweet enough to feel like celebration but simple enough that you don’t end up buried under dirty dishes. The cherry topping gives a jewel-bright pop of red that practically sings Christmas. Cream cheese brings a rich, velvety layer that feels like a hug. And beneath it all sits that sugar cookie crust — tender, buttery, and just the right amount of crumbly.
This recipe tastes like holidays in a bite. Like kids sneaking into the kitchen to swipe a corner piece. Like grandparents asking if there’s “just one more left.” The scent alone feels festive — warm vanilla, sweet cherries, and toasted almonds that bring crunchy magic to every square. These bars walk the line between comfort food and stunning dessert table centerpiece. It’s the type of treat that disappears quickly, often with quiet guilty joy and powdered sugar fingerprints on the table.
You don’t need years of baking experience to make something this lovely. You don’t need fancy mixers, water baths, candy thermometers, or culinary wizardry. Everything here is simple, familiar, reliable. A sugar cookie mix for the crust keeps your workload blissfully light. The cheesecake mixture comes together in a single bowl. And the cherry pie filling — canned, convenient, gloriously red — turns this from a plain cheesecake square into a Christmas miracle.
Bake it once, and I promise your holiday guests will ask for seconds. Bake it twice, and it becomes tradition.
Christmas Cherry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
Sugar Cookie Mix: 8.5 ounces
Cold Unsalted Butter: 4 tablespoons
Softened Cream Cheese: 8 ounces
Granulated Sugar: ¼ cup
All-Purpose Flour: 1 tablespoon
Vanilla Extract: ½ teaspoon
Egg: 1 large
Cherry Pie Filling: ½ can
Toasted Sliced Almonds: ⅓ cup
Instructions:
Prepare Baking Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch or 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and coat it with non-stick spray.
Make the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix and cold butter. Use a pastry blender to mix until it forms a crumbly texture. Set aside about ¾ cup of this mixture. Press the rest into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool. The crust will still look slightly underdone.
Prepare Cheesecake Layer: While the crust cools, mix the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and egg in a separate bowl until smooth and creamy.
Assemble Layers: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust. Spoon the cherry pie filling over the cream cheese layer, ensuring an even layer.
Add Topping: In a small bowl, mix the reserved crumbly cookie mixture with the toasted almonds. Sprinkle this evenly over the cherry layer.
Final Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes if using an 8×8 pan or 45 minutes if using a 9×13 pan, until the top turns light golden brown.
Cool and Store: Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. Store the bars in the refrigerator, covered.
Tips for Perfect Cheesecake Bars
• Cold butter is key. If the butter softens too much, the crust gets greasy rather than beautifully crumbly. Work fast like your life depends on it.
• Don’t skip cooling time. Warm cheesecake bars fall apart tragically. Let them chill fully for clean cuts.
• Want cleaner slices? Run a knife under hot water, wipe, cut — repeat.
• Almonds add texture magic. You’ll miss them if you skip. Toasted nuts bring contrast to the creamy center.
Creative Variations
• White Christmas version: Add white chocolate chips into the cheesecake layer.
• Santa’s swirl: Drag a toothpick through the cherry layer for a marbled look.
• Nut-free holiday bliss: Leave almonds out and use extra crumble topping instead.
• Berry swap: Blueberry or raspberry pie filling also works, but cherry screams Christmas loudest.
When to Serve
These bars are perfect for Christmas Eve gatherings, cookie exchanges, holiday brunch, gift boxes, school events or just because you need something festive at midnight. They make a stunning addition to dessert tables — bright, pretty, and basically begging to be eaten. Pair with hot cocoa, coffee, or even mulled wine if your holiday spirit leans chaotic.
Slice into squares for bite-sized servings or go big and cut into generous slabs for the dessert lovers in your house. No one will complain.
Storage & Freezing
Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. They actually taste even better the next day as flavors settle and the crust firms up. Want to freeze them? Yes — but freeze before adding almonds for best crunch later. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
FAQ
Can I double this recipe?
Of course. Use a larger pan or make two batches. It disappears fast, so doubling is smart.
My crust seems soft after baking — normal?
Yes. It firms up as it cools. Don’t panic. Trust the process.
Can I use homemade sugar cookie dough instead of mix?
Yep. Press it in the same way, but keep it thin to avoid a thick, doughy base.
Can I use full can of cherry filling?
You rebel. You absolutely can for extra cherry goodness, just watch for added moisture.
