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squares of Cranberry Cheese Bars piled on top of each other
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Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars Printable Recipe Card

Cranberry Cheese Bars are a layered dessert with an oatmeal base, cream cheese layer, tart cranberry filling, and finished off with oat crumbs! A favorite holiday dessert!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry cheese bars, Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars
Servings: 14 bars
Calories: 273kcal
Author: The Endless Appetite

Ingredients

Oat Crust

  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups Rolled Oats
  • ⅔ cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter Melted
  • ½ teaspoon Salt

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 16 oz Full-fat Cream Cheese softened
  • ⅔ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cranberry Layer

  • 2 cups Cranberries Fresh or Frozen
  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Orange Juice or Water Optional: Zest of ½ Orange

Optional Oat Crumble Topping

  • ½ cup Rolled Oats
  • ¼ cup Flour
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Melted Butter

Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃).
  • Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.

Make the Crust

  • Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt.
  • Stir in melted butter until coarse crumbs form.
  • Press firmly into the pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.

Cream Cheese Layer

  • Beat cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat until uniform.
  • Spread gently over the warm crust.

Cranberry Layer

  • Cook cranberries, sugar, and juice over medium heat
  • Stir until berries burst and the sauce thickens (8-10 minutes).
  • Cool briefly, then spoon over the cream cheese layer.

Optional Oat Crumble Topping

  • In a small bowl, combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, and brown sugar.
  • Stir to mix evenly. Pour in 2 tablespoons of melted butter and use a fork to toss until the mixture forms small clumps.
  • After spreading the cranberry layer over the cream cheese, sprinkle the crumble evenly across the top. See notes below for baking tips.

Bake

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges bubbles slightly and center is set.

Cool and Chill

  • Cool to room temperature, then chill 2-3 hours before slicing.

Notes

Adding the Optional Crumble Layer
Bake 20–25 minutes until:
  • The crumble is lightly golden
  • The edges are gently set
  • The center has a slight jiggle (it will firm as it cools)
If the crumble starts browning too quickly before 20 minutes, you can loosely tent it with foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg