Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Anybody craving cheesecake?  These bars are the perfect dessert for an end of summer picnic.  Smooth, creamy, cold, and delicious.

With their gorgeous ruby color, I think they would be perfect for Christmas as well.

You guys have started thinking about that little holiday right?  I already have a stash of Christmas gifts that is piling up.   (I have problems I know.)

I just have to find my five year old a venus flytrap and a declaration of independence.

Kids are weird.

Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Recipe from Paula Deen

For the crust:
-1 1/4 cups flour
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
-1/2 cup sweetened coconut, divided

For the filling:
-2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
-2/3 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-2 (21 oz.) cans cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust- combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until fine crumbs form and add 1/2 cup of nuts and 1/4 cup of the coconut.. Mix well.  Remove 1/2 cup of this crust mixture and set aside (along with the remaining nuts and coconut. This will be used for the topping.) Press the crust mixture into a 9x13 inch pan.

Bake crust for 10 minutes, or light golden brown.

To make the filling- Beat together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and pour on top of baked crust. Smooth with a spatula. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Pour both cans of cherry pie filling over the cheesecake, and smooth. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over pie filling.

Bake 15 minutes more and then let cool.

Refrigerate overnight before cutting.