Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

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Want to be the star of the summer potluck? Make a batch of these crowd-pleasing cookie bars up to two days in advance.

Active Time:
30 mins
Chill Time:
4 hrs
Total Time:
6 hrs 10 mins
Yield:
24 serves
Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Ingredients

  • 2 (6.75-oz.) pkg. crisp, sweet cookies (such as Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies)

  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (about 5 oz.)

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

  • 2 tablespoons water, divided

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (about 5 1/2 oz.)

  • 3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 large egg whites

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Process cookies in a food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. Drizzle melted butter over cookie crumbs; pulse until well combined, 3 to 4 times. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of a parchment paper-lined, 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

  2. Meanwhile, combine raspberries and 1 tablespoon each of the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently to mash raspberries, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Place raspberry mixture in a fine wire-mesh strainer over a bowl; press mixture until there are about 3 tablespoons raspberry puree in bowl. Discard solids in strainer. Cool puree completely. Repeat procedure with blueberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon water.

  3. Beat softened cream cheese, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg whites and egg, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, all-purpose flour, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and beat at low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top.

  4. Drop level teaspoonfuls of raspberry and blueberry purees all over top of batter; gently swirl with a knife.

  5. Bake at 325°F until cheesecake is almost set (center will still jiggle slightly when dish is touched), 25 to 28 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatula around edge of dish to loosen sides of cheesecake. Cool on wire rack at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight. Cut into bars.

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