Oatmeal Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

I made these for a work Thanksgiving party (and some extra for us!) and they were a hit!

I started by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and then I sprayed a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray.

I then measured 2 cups of all-purpose flour and poured it in a large bowl.

In that same bowl, I added 1 1/4 cups of quick oats...

... and 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar.

I mixed the dry ingredients and then got started on the wet.

This recipe calls for 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, but I didn't plan ahead and melted it on the stove in a small saucepan.

(Tip: Be careful when melting butter in the microwave. The water evaporates quickly and the fat causes the butter to explode. Use a cover if you use the microwave.)

I then added the butter...

... and mixed it with a hand mixer. You can use a stand mixer if you have one.

I set 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture aside for the topping.

I poured the rest of the crumb mix into the 9x13 pan.

I pressed the crust down and put it in the oven for 15 minutes.

To make the cheesecake filling, I started by putting 1/2 cup of sugar into the same bowl I used for the crumb mix.

I had added 12 oz (1 1/2 bars) of softened cream cheese before. 

I went ahead and creamed the cream cheese/sugar mix.

To the cream cheese layer, I included 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice.

I also added 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 eggs.

All mixed up!

In another bowl, I added a can of whole cranberry sauce...

... and 2 tsp of corn starch.

It's all ready!

After 15 minutes, the crust looks great!

I poured in the cheesecake layer and spread it evenly over the crust.

I then spooned the cranberry sauce over the cheesecake layer...

... and gently smoothed it over with a spatula (the back of a spoon will work too).

I then took the crumb mix that I set aside and sprinkled it oven the filling.

I threw it in the oven for 40 minutes and it came out smelling wonderful! Make sure you let the bars cool for at least 3 hours -- overnight would be better.

In the morning, I cut them up and put them on a cake pedestal. Yum!

>> If you end up making this for dessert, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis