Cherry Cheese Danish Bars Recipe

Ingredients:

• For the crust:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
• For the cheese filling:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
• For the cherry topping:
  • 1 cup cherry pie filling (canned or homemade)
  • Optional: powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, softened butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg yolk. Mix until the dough comes together.
3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
4. While the crust is baking, prepare the cheese filling. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg until smooth and creamy.
5. Once the crust has baked, remove it from the oven and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the warm crust.
6. Spoon the cherry pie filling over the cream cheese layer, spreading it gently to cover as evenly as possible.
7. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges are lightly golden.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Once cooled, cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
9. Serve and enjoy your delicious Cherry Cheese Danish Bars!