Holiday cherry cheese bars

36 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Walnut pieces, divided
1¼ cup All-purpose flour
½ cup Firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup Butter flavor crisco
½ cup Flake coconut
16 ounces Cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup Granulated sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
21 ounces Cherry pie filling; can

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 x 2" baking pan with Butter Flavor Crisco. Set aside. Chop ½ cup nuts, coarsely for topping.

Set aside. Chop remaining ½ cup nuts, finely. For Crust: Combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in Butter Flavor Crisco until fine crumbs form. Add ½ cup finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Remove ½ cup. Set aside. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

For Filling: Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until smooth. Spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer. Spread cherry pie filling over cheese layer. Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs. Sprinkle, evenly, over cherries.

Return to oven. Bake 15 minutes longer. Cool. Refrigerate several hours. Cut into bars, about 2 x 1½".

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