Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
 
 
Makes about 18
Ingredients
  • 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13×9-inch cast-iron baking pan with heavy-duty foil, letting excess extend over sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until well combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, firmly press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
  4. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together raspberries and lemon juice until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding seeds. In a small bowl, stir together raspberry sauce and jam; reserve.
  5. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and zest with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in granulated sugar and flour until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition (do not overbeat), stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Spread filling onto prepared crust.
  6. Slowly drizzle reserved raspberry mixture onto cream cheese mixture; gently swirl together with a knife.
  7. Bake until edges are just set, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate until cold, 4 to 6 hours. Using excess foil as handles, remove from pan, and cut into bars. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Notes
KITCHEN TIP:

Blueberries or blackberries can be swapped for raspberries in these bars. When the edges of the bars are set, the center will still be quite soft. Because the cast-iron baking pan retains heat so well, the center will continue to set and firm up as it slowly cools. If the bars are overbaked until the center is set, they will crack as they cool.
Recipe by Southern Cast Iron at https://southerncastiron.com/raspberry-swirl-cheesecake-bars/