Vanilla Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

You don't need a springform pan to prepare this cheesecake recipe. Instead you bake it in a 13 x 9-inch pan and cut it into bars. The bars are made extra-special with raspberry preserves marbled throughout the filling.

Makes 24 servings.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Ginger
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
4 eggs
1/4 cup raspberry preserves, stirred to soften

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and ginger. Press firmly onto bottom of foil-lined 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Gently drop small spoonfuls of preserves over batter. Cut through batter several times with knife for marble effect.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift out of pan onto cutting board. Cut into bars. Garnish as desired. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Nutrition Information per 1 serving: Calories: 241 Sodium: 191 mg Fat: 17 g Carbohydrates: 18 g Cholesterol: 82 mg Fiber: 0 g Protein: 4 g

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of McCormick - used with permission