Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars

Yield: about 24 bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed and divided
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 12 ounces Wisconsin cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup (6 ounces) fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, oats and 1/2 cup brown sugar.
3. Add butter; stir until thoroughly mixed and crumbly.
4. Reserve 1 cup crumbs; set aside.
5. Press remaining crumbs firmly into buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar until fluffy.
8. Gradually beat in milk.
9. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice; mix well; set aside.
10. In small bowl, mash raspberries together with jam; set aside.
11. When baked, remove crust from oven and immediately spread cream cheese mixture evenly over hot crust.
12. Spoon raspberry mixture over cheese layer and gently spread to cover.
13. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs and bake until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
14. Cool, then cut into approximately 2 x 2 inch squares or a size of your choosing.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin