Teresa’s Bake Shop – Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2012

Pecan Cheesecake bars, oh my! What’s not to like about cheesecake??? Yum, yum, yum! These are wonderful little pecan bars with a tasty cheesecake filling and more pecans sprinkled on top. Decadent, rich, lovely, delectable, sensational! You and your company will love these tasty treats, and they are so easy to make, too.

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The most difficult thing about this recipe is finding a Butter Pecan cake mix! For several years I wasn’t able to find stores that stocked this cake mix. Recently, however, stores like Wal-Mart have started carrying it again and so I pulled this recipe out of my cookbook archives and decided to give it a whirl again. I am so glad I did. This amazing recipe tastes terrific–I think you’ll find it terrific in every way too.

I got this recipe years ago in the early 1980s from Maggi Odom when we both attended the same church in Largo, Florida. Maggi had grown children at the time and we had newborns. Maggi’s husband, Guy, was a deacon at the church as well as a Sunday school teacher.

Maggi brought this luscious dessert for a deacon fellowship once and we loved it. In fact, I couldn’t get enough of it. I was really happy when Maggi shared this spectacular recipe with me. I have no idea who originated the recipe. I haven’t changed it much from the way Maggi made it. I hope you enjoy it, too.

When I initially posted this recipe as one of my Christmas cookies for 2012, the pictures were taken with a poor quality iPhone 3 camera. Not only that, but the photos were too busy and gaudy with Christmas decorations, so it was a little difficult seeing the texture and just how wonderful these little jewels were.

I’ve been systematically going back through all my first-year blog recipes so I could retake pictures that are more attractive and with more clarity. As a result, I recently remade these cookies (November 2015) for a family after the husband had back surgery.

Along with a batch of Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup and Easy French Bread, these delightful brownies made a delicious dessert for that meal. Whether you make them for the holidays or other special occasions, Pecan Cheesecake Bars are a real treat!

Pecan Cheesecake Bars are a scrumptious treat for the holidays.

Each bar has a luscious cheesecake filling making this dessert rich, decadent and spectacular!

Your company will love be treated to a batch of Pecan Cheesecake Bars.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients. You will need a box of Butter Pecan cake mix. I usually find it at Walmart or Kroger. Reserve one cup cake mix and set it aside for the topping.

Place the remaining cake mix in a bowl. Add an egg and oil.

Stir all ingredients together to combine. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with cooking spray. Fit the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

Meanwhile, prepare cheesecake filling: Soften cream cheese. Add an egg, lemon juice and sugar.

Beat all the ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.

After crust has baked 15 minutes remove from oven.

Spread cream cheese filling over top of baked crust.

Sprinkle cream cheese layer with remaining Butter Pecan cake mix and finely diced pecans. Bake another 15 minutes at 350.

After the bars have baked another 15 minutes, cool completely before cutting into bars.

These beautiful Pecan Cheesecake Bars look so elegant on plates and platters, but be prepared for these treats to be snatched up quickly! Your holiday company will drool over these luscious bars.

Here’s the recipe.

PECAN CHEESECAKE BARS

(Recipe from Maggi Odom, First Baptist Church Indian Rocks, Largo, FL)

Our Bible study classes have always enjoyed getting these goodies as gifts.

Hand out Pecan Cheesecake Bars to your neighbors or take them to your office party and they will be gobbled up quickly! You and your family will also love this festive holiday bar-type cookie.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Pecan Treats

Iced Coconut Pecan Bars

Apricot Coconut Pecan Bars