Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars

Celebrate Fall and the upcoming holidays with this easy to make Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars recipe using a can of crescent rolls. This is a perfect Thanksgiving dessert recipe or Christmas.

Here we are and it is October already! I just can't believe how fast this year has flown by! October is the kick off to holiday baking. Dessert bars are perfect during the busy season. They are so easy to make. You can make Pumpkin Butter Crescent Bars or Cranberry Pecan Dessert Bars with crescent rolls.

I bake all year long but October seems to be when the world starts cranking out those sweet and delicious holiday recipes.

I love the sweet-tart flavor of cranberries in dessert recipes like these Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars that are so easy to make.

I used dried cranberries in this recipe which means I can make it any time of the year, even when fresh cranberries aren't available!

No need to mix up a batter or crust recipe because the sweet cranberry orange cheesecake filling is pillowed between two rolls of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.

You can't get much easier than that when it comes to making cheesecake bars.

Watch how easy it is to make the Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars in the video below.

Pillsbury Crescent rolls can be used to make so many easy holiday dessert recipes.

You can make some great holiday recipes using Pillsbury Crescent rolls.

Making holiday dessert recipes is so easy when you start with a ready made crust.

It takes most of the work out of making dessert bars to serve during the holidays. Or any time for that matter.

These Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars served with a cup of coffee are the perfecting ending to your holiday meal.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Crescent Bars

Ingredients

• 2 rolls Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Glaze (optional)

• 2-4 tablespoons orange juice
• ¾ cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees.
2. Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl with the orange juice and set aside until needed.
3. Prepare a baking pan by covering the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Unroll 1 roll of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and lay the sheet of dough without pulling the crescent rolls apart in a shallow baking pan or on a cookie sheet.
5. Press the seams that divide each crescent roll closed with your fingers and set aside.
6. In a bowl beat the cream cheese, butter, egg, vanilla, and orange zest until creamy.
7. Scrape the bowl and beat for about 30 seconds.
8. Add half the powdered sugar to the bowl and beat on low until mixed in. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat for one minute.
9. Scrape the bowl well and beat on medium for 1 minute.
10. Scoop the dried cranberries from the bowl of juice allowing the excess orange juice to drain. Add the cranberries to the cheesecake batter.
11. Fold the cranberries into the batter. Discard the orange juice.
12. Spread the cheesecake filling over the sheet of crescent rolls leaving the edges uncovered with filling.
13. Unroll the remaining sheet of crescent rolls place the second sheet of dough over the filling.
14. Press down on the edges to seal. Mix the granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon.
15. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.
16. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
17. Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the Cranberry Orange Cheesecake Crescent Bars. Allow the glaze to harden and cut into 16 bars before serving.
18. Store in the refrigerator.
19. Makes 16.

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Check out my other easy dessert recipes using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Cheesecake Lemon Curd Berry Crescent Bars: Lemon curd and fresh berries are pillowed between two layers of light and fluffy crescent rolls. This is a perfect spring or summer lemon curd dessert bar.

Pumpkin Butter Crescent Roll Bars: Enjoy the fall flavors of homemade pumpkin butter pillowed between two layers of light and fluffy crescent roll bars. Makes a great Thanksgiving dessert bar.