Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are the perfect dessert for the busy holiday season. These bars feature a rich, vanilla bean cheesecake layer topped with a homemade cranberry sauce and finished with a buttery streusel topping. Whether you're hosting or bringing a dish to share, these Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars will be a crowd-pleaser.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour:  For both the shortbread crust and the brown sugar streusel, I use my homemade all purpose gluten-free flour blend. However, this recipe works beautifully with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, or any gluten-free flour blend you have on hand. Shortbread and streusel are very forgiving, so feel free to use your favorite blend - just make sure it contains xanthan gum for the best results!

Cream Cheese: In the cream cheese layer in this recipe for Cranberry cheesecake bars I use full-fat cream cheese. I have not tested this recipe with reduced-fat cream cheese. My brand of choice if Philadelphia which is gluten free according to the Kraft-Heinz website. I always recommend checking the packaging or the manufacturer's website to ensure the products used are celiac-safe.

Cranberries: Choose firm, plump cranberries with a vibrant deep red color. Avoid berries that are soft, mushy, or have shriveled spots. While fresh cranberries are my go-to for making cranberry sauce, frozen cranberries are an excellent alternative. Just toss them in straight from the freezer; no need to thaw!

Orange Juice & Zest: Orange juice and Orange Zest adds a lovely brightness to the cranberry sauce. I recommend using, if possible, an organic orange. Regardless of what orange you choose to use, please make sure to give it a good wash. If you don’t have an orange on hand, you could use the zest of a lemon, lime, or even grapefruit. I recommend a Microplane for this task.

Vanilla Bean Paste: I love using vanilla bean paste in this cheesecake - it pairs beautifully with the cranberries and oranges. Vanilla bean paste is a concentrated blend of vanilla extract and finely ground vanilla beans, with a thick, syrupy consistency. It’s more potent than vanilla extract and adds those gorgeous vanilla bean specks to the final product. Just a heads-up: some brands add sugar or corn syrup to dilute the paste, which can compromise both flavor and quality, so always check the label. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste on hand, vanilla extract or even vanilla bean sugar works as a great substitute.

Gluten Free Brown Sugar Streusel

I always have an abundance of streusel in my freezer. It's easy to make and really ads a special touch to these cheesecake bars. If you like you can always add some chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the dry ingredients. You can also freeze the crumb topping for up to 3 months.

1. Start by melting the butter in a small pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl. Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
2. While the butter is cooling, combine gluten free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk these ingredients together.
3. Using a fork or a small spatula, gently blend the dry ingredients with the melted butter until crumbles start to form. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Place the brown sugar crumble topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the gluten free cheesecake crust and cheesecake filling for the cranberry cheesecake bars.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Making your own cranberry sauce is pretty easy and it can be made in just 10 - 15 minutes. You can either use fresh or frozen cranberries to make this gluten free cranberry sauce.

1. To prepare homemade cranberry sauce, combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, water, kosher salt, and spices in a medium saucepan. Instead of using ground cinnamon, I prefer a cinnamon stick - it adds a richer flavor. Just be sure to remove it once the sauce is finished.
2. Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking or burning. You’ll know it’s ready when the cranberries have popped and released their juices, creating a thick and vibrant sauce. Remeber the cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools so don't cook it for too long.
3. Once cooked, remove the cranberry sauce from the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Adjust the spices to taste if needed.
4. Allow the cranberry sauce to cool completely while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Gluten Free Cheesecake Crust

This quick and easy shotbread crust can either made in a large mixing bowl by hand or with the stand mixer. While most gluten free cheesecake recipes a made with a graham cracker crust I actually prefer a shortbrad curst in my cheesecake recipes.

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and arrange your oven rack in the middle of your oven. This way your cheesecake will bake evenly.
2. Line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This overhang makes it easier to lift the cheesecake out of the pan later. Set the pan aside.
3. Combine the gluten free flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, ground ginger and cinnamon in the bowl of the stand mixer.
4. Cut the room temperature butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.
5. Turn the mixer on to a low speed and at a low speed work the butter into the dry ingredients until it has a sandy, crumbly appearance.
6. Press the mixture in an even layer into the prepared pan. I like to use an offset knife for this or the back of a spoon.
7. Bake the crust at 350F for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.
8. When the gluten-free shortbread crust finishes baking, keep the oven on and immediately lower the oven temperature to 325°F.

How to make Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling

Make sure to set out your cream cheese and eggs ahead of time so they have plenty of time to come to room temperature. Cold cream cheese won’t whip up smoothly and will leave you with a lumpy cheesecake batter.

Since it can take some time to get the cream cheese to room temperature, I recommend placing the unwrapped block of cream cheese on a microwave-safe plate and carefully nuke it at 50-70% of power for 10 seconds. Turn the block over and nuke for an additional 10 seconds. This should help speed up getting the cream cheese to room temperature.

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the room-temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla paste (or vanilla extract).
2. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
3. Next, add the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing once the eggs are added. Overmixing can cause the cheesecake to rise too much, then deflate as it cools (and it may even crack).
4. Turn off the mixer and with a flexible spatula fold everything together (this is to make sure everything has been incorporated fully). The mixture will be a thick creamy cheesecake filling. 

How to bake Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

1. Make sure the oven is preheated to 325°F.
2. Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the cooled crust. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly, ensuring the filling reaches all the corners. Gently tap the back of your spoon against the sides of the pan - this helps release air bubbles that can cause cracks.
3. Top the cheesecake with the homemade cranberry sauce. Make sure to remove the cinnamon stick if you used one. If desired, use a knife or skewer to swirl the cranberry sauce into the vanilla cheesecake batter. Be careful not to overdo the swirling, or you’ll end up with a pink cheesecake instead of a nice swirl pattern.
4. Finish by sprinkling the gluten-free brown sugar streusel evenly over the cranberry sauce.
5. Once your cheesecake bars are assembled, bake them at 325°F in the middle of your oven for 40–45 minutes. No peeking! That’s what the oven window is for.
6. Your Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars are done when the edges are set, but the center is still slightly jiggly. Start checking around the 40-minute mark. If you notice the sides of the cheesecake puffing up, it’s definitely done baking (and likely close to being overbaked).
7. If you think the cheesecake is ready, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside to cool for at least 60 minutes. Cooling in the oven helps the cheesecake finish baking gently and minimizes the risk of cracks from sudden temperature changes.
8. After removing the cheesecake from the oven, let it cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the fridge. Chill for at least 3 hours, though overnight is best for perfect slicing. Make sure to cover it with some plasctic wrap.

Tips for Slicing Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

I am not going to sugar coat this, this cranberry cheesecake is a bit of a challenge to slice. Here are a few tips to make slicing easier.

• Chill Thoroughly: Ensure the gluten free cranberry cheesecake has been chilled for at least 4 hours, but overnight is ideal. A well-chilled cheesecake is firmer and easier to slice cleanly.
• Use a Sharp Knife: A long, sharp knife with a straight edge works best. A chef’s knife or slicing knife is ideal for this task.
• Warm the Knife: Dip the blade of the knife into hot water, then wipe it dry with a clean towel before each cut. The warmth helps the blade glide through the cheesecake without dragging the streusel or fruit.
• Score the Topping: Gently score the streusel and cranberry topping first. This helps prevent the topping from crumbling or shifting too much when you slice all the way through.
• Clean Between Slices: After each cut, wipe the blade with a warm, damp towel to remove any cheesecake, streusel, or fruit residue. This keeps the slices looking clean and professional.
• Cut Straight Down: Use a straight, downward motion rather than sawing back and forth. This keeps the layers intact and minimizes shifting of the toppings.

Storage & Freezing

Leftover Gluten Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days. Make sure to place them in an airtight container. If you want to store leftovers for a longer period, you can freeze them up to 2 months.

Just like freezing cookie dough, I recommend freezing the slices individually on a sheet tray (uncovered) first before transferring them to an airtight container. When you're ready to enjoy a slice thaw them at room temperature for 30–60 minutes or allow for them to thaw in the fridge overnight.