Lemon Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

Lemon cranberry cheesecake bars can be served as a sweet ending to a family dinner, a special holiday dessert, or as a delightful addition to a dessert buffet. Whether you're a fan of citrusy desserts or simply looking to impress your guests with a visually stunning and delicious treat, these bars are sure to leave everyone asking for seconds.

I baked these cheesecake bars using my Pit Boss Navigator Series Pellet Grill from Home Hardware. With incredible 8-in-1 cooking versatility, the Pit Boss Navigator allows you to bake, smoke, braise, roast, grill, barbecue, char-grill, and sear. The Navigator comes with a Flame Broiler Lever, so you can achieve instant direct or indirect heat in a temperature range of 180º to 500ºF. Most importantly, you’ll always get an even cook with fan-forced convection cooking and consistent indirect heat, even in the winter months. The digital control board and stainless-steel meat probes allow you to track temperatures, so you don’t have to hover over your grill. The Navigator will do (almost!) all the work for you.

My top tip for winter grilling is to plan ahead. Get everything you need ready and on a tray in the kitchen before you head outside. During the winter months, move your grill to an area that is out of the wind and direct cold. Try and move it closer to your back door, but make sure to first check your local bylaws regarding the rules on a grill’s proximity to your home and other structures. Allow for about 20 to 30 minutes for your grill to fully heat up during the cold months before putting your food on. Cold weather can slow down cooking times, so plan ahead and allow extra time for your food to cook. This will help ensure it’s cooked thoroughly and to the desired temperature.

Ingredients

Cranberry Filling

• 1 (10 oz.) bag frozen cranberries

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup orange juice

Cheesecake Bars

• 2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese, softened

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 3 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ cup granulated sugar, divided

• 2 (8 oz.) pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls

• 2 tbsp unsalted melted butter

Yields: 12 slices

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Directions

1. Prepare the cranberry filling. In a large saucepan, over medium heat dissolve the sugar in the orange juice, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cranberries and cook until they start to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat your grill to 350ºF (177ºC).

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high heat, beat the cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and ¼ cup sugar until smooth and well combined.

4. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough and press into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching the edges. Pinch the seams together.

5. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough. Dollop the cranberry filling over the cream cheese.

6. Unroll the remaining crescent roll dough and pinch the seams together. Place the crescent roll over top of the cranberry and cream cheese mixture and stretch to the edges of the pan. Brush with butter and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the butter.

7. Place the baking pan on the grill and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove the baking pan with the lemon cranberry cheesecake bars from the grill and let rest until completely cooled, about 20 minutes.

8. Lift the parchment paper to remove the lemon cranberry cheesecake bars from the baking pan and cut into 12 bars. Store leftovers in a sealed plastic container and refrigerate.