Almond Streusel Cherry Cheesecake Bars (cookie Mix)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 (17 1/2 ounce) package betty crocker sugar cookie mix
• 1/4 cup cold butter or 1/4 cup margarine
• 4 ounces cream cheese (half of 8-oz package)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2.5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (20 oz total)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f
• 2 spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• 3 place cookie mix in large bowl.
• 4 cut in butter and 4 oz cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly.
• 5 reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping.
• 6 press remaining mixture in bottom of pan.
• 7 bake 12 minutes.
• 8 meanwhile, in large bowl, beat 20 oz cream cheese, the sugar, flour, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• 9 spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base.
• 10 spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture.
• 11 sprinkle with reserved topping and almonds.
• 12 bake 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown.
• 13 cool 30 minutes.
• 14 refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
• 15 for bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
• 16 store covered in refrigerator.