Courtesy of AllHomemadeCookies.com

Lemon Honey Cheesecake Bars
by Rachel Keller

I came up with the idea for these bars by combining two recipes my family enjoys (Honey Cheesecake Cookies and Lemon Bars). I wanted to add a little more nutrition to these bars, so I added wheat germ and oat bran. The fruit-swirled topping adds flavor and color to make these bars very attractive. We were all delighted at the results, and my family ate nearly all the bars that first night.

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Ingredients:

5 T. butter or margarine

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup oat bran

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 package (8 oz.) neufchatel cheese, softened

1 T. flour

3 T. honey

1 egg

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup fruit pie filling or jelly

 

Directions:

Use a pastry blender to mix together the butter, 3/4 cup flour, oat bran, wheat germ, and sugar until very crumbly. Add the nuts and mix together. Press dough into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350°F, 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat together the cheese, 1 T. flour, honey, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Remove the crust from oven, and spoon the cheese and egg mixture over the crust; top with pie filling or jelly. Stir slightly to create a beautiful swirl pattern.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until set. Cool and cut into squares.