Dessert

Cherry Cheesecake Baked Breakfast Bars

These easy, make-ahead bars are perfect for busy mornings

Prep + Chill Time 10mins Cook Time 25mins Total Time 35mins

They freeze beautifully and can be grabbed to go. Microwave for only a few seconds for a warm breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Quick-cooking oats (or old fashioned oats)
  • 3 each Whole graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
  • 1 cup Ring-shaped cereal (like Cheerios®), slightly crushed
  • 1 Tbsp Chia seeds (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Almonds, chopped (or walnuts or peanuts) (optional)
  • 1 cup Unsweetened applesauce
  • 4 large Dakota Layers eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 Tbsp 1/3 Less-fat cream cheese, softened (or Neufchatel cheese)
  • 1.5 Tbsp 1% Milk (skim or 2% milk will work as well)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. To a large bowl, add oats, cracker crumbs, cereal, chia seeds, cherries, and nuts; stir.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, honey, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together with a whisk or a fork. Pour over oats mixture and mix thoroughly.
  4. Spread mixture into prepared baking pan; flatten gently with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until the middle is set. (Bars should still be soft, not golden brown.) Cool.
  5. Mix together cream cheese and milk with a fork. Drizzle over cooled bars. Store in the refrigerator; eat cold or microwave about 10 seconds on HIGH. Or freeze for busy mornings; microwave about 45 seconds on LOW/MEDIUM.

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