Cherry Dr Pepper cheesecake bars

Step 1

To make the cherry topping, place the cherries in a saucepan (it’s okay if they’re frozen) along with the Dr Pepper. Bring to a boil on high then simmer for 15 minutes on low or until the liquids have reduced in half. Stir in the cinnamon then whisk in the corn starch. Turn the heat up to medium and stir until thickened. Turn off the heat and refrigerate the cherries covered.

Step 2

To make the crust, heat the oven to 375°. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.

Step 3

Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in the crushed Graham crackers, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour the crackers into the pan and evenly pat along the bottom until the pan is covered. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Step 4

To make the filling, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, blend the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lime juice, and vanilla until well combined, then stir in the whipped cream. Blend until well combined.

Step 5

To assemble the cheesecake, spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the crust, cover, and freeze for 2 hours, or refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Step 6

To serve, remove the pan from the freezer, slice into bars, top with cherries, then serve. If you’ve used parchment paper, to make it easier you can lift the entire cheesecake from the pan before slicing. Serve chilled, and they can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.