Key Lime Cheesecake Bars with Pecan Pretzel Crust
Makes: 30 bars Prep time: 45 minutes Bake time: 23 to 25 minutes
Ingredients
Crust
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 cups salted pretzel sticks
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Cheesecake filling
16 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon lime extract, ( I used Ballard Extracts)
Lime cookie crumble
10 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon lime extract
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
Directions
Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In your food processor, combine all crust ingredients and pulse until combined.
Pat firmly into your parchment lined pan and set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lime extract and lime zest. Mix until creamy and smooth.
Pour over the crust and prepare the cookie crumble.
In another mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, extract, baking powder and flour. Mix until just combined.
With your hands, crumble pieces of the dough all over the cheesecake filling. It is ok to still see the cheesecake, but it should cover almost all of it.
Place the pan on another baking sheet to prevent the crust from getting over done and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then place in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting into bars.
Store in the fridge for up to a week, or wrap in wax paper and foil for up to a month.