Oatmeal Crusted Cream Cheese Bars

Oats are a natural whole grain. They add nutrition as well as texture to meals.  Oats make a great crust for  lots of special recipes from chicken to bar cookies to pies to cheesecakes. They are a staple in my kitchen.  Several years ago, I created this recipe to enter into a contest.  I was looking to make a cream cheese dessert with a textured crust to contrast with the smooth cream cheese layer.  Oats were an obvious ingredient to focus on.  I didn't win the contest, but the recipe still became a hit at several events.  You get the wonder of cheesecake in a bite-sized punch. 

Oatmeal Crusted 

Cream Cheese Bars

Makes 36 squares



• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 8 oz. pkg. low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese), softened
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup white sugar
• Christmas sprinkles or red/green colored sugars

Preheat oven to 325ºF.  Grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch square pan.

Combine oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, and butter into a large bowl.  Using a hand pastry blender, work mixture until butter becomes pea sized.  Mixture will be coarse.  Press firmly into the bottom of the 9 inch square pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

While crust is baking combine cream cheese, egg, and white sugar in medium sized mixing bowl.  Using an electric hand mixer, cream ingredients together for one minute.  With a spatula, spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top of oatmeal crust.  Continue baking at 325° F for 30 more minutes.  Remove from oven.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Top with sprinkles or colored sugars.  If you want the decorations centered on the squares, lightly score out squares before applying sprinkles or colored sugars.  Cool completely.  Cut into 1 ½” squares.  Store in sealed container in the refrigerator.

These are versatile.  You can change the top decorations to pink/red for Valentine’s Day or blue/red for Patriotic holidays or pink/purple/green for Easter.