Cherry Cheesecake Squares

i love THIS DESSERT!  iT IS SO CREAMY, LIGHT AND SWEET FOR SUMMERTIME! i MAKE 2 OF THEM IN 9 x 9 inch SQUARE PANS AND TOP EACH ONE WITH A DIFFERENT FRUIT TOPPING, OR I make 1 WITH CHOCOLATE PUDDING ON TOP.  iT IS ALSO GOOD WITH STRAWBERRIES IN STRAWBERRY GLAZE. yUM! 

Yummy Cheesecake squares

Cherry Cheesecake Squares
Crust:
3/4 cup real butter, softened (1 stick and a half)
1 1/2 - cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 - cups pecans, chopped

Filling:1 - 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 1/4 - cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups Cool Whip 
1 - (21 oz) can cherry pie filling 

 (OR 1 Large package instant chocolate pudding mixed as pie recipe on box
 OR fresh strawberries in strawberry glaze for variety in toppings)

The crust for Cherry Cheesecake Squares is really yummy, like a crescent cookie...crunchy and rich...

Make the crust by mixing the butter and flour till you get pea sized bits. Add sugar slowly while mixing. Then add chopped pecans.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan or two 8 x 8 pans if you want to freeze one. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cherry  cheesecake squares

Use cherry pie filling for the topping on these cream cheese squares...or use strawberries with strawberry glaze in the summer if you want fresh fruit!  Both are really yummy and everybody will GOBBLE it right up! It is a hit at a pot luck too! 

While the crust is cooling mix the filling.   Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together using a electric mixer. Add Cool Whip to cream cheese mixture.

 

You can also make this in a 9 x 13 and it is just a little thicker dessert.  I like to do it this way so I can top it two different ways for variety. 

 The cream cheese mixture is soo yummy on these cream cheese squares...it's fun to lick the bowl! The crust layer tastes like a crescent cookie with pecans inside. Really buttery and flaky.

 When the crust is completely cooled I add the cream cheese filling on top of the crust and spread evenly. Then I top that with cherry pie filling OR chocolate instant pudding and refrigerate for a few hours until it sets up.

This is a wonderful, refreshing dessert....cherry cheesecake squares....

OR Chocolate  cheesecake squares....either one is a favorite of mine....

Chocolate  cheesecake squares....mmmmm....

 Yummy layers of rich, creamy sweetness!

 Chocolate  cheesecake squares....same recipe, just different toppings....I just used mini hershey bars and Hersheys kisses and a paring knife to make the chocolate curls on top of Cool Whip.

Top it with some chocolate pudding, Cool Whip and some chocolate curls for garnish...or a strawberry! (That weird pink thing is my finger under the plate, lol.... looked like an alien or something on the plate!! EEK! 

I brought this to a BBQ today for my little 2 year old granddaughter's birthday party. 
She is such a sweetie!  She loved her little tea set and Brown Bear, Brown Bear book and her Winnie the Pooh cake and balloons.  So sweet. 

Grandma and Josie hanging out at her Birthday Party! She still has a little shiner
from falling down at the docks at Lake Powell last week. She's a tough cookie though....