May 12, 2010

Cheesecake Squares

cheese, Cookies, nuts

Presented by

44 ratings

Prep time: 16 minutes
baking time 12 to 15 minutes
Servings: Makes 16 squares

Cheesecake Squares were Grandma’s way of making cheesecake an everyday indulgence.

Ingredients

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 1/3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl. Mix with a fork until light and fluffy. Add flour and stir until crumbly. Stir in the walnuts.
3

Reserve 1 cup brown sugar mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of an 8 × 8-inch baking pan.
4

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed until smooth.
5

Add granulated sugar, egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract to cream cheese and beat until smooth.
6

Spread cream cheese mixture on top of brown sugar mixture in baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved brown sugar mixture.
7

Bake until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand until cool. Cut into squares.

Grandma's Secret Trick

To chop nuts finely, Grandma used a nut chopper that was quicker and easier than a knife and simpler to clean than a blender. The nut chopper was a glass jar fitted with a lid. A rod went through the lid that had an X-shaped pair of blades inside the glass jar and a knob outside. Grandma placed the nuts in the jar, screwed on the lid and used the knob to work the blades until the nuts were finely chopped.