Candy Bar Cheesecake Bars

The week after Easter... the time when the excitement over the Easter candy has worn off and Moms and Dads everywhere are thinking about some recipes they can make to use up a few of the leftover candy bars. How about cheesecake bars? I found this one in my collection of recipes and smiled because it was perfect for using up a few of those little bars that are sitting in a bowl on top of the refrigerator right now.

Snickers, Butter Fingers, 100 Grand... doesn't matter. Take your pick. Yum!


Candy Bar Cheesecake Bars

Crust
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
6 small (1oz) Butter Finger, Snickers or other candy bars;chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Add sugars; beat 3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour. Beat in nuts just until incorporated. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for later. Press the rest into a 9X13" pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool slightly.

In large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Fold in candy bars. Spoon over baked crust. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheesecake layer is set. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool to room temperature. Chill at least 2 hours before serving either cool or at room temperature.