Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

Here is what you need to make about 24 blueberry cream cheese bars:

Photo byMiranda

Ingredients:

• 2, 8 oz cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 2, 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups white sugar, divided
• 5 Tbl cornstarch
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, combine 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch, whisking together until fully blended to prevent lumps. Add the lemon juice and fresh blueberries, and stir. As the blueberries begin to soften from the heat, mash them a bit, gently, in the saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and let it boil for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

When bluberry filling is cooled, preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Then, in a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, vanilla, and egg. Mix well to combine.
Then, unroll one can of crescent rolls and spread it evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan, pinching together any seams or perforations. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the crescent dough, followed by an even layer of the blueberry filling.

Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay it over the blueberry filling, centering it carefully. There is no need to pinch the seams on this layer.
Drizzle or brush the melted butter over the top layer of crescent dough.

In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it generously over the buttered dough. Although it may seem like a lot, use all of it for the best flavor.

Bake in the preheated oven for 31 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom has a similar golden color. Remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled. Once chilled, cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Notes:

Store any leftovers in the fridge and consume within two days for the best taste. For an extra treat, serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream.

Feel free to use other fruits as well or skip the fruit layer completely if desired.