Rich and creamy cheesecake bars made with a peachy layer of jam and fresh fruit. Topped with a buttery, cinnamon crumble.
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x13 baking pan/dish with parchment paper. Set aside. Also, place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.
Make the crust. In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, salt, and brown sugar together.
Add in the cold + cubed butter and start cutting it into the flour mixture, using a fork or pastry blender.
Once the dough comes together and is uniform, pour into the prepared pan and evenly spread it out. Press the dough down onto the bottom of the pan to form an even layer. You can use the bottom of a cup that is flat to press the dough down.
Bake this for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing the filling.
Once the bottom crust is cool, spread the peach jam/compote/pie filling evenly onto the crust.
Place the sliced peaches evenly over the jam layer. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the granulated sugar and beat until thoroughly combined with cream cheese.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Do not overmix at this step.
Tap the bowl gently on the counter top to release any trapped air. Gently pour the cheesecake batter over the sliced peaches and spread out evenly. Set aside.
Make the topping. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Add in the cold + cubed butter and use a fork or pastry blender to the cut the butter into the flour mixture. It should look crumbly and chunky.
Sprinkle this crumbly mixture gently over the cheesecake batter. You want to do this very gently so that it doesn't sink down too much.
Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The center should still have a slight jiggle, and the topping should be golden or light brown.
Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
Cut into desired serving sizes and serve chilled.