Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars

If you want a quick dessert that is not only tasty but easy and quick to make, here it is. I got the recipe from Food Network (of course, my favorite place to try something new because they have been tested through and through). I would however cut back on the butterscotch chips to 1/2 of what is called for because they are very sweet and can over power a dish.

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pea-sized pieces
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 (11 ounce) bag butterscotch chips (I used 1/2 and it was still pretty sweet)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13 pan. Line pan with parchment paper, over lapping to create handles for easy removal. Butter the paper and set aside. (Buttering the dish before putting the parchment paper down is an important step because it allows the paper to stick in the corners. This can be a very frustrating process if you don't).

In a food processor add the flour, oats and brown sugar and pulse to combine.

Add the 2 sticks of butter, the cinnamon and the butterscotch chips. Pulse until the mixture forms clumps when pressed between your fingers.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer, reserve the other half. Bake in the preheated oven just until slightly golden and set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or with an electric hand mixer until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often.

Spread evenly over the baked and cooled oatmeal mixture.

                                                  

Sprinkle the remaining half of the oatmeal mixture over the cream cheese. Bake until the top is golden, about 40 minutes.

Cool and chill before cutting. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and using the parchment hangover for handles, transfer the bars to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife and serve.

This is so yummy served with vanilla ice cream.