Recipe: Cheery Cheesecake Cookie Bars

From: Nancy,.SanFran

Cheery Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Recipe By : Hershey's - http://www.hersheys.com
Serving Size : 36

4 bars HERSHEY'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate -- (1 oz. each) broken
into pieces
1 cup butter -- (2 sticks)
2 1/2 cups sugar -- divided
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg. cream cheese -- (8 oz.) softened
1 3/4 cups HERSHEY'S MINI KISSES Milk Chocolate or
Semi-Sweet
Baking Pieces -- (10-oz. pkg.) divided
1/2 cups chopped red or green maraschino cherries
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Few drops red food color -- (optional)

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13x9x2-in. baking pan.

Place baking chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes, stirring after each minute, until mixture is melted. Beat in 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour; spread batter in prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1 egg; stir in 1-1/4 cups baking pieces, cherries, almond extract and red food color, if desired. Drop by spoonfuls over top of chocolate mixture in pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup baking pieces over top. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. Cover; refrigerate leftover bars.

3 dozen bars