Pineapple Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients

• Makes (1) 9x13 inch baking dish

Crust

• 2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup pecans, ground
• 1 pinch cinnamon

Cheesecake

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
• Topping One - Crushed Pineapple spread on top

OR

• Topping Two - Creamy Pineapple Sauce
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
• 1 (12 ounce) can pineapple, crushed and drained, (use the juice as part of the juice needed)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 pan with a little butter.
3. Place the butter and brown sugar into a mixing bowl beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add flour, ground pecans and cinnamon. Mix well.
5. Press crust into prepared baking pan and place into the preheated oven.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Cheesecake

1. Place cream cheese into a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat until smooth and fluffy.
2. Beat in the sugar and the eggs. Mix in the pineapple juice.
3. Spoon the cream cheese mix over the crust.
4. Place into the preheated oven and bake 20 minutes, just until center is set. Remove and cool completely.

Assembly

1. At this point, you can decide if you want to just put crushed pineapple on top or if you want to make the creamy pineapple topping.
2. If you are just using the crushed pineapple, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, then spoon on the fruit.

OR

Creamy Pineapple Sauce

1. Mix flour and sugar in a sauce pan. Stir in 1 cup of pineapple juice. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
2. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat, fold in drained pineapple. Cool completely.
3. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl until stiff. Fold into pineapple mixture.
4. Spread carefully over dessert.
5. Cover loosely and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
6. Cut into squares and serve.