Whole Wheat Cherry Cream Cheese Bars

• 1/2 cup walnuts pieces, divided
• 23 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon butter if use unsalted, add a pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil, or grape seed oil
• 1/4 cup coconut, shredded, unsweetened (desiccated)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (reduced-fat) softened
• 1/4 cup sugar granulated
• 1 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces dark sweet pitted cherries fresh or frozen, about 1 1/3 cups
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 18 teaspoon almond extract

1. To make the cherry pie filling:
2. In a small saucepan, add all the cherry pie filling ingredients, bring a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low, and simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened and jam like.
4. Remove from the heat and set side.
5. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
6. Grease a 8 by 8-inch pan with butter, then line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper.
7. Chop half walnuts coursely for topping.
8. Set aside.
9. To make the crust:
10. In a food processer, add the remaining walnuts, flour, brown sugar, butter, oil and coconut.
11. Process until well ground and coarse meal forms.
12. Remove 1/4 cup and mix with 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts in a small bowl.
13. Set aside.
14. Press the remaining crumbs in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
15. Bake at 350F (180C) F for about 15 minutes, until edges are lighty browned.
16. Meanwhile prepare the filling:
17. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
18. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the hot baked crust.
19. Return to the oven.
20. Bake for about 25 minutes until the cream cheese layer has set.
21. Spread the cherry pie filling over cheese layer.
22. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over cherries.
23. Return to oven and keep baking for another 20 minutes or until the top starts to become golden and brown.
24. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
25. Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight until it sets.
26. Cut into 16 squares.
27. The bars can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

walnuts, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, butter, olive oil, coconut, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cherries, sugar, orange juice, lemon zest freshly, cornstarch, almond

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/whole-wheat-cherry-cream-cheese-54108 (may not work)