Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13 inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, blend the flour, brown sugar, cocoa, and butter until the mixture is crumbly. Alternatively, use a pastry knife or two butter knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
Reserve 1 cup of the crumble mixture for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
Bake the crust for 25 minutes, then let it cool slightly.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Spread the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust. Scatter the chopped cherries on top.
Crumble the reserved crust mixture and sprinkle over the cheesecake layer.
Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cheesecake is set.
Let cool completely before slicing. For the optional chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate chips and whipping cream together and drizzle over the bars.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freezes well.
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Kcal: 217 | Servings: 36 cookie bars