Lemon Cheesecake Bars are sunshine in your mouth (and belly)! By using both the lemon juice and zest, these dessert bars are loaded with lemony flavor. The mouthwatering lemon is then topped with a simple juicy blueberry topping that cannot be missed!
Why We Love Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Folks, today I bring you the zesty, sweet, creamy, and utterly delicious Lemon Cheesecake Bars! These little beauties will brighten anyone’s day the second they pass their lips.
The lemony cheesecake is plenty flavorful in itself, but I had to add the blueberry topping since the sweetness it’s such a fantastic complement to the lemon. You don’t have to make the topping, but I’d recommend it if you love delicious things.
And don’t worry, the crust and the cheesecake exist in perfect harmony, so neither part of the dish takes over the other. You know what else is going to exist in perfect harmony? You and these Lemon Cheesecake Bars, probably. Just sayin’!
Key Ingredients for Lemon Cheesecake
Let’s start with what we’re all here for: The lemony cheesecake filling! All you’ll need is softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs, and pretty much the whole lemon.
Some recipes call for either the zest or the lemon, but today we’re going to use both! Juice and zest one entire lemon and you’ll be thanking me later! I know sometimes it’s tempting to use bottled lemon juice, but I found that it’s too acidic for this light and luscious recipe.
As for the crust, you’ll only need butter and graham cracker crumbs. It’s simple but it’s delicious and it works! Then, if you choose to make the blueberry topping, you’ll need blueberries (frozen or fresh), water, and sugar. It’s a piece of (cheese)cake!
How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Step 1: Heat Oven and Prep
Heat your oven to 325 degrees F and line a 13×9” pan with foil. Be sure to leave extra foil on each end to act as “handles” when you pull the cheesecake from the pan later.
Step 2: Make the Graham Cracker Crust
In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of the foiled pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Mix the Lemon Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth, and then add the sugar, flour, vanilla, juice, and zest. Mix until the ingredients are well blended. Then, you can being to add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Step 4: Bake Filling
Pour the batter over your baked crust and bake for 40 minutes, or until the center is almost set. Allow the cheesecake to cool for one hour, and then cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Step 5: Make the Blueberry Topping
Combine all of the blueberry topping ingredients in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then let it cool completely before serving.
Step 6: Serve
To serve the cheesecake, use the foil handles to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Cut it into squares and then top it with a spoonful of the blueberry topping. Enjoy!
FAQ
There are so many factors, and I believe “good cheesecake” is any cheesecake you enjoy. It doesn’t have to look perfect like it does on cooking shows! However, there are a few things you can do to ensure your cheesecake sets right and comes out with the right consistency.
For example, line your baking pan and press the crust in firmly and evenly. This helps the crust cook at the same rate since it’s not a variety of densities. Also, do your best to use room-temperature ingredients, especially when it comes to cream cheese and eggs. Finally, don’t open the oven while it’s cooking! It’ll release too much heat.
There’s a substitution called Neufchâtel! It’s made with less fat and has a higher moisture content, but it can be subbed pretty seamlessly with cream cheese.
If you don’t have a zester on hand, you can very carefully use a cheese grater. If you don’t have that on hand, you can peel the rind (just the yellow part) off of the lemon skin and then finely chop it.
Additional Lemon Recipes
- No-Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is a simple no-bake way to enjoy the same flavors as today’s recipe!
- Try a Blueberry Dutch Baby with Lemon Curd – you’ll thank me!
- These Lemon Muffins are delicious and will surely satisfy your craving for lemon sweetness!
- Lemon Cheesecake Cookies are a nice alternative to a bar or a pie, but they retain that luscious element you want out of a cheesecake.
- You can never go wrong with classic Lemon Bars!
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Crescent Rolls – enough said.
- Whip up Lemon Blueberry Scones for a weekend breakfast treat!
Thanks so much for reading about these luscious Lemon Cheesecake Bars! Enjoy them to the fullest and let me know what you think!
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- For the Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- For the Filling:
- 4 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 3 eggs
- Blueberry Topping:
- 1 cup frozen blueberries or fresh
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
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Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13×9″ pan with foil leaving extra on each end for “handles” (this will help you pull the cheesecake out of the pan later.)
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In a small bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
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In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, flour, vanilla, juice and zest. Mix until well blended. Add in the eggs one at a time mixing well after each.
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Pour batter over baked crust and bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for 1 hour then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
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To make the optional blueberry topping combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
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To serve the cheesecake use the foil “handles” to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Cut into squares and top with a spoonful of the blueberry topping.
