Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are a graham cracker crust topped with a creamy lemon cheesecake filling, fresh blueberries, and a crumble topping. They are baked until the topping is golden brown. Then, the bars are chilled until set before being cut and served. There is no wrong time to enjoy one of these bars, from a treat with a cup of coffee to a dessert that everyone will love! I also have Strawberry Cheesecake Bars for another layered cheesecake bar made with fresh fruit.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Crust: When mixing the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, ensure the crumbs are coated in the butter.
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Pre-Crushed vs Crushing Yourself
The quality of store-bought graham cracker crumbs has changed in the last few years and they seem to be less flavorful and have a different texture. When possible, I recommend the full sheets of honey-flavored graham crackers and crushing them yourself or utilizing a food processor.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Before making the cheesecake filling, ensure the ingredients, specifically the cream cheese and eggs, are at room temperature. This will give you the smoothest texture without any lumps!
Lemon Flavor: I added 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the cheesecake filling. This is about one large lemon, juiced. Bottled juice could work in a pinch. If you prefer a more pronounced lemon flavor, add a tablespoon of lemon zest as well.
Blueberries: If blueberries are in season, fresh is best for these dessert bars. However, you could use frozen berries instead, but make sure to thaw and drain them first.
Crumble Topping: For a little crunch to every bite of the bars, I added a crumble topping. When baked, it forms a crispy and golden brown topping. Yum!
Checking Cheesecake Bars For Doneness
When baking these bars, be sure the crumble topping is golden brown. If you have a food thermometer, check that the middle of the cheesecake reaches 150°-155°F. After baking, let the bars cool at room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator to chill and fully set.
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Sure! If you don’t have a 9-inch square baking dish, you can still get these delicious bars made! Use a 7×11-inch baking dish or even a 9-inch deep pie plate. If using a different pan, watch the bars carefully as baking times may need to be adjusted.
How To Store Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Once cooled and set, store cheesecake bars in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze the bars.
Freezing Cheesecake Bars
To freeze blueberry lemon cheesecake bars:
- Let the bars cool and set completely.
- Remove the bars from the pan and place them on a plate (cut or uncut). Put the cheesecake bars (uncovered) in the freezer for about an hour, or until solid.
- After the hour in the freezer, remove the cheesecake bars and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped cheesecake bars into a zipped freezer bag or wrap it in aluminum foil. Be sure to label and date the packaging. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
- When ready to enjoy, let the cheesecake bars thaw in the refrigerator.
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups (126 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 10-12 crushed graham cracker sheets
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Filling
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- â…“ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice*, about 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh blueberries
Crumble Topping
- ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, including up the sides.
Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Mix until it resembles wet sand. Press into the lined baking dish.
Filling
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice*, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the crust.
- Evenly top with blueberries.
Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until a wet, crumbly dough forms.
- Sprinkle small crumbles of topping evenly over the blueberries.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and the topping is golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about an hour. Once cooled, transfer the baking dish to the refrigerator and chill for an additional hour before serving.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This bar is creamy and sweet on the inside with blueberry and lemon flavors shining through in every bite. The crumble adds a slightly crunchy texture that makes this bar stand out. I loved it!
Elizabeth
I love a good crumble topping, and this one did not disappoint! The lemon flavor was pretty subtle so that worked for me (since I am not a huge lemon dessert fan). I might just stick with the blueberries (and no lemon) if I make the bars.
Rachael
It is the perfect amount of blueberry and lemon in these cheesecake bars. I love the crumb topping on the bar to give a different texture to a regular cheesecake bar.
Bella
Tangy, sweet, and creamy all in one! The blueberries are juicy! I personally would add lemon zest because I love that burst of flavor!
Selena
Not only are these so pretty, they have a lovely blueberry flavor and a subtle hint of lemon. The crumble on top is the icing on the cake.
Annabelle
These bars are indulgent, delicious, and creamy! I would definitely recommend these if you're looking for a simple recipe to impress guests!
Can I use frozen blueberries?
I just read above that they can be used
would frozen blueberries work in this recipe.or a combination of both?
Made this yesterday and my family devoured it. Thanks for recipe and next time I’ll add more blueberries.