Delicious Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Meta description: Indulge in a delectable snackable dessert with lemon cheesecake bars. Learn how to make this beautiful and easy-to-share recipe without the hassle of a water bath.

If you’re a cheesecake lover and have a soft spot for lemon desserts, then you’ll definitely enjoy lemon cheesecake bars. Creating a whole cheesecake can be quite time-consuming due to the low and slow baking process, the sensitive cooling, and waiting for it to chill in the refrigerator. However, these dessert bars are the perfect solution to this problem. They offer the perfect combination of tangy lemon and creamy cheesecake, while eliminating the need for a springform pan and a water bath. Their smaller size also means that they bake and chill much faster, making them a quick and easy dessert option.

Why Lemon Cheesecake Bars Are Unique
With lemon curd swirled throughout and lemon zest and juice in the cheesecake, these lemon cheesecake bars are bursting with lemon flavor. The cheesecake has the ideal ratio of sweet to tart and is creamy and light. Not to mention that it is perched on top of a buttery, crisp, and somewhat cinnamon-flavored graham cracker crust.

Cheesecake bars are nonetheless visually appealing and fit well with informal gatherings that don’t call for a full cheesecake, such as potlucks with friends or neighbors or just a regular Wednesday. They are a dessert that may be shared and are entertaining as an afternoon snack.

Here are some time-saving tips to make the lemon cheesecake bars recipe even quicker and simpler:

1. Utilize ready-made graham cracker crumbs from the store rather than crushing them yourself.
2. Although homemade lemon curd is unbeatable, you may purchase a good quality jar of it from the store.
3. Ensure that all of the filling ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth mixture that incorporates less air. You can soften the cream cheese swiftly by unwrapping it and microwaving it on a microwave-safe dish in 10-second intervals until it becomes soft.

How to Make Homemade Cheesecake Bars Your Own
These cheesecake bars can easily be customized by changing the crust or the lemon swirl.

A sweeter, more flowery flavor can be achieved by using Meyer lemon curd, juice, and zest.
Use a different kind of curd, like passionfruit, lime, grapefruit, or orange. Change the cheesecake’s juice and zest to match (or complement).
Make jam. You can substitute your favorite jam in place of the lemon curd. I like raspberry most.
Change up the cookies you use for the crust. Use vanilla wafers for a milder flavor or gingersnaps for a warm-weather treat.

Here’s a simple method for creating a visually stunning swirl effect in the lemon cheesecake bars batter:

1. Begin by drizzling or spooning small dollops of the lemon curd on top of the cheesecake filling. Be cautious not to let it sink.
2. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, start at the top of the pan on the left side and drag it through the lemon curd and cheesecake filling to the bottom. Avoid dragging the knife through the bottom crust.
3. To create the next line, move 1/2 inch over and parallel to the first line, this time dragging the knife from bottom to top. Repeat this pattern until you reach the right side of the pan.
4. If you want more swirls, rotate the pan 90 degrees and start the process again. Avoid overdoing it, or the swirl effect will be lost.

Here are some tips for storing and freezing the bars:

1. The leftover bars can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
2. You can freeze them for up to one month by placing them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Defrost them in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipes:

PREP TIME 20 mins

COOK TIME  40 mins

COOL AND CHILL TIME  4 hrs

TOTAL TIME : 5 hrs

Note : If you’re starting from whole graham crackers, you’ll need about 16 whole crackers (240g). Use a food processor to grind them into fine crumbs. If you do not have a food processor, place the graham crackers in a 1-gallon zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs.

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 cups (240g) graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 2 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 lemon, zested (2 to 3 teaspoons finely grated zest)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup homemade or store-bought

Method

1. Preheat oven and line baking pan:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.

 

1. Make the crust:

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt with a rubber spatula. Add the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened and the mixture looks sandy. Break up any large clumps with the spatula.

Transfer the crumb mixture to the lined baking dish. Use your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs firmly into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.

To bake the crust:

1. Preheat the oven and bake the crust until it starts turning golden on the edges, around 10 minutes.
2. Take the pan out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack to cool while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling:

1. Decrease the oven temperature to 325°F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, blend the cream cheese, sugar, and flour on medium-low speed for roughly 2 minutes until smooth.
3. Add the eggs one by one, beating well at medium-low speed after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides.
4. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

Swirl in the lemon curd and bake:

Pour the cheesecake batter over the graham cracker crust and spread it into an even layer. Spoon rounded tablespoonful dollops of the lemon curd over the filling and use an offset spatula or butter knife to carefully swirl it into the batter. Avoid cutting into the crust.

Bake at 325°F until the filling is just set and only slightly jiggly in the center, about 30 minutes.

Cool:

Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let the bars cool in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the bars until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours.

The bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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