I really dig the lemon-blueberry flavor combination for summer and I decided to try it out in the form of a cheesecake bar. Thankfully these were everything I had hoped for – light and creamy lemony cheesecake with sweet, juicy blueberries and my favorite graham cracker crust. I brought the leftovers in to work and they were gone by the end of the day. I’ll take that as a good sign!
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
By Annie
Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature.
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pint fresh blueberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Toss with a fork until well blended and all the crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and maintain the oven temperature while you prepare the filling.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add in the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice. Fold in the blueberries gently with a spatula until evenly incorporated. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust and gently spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.
Bake for 35 minutes or until just set and the center no longer jiggles when the pan is tapped. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.
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This was a big hit with the family. I used frozen blueberries, dropping the berries on the top of the cream cheese mixture and swirling them in instead of mixing them in to avoid turning the cheese mixture blue. The swirling on the top added to the attractiveness of the bars.
Wow are these good! I used Meyer lemons and the result was pretty amazing. I was so happy to see Annie on the Go Bold site! Love your blog Annie
This cheesecake bar recipe was the perfect end to a perfect Easter picnic in the park with friend & family. Everyone loved them and gave them a big thumbs up. I will be making these for years to come.