A delicious blend of tangy lemon, juicy blueberries, and smooth cheesecake, all sitting on a crunchy graham cracker base. And to top it off, they’re beautifully swirled for an aesthetically pleasing dessert.
There are few things I love just as much as chocolate, but I think cheesecake might just be one of them. I don’t make it enough, though, most likely because I have no self control when cheesecake is around. I’m liable to eat the whole cake if left to my own devices.
There are so many flavors of cheesecake out there which is great because it means you can tailor it to any season. Fall? Pumpkin cheesecake. Winter? Chocolate cheesecake. Spring? Well, lemon blueberry cheesecake, of course. If you love lemon and blueberries, you’ll love these dessert bars.
These blueberry lemon cheesecake bars give that tangy taste that many of us are craving after a long winter. Something about lemon and blueberry flavor that gives us the hope of warmer days to come. I’m really loving all the lemon desserts right now, like this raspberry lemon loaf I made the other day as well.
Can you tell I live in a snowy, wintery climate? Love the snow, but I ADORE the sun.
I don’t really know which part I love better about these lemon blueberry bars – the creamy, cheesy filling, or the buttery graham cracker crust. You’ll see the recipe is for a 9×9 baking dish.
When it comes to cooking or baking, I am usually all about “go big or go home” mainly because I’ve got hungry teenagers and a hungry, hard-working carpenter husband, but cheesecake is quite rich. I felt like a 9×13 dish of cheesecake might be just a little too much – even for our family. But, if you are making cheesecake bars for a crowd, I’d double this recipe and make it in a 9×13 baking dish.
So, before we get into the bars, let’s go over some questions you might have about making them.
Can I use fresh blueberries instead of frozen?
Yes, you can definitely use fresh berries.
How do I swirl the lemon and blueberry into the cheesecake batter?
Once you’ve poured the cheesecake batter onto the crust, drop spoonfuls of the blueberry filling on top. Then, use a toothpick or knife to gently swirl them together.
How do I know when the cheesecake bars are done baking?
They should be set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! These bars actually taste even better after chilling in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Honestly, you’ll WANT to chill this cheesecake for at least 4 hours before cutting into them.
How long do lemon blueberry cheesecake bars last?
They should be good for about 3-4 days in the fridge. But let’s be real—they’re so delicious, they probably won’t last that long!
Do I use fresh lemon juice or bottled?
It really doesn’t matter. Either will work.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
For the crust
- 20 graham crackers or 1.5 cups of crushed graham crackers
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp sugar
For the filling
- 2 16 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
For the blueberry sauce
- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1tbsp lemon juice
Step 1
Prepare the Blueberry Mixture
From the 3/4 cup of blueberries, take out 1/4 cup and put back into the freezer until later. You’ll use these for putting on top of the cheesecake at the end.
In a small saucepan, combine the frozen blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
The blueberries should soften and release their juices, and the mixture will thicken slightly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the blueberry mixture cool down for a few minutes.
Transfer the cooled blueberry mixture to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, you can skip this step or blend it for less time.
Set it aside completely and let it cool while making the rest of the cheesecake bars.
Step 2
Prepare the graham cracker crust
Preheat your oven to 325°F . like a 9×9 square pan with parchment paper to easily lift the bars out. Alternatively, you can grease a 9×9 inch baking dish instead if you don’t have parchment paper.
In a food processor take the full graham crackers and process them into fine crumbs. You should end up with a cup and a half of graham cracker crumbs.
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated with the butter and sugar.
Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the lined baking pan. When I say firmly, I mean FIRMLY. You want those crumbs into that dish tightly so it will hold together.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
Step 3
Prepare the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, with your electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Beat until everything is well combined and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled graham cracker crust in the baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth the top.
Step 4
Swirl in the blueberry Sauce and add the blueberries
Spoon dollops of the cooled blueberry sauce onto the surface of the cheesecake filling. Use a toothpick or knife to create a swirling pattern, gently dragging the blueberry sauce through the cheesecake batter. I prefer using a toothpick for this step.
Press the 1/4 cup of blueberries you put back in the freezer in the first step of this recipe into the top of the cheesecake. Space them out when doing this step.
Step 5
Bake the cheesecake dessert
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the cheesecake bars for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are browning and set and the center is slightly jiggly. Ovens vary in heat, so use the baking times only as a guideline
Step 6
Refrigerate the cheesecake bars before serving
Remove the cheesecake bars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill the cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.
When ready to serve, use a sharp knife to slice the chilled cheesecake bars into squares. Serve chilled. You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge.
My family really enjoys the fresh lemon flavor, fresh blueberry sauce and the creamy cheesecake filling in these bars. The simple graham cracker crust pulls it all together. Classic cheesecake is a perfect treat any time of the year.
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 20 graham crackers
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 3 tbsp sugar
For the filling
- 2 16 oz packages of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
For the blueberry sauce
- 3/4 cups frozen blueberries
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
For the blueberry sauce
- From the 3/4 cup of blueberries, take out 1/4 cup and put back into the freezer until later. You'll use these for putting on top of the cheesecake at the end.
- In a small saucepan, combine the leftover 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the blueberry mixture cool down for a few minutes.
- Transfer the cooled blueberry mixture to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, you can skip this step.
- Set aside and let cool completely.
For the crust
- Preheat your oven to 325°F . like a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper or grease a baking dish.
- In a food processor take the full graham crackers and process them into fine crumbs. You should end up with a cup and a half of graham cracker crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated with the butter and sugar.
- Press the graham cracker mixture VERY firmly and evenly into the bottom of the lined baking pan.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
For the filling
- In a large mixing bowl, with your electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled graham cracker crust in the baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth the top.
- Spoon dollops of the cooled blueberry sauce onto the surface of the cheesecake filling. Use a toothpick or knife to create a swirling pattern, gently dragging the blueberry sauce back and forth through the cheesecake batter.
- Press the 1/4 cup of blueberries you put back in the freezer in the first step of this recipe into the top of the cheesecake. Space them out when doing this step.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the cheesecake bars for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are browning and set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Remove the cheesecake bars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill the cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.
