Creamy Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

The first bite of these blackberry cheesecake bars is magic. That slightly dense, creamy cheesecake that’s not overly sweet, the bright tartness of real blackberry jelly cutting through all that richness, and that buttery graham cracker crust holding it all together. I’ve been making these for years, and every single time I bring them somewhere, people lose their minds asking for the recipe.

Over the years, bars have been come my favorite cheesecake format because they’re so much easier to make, transport, and serve than a whole giant round thing with a huge lid. No water bath, no cracking, no awkward slicing at someone else’s kitchen counter. And when it’s blackberry season here in Virginia, this version is the one everyone wants.

What You’ll Need

A hand mixer or stand mixer will work fine, but I wouldn’t attempt to make this without an electric mixer of some sort.

This recipe fills a 9×13 pan perfectly. You can double it, but the simplest thing to do is the bake it in 2 9x13s. If I’m making this for a really big crowd I usually make one plain, one fruity and just make them separately, back-to-back, so I don’t confuse myself!

Berry Filling

• 2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen are both fine!)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Crust

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Filling

• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 blocks) use full-fat for best texture
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten, bring to room temperature by placing in hot tap water for 4-5 minutes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Making the Blackberry Filling

First things first! We’re making real blackberry jelly from scratch, and it’s SO much better than anything from a jar.

Toss your blackberries into a saucepan and mash them up with a potato masher until they’re completely broken down and juicy.

Now here’s the key part: strain those mashed berries through a fine mesh strainer, pressing them hard to get every drop of juice out. You’re aiming for about ¾ cup of pure blackberry juice. This step removes all the seeds, which is what makes the final jelly silky smooth instead of gritty.

Next, the juice gets thickened up into a swirl-able jelly.

Rinse out your saucepan (trust me, get those seeds out) and pour the juice back in. Go. ahead and add the lemon juice too.

In a small bowl, whisk together your sugar and cornstarch. With the pan OFF the heat, whisk this mixture into your juice. This is important! If the juice is hot when you add cornstarch, you’ll get lumps no matter how much you whisk.

Put it back on medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it hits a boil, it’ll thicken up like magic, usually within 30 seconds. Pour it into a bowl to cool completely. (You can make this a day ahead if you want to get ahead of things.)

Prepping Your Pan and Crust

Line your 9×13 pan with foil or parchment, leaving plenty hanging over the sides. Don’t be difficult, just do it.

Mix your graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and salt until it looks like wet sand. Every crumb should be coated.

Press this into your pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or your hands. You want an even, compact layer that goes all the way to the edges.

Bake it for 8-10 minutes until it’s lightly golden. This pre-baking is crucial! It keeps your crust from getting soggy later. Let it cool while you make the filling.

The Cheesecake Filling

Make sure your cream cheese is actually soft – like, you can press your finger into it easily. Cold cream cheese = lumpy filling, no matter how long you beat it.

Do not dump everything in at once! Beat the cream cheese by itself first until it’s completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add your sugar, flour, sour cream, and lemon zest, mixing just until combined. Add your beaten eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla last, mixing just until incorporated. Don’t overmix once the eggs go in.

Assembly and the Perfect Swirl

Pour your cheesecake filling over the cooled crust and spread it evenly. Now for the fun part.

Drop 10-12 tablespoon-sized dollops of your cooled blackberry jelly on top. Don’t use more than this or you’ll end up with muddy-looking bars instead of a pretty marble swirl. Sometimes I use all of it, sometimes there’s a bit left over, which I think just depends on how juicy the berries were to start.

Use a knife or chopstick to swirl the jelly through the cheesecake in gentle figure-8 motions. A few swirls is all you need. You want distinct ribbons of berry and cheesecake, not a purple mess.

Baking and the Waiting Game

Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The edges should be set but the center should still have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan. They’ll continue cooking as they cool, so don’t overbake.

Cool at room temperature for an hour, then into the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cold bars slice clean and taste much better.

Use your foil overhang to lift the whole thing out of the pan before cutting. Clean your knife between cuts for the prettiest bars.

Storage Instructions

In the Fridge: Store whatever’s left in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep them tightly covered; I often wrap bars individually and then place them all in an airtight container so someone can just grab what they’d like.

Freezing: These freeze beautifully! Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Or you can freeze the whole uncut batch – just wrap the entire thing tightly in plastic wrap, then foil.

To thaw, move them to the fridge overnight. They seem to get soggy if you defrost at room temp, so the fridge really is best. Frozen bars actually slice even cleaner than fresh ones if you’re cutting a whole batch.

Customizing Cheesecake Bars

Switch Up the Berries: Any berry works here! Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries all make gorgeous bars. Just make sure you end up with about ¾ cup of strained juice.

Crust Swaps:  You can try chocolate-flavored graham crackers, or (my favorite), add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the crust. Just keep the same amount of crumbs and butter.

Additions to the Filling: Try almond extract instead of vanilla for a more sophisticated flavor; just use half the amount since it’s stronger. I hate almond so I never do this, but apparently it’s delicious.

Questions and Troubleshooting

More Recipes for Blackberry Season

Summer means blackberry season, and there’s nothing better than using those gorgeous berries in all kinds of ways.

• Make your own blackberry jam for spreading on biscuits or swirling into yogurt
• This blackberry pie filling works for pies, tarts, or even ice cream topping
• Nothing beats homemade blackberry lemonade on a hot summer day
• Try this blackberry lemon pound cake with lots of lemon flavor.

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