Lemon Cheesecake Bars
If you want to show off a little, make these! Here’s a secret: there’s no need to hand-squeeze a bunch of fresh lemons for this recipe (and people are still going to go crazy over them).
What You’ll Need
crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs – I like graham cracker crumbs for a more traditional flavor, but you can also use crushed vanilla wafers, Biscoff cookies, or vanilla sandwich cookies
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
filling
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened/room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature
- ¾ cup lemon pie filling, divided – I use Comstock brand or homemade
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment You’ll Need
You will want a stand mixer for this recipe. It will make whipping up the cream cheese and the rest of the filling so much easier. If you don’t have one, a hand mixer will also work.
Instructions
Prepare the pan
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Then line an 8×8-inch pan with two pieces of parchment paper, crisscrossing each other. You want a little of the paper hanging out of the pan because that’s how you’re going to grab the cheesecake bars from it.
Make the crust
Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt to a bowl, then pour in the melted butter and stir.
Make sure there aren’t any large clumps and that everything is evenly mixed.
Press and par-bake
Pour the crumbs into your pan and press them evenly into the bottom.
Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack. When the parbake is over, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Mix the base
First things first, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. This is very important for achieving a smooth, creamy filling. Put it in the bowl of your stand mixer and add the sugar and flour.
Beat the cream cheese mixture on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Don’t forget to scrape down the bowl every once in a while to reincorporate things.
Add the eggs
Make sure your eggs are lightly beaten and at room temperature so they mix in more easily, and then add them to the bowl.
Beat in the eggs at medium speed for just about 30 seconds. You don’t need much time here, just enough to incorporate the eggs into the mixture.
Add lemon and vanilla
Now add the lemon pie filling and vanilla, but use only 1/2 cup of the filling.
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Mix it on medium-low just for a few seconds so it’s combined. Don’t overmix here. Again, we’re just bringing everything together.
Pour the batter
Pour the batter into the pan over the crust, then use a small spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
It’s okay if your crust isn’t completely cooled yet. This is just going back in the oven in a few minutes.
Swirl the topping
Before putting the bars in the oven, mix in the remaining lemon pie filling to create pretty swirls on top.
I like to make three lines of lemon pie filling and then swirl them in different directions with a dinner knife, being really careful not to cut into the crust. You can’t really mess it up, I promise!
Bake the bars
Bake the bars for about 1/2 an hour. The filling will be set, but there will be a slight jiggle, and that’s ok! They’re ready to come out of the oven.
Cool and chill
Sorry, but you can’t eat one of them just yet! Let the bars cool on a wire rack for another 30 to 45 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Trust me, you don’t want to try cutting these bars when they’re hot. They’ll crumble to pieces.
Cut and serve
After they’re done cooling, take them out of the fridge and lift the bars out of the pan by grabbing the parchment paper. Put them on a cutting board and then cut them into bars with a sharp, warm knife (just run it under hot water for a few seconds).
Go ahead and dig in! Grab one and enjoy, then put the rest in the fridge if you plan on serving later.
Storage Instructions
Store these bars in a container in the fridge for up to a week.
You can freeze them (for up to 2 months) with a few extra steps. You’ll want to wrap them tightly and put them in a big plastic bag or separate container. Then either thaw overnight in the fridge or on the countertop for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Wrapping them individually is best for faster, easier thawing…and the best way to have a little afternoon treat when you’re craving a quick sweet snack!
Questions and Troubleshooting
I’d say one of THE most important things about this recipe is making sure that your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. If they’re straight from the fridge, it’ll be really hard to get your filling smooth and creamy.
The best way to tell is to give the pan a little nudge. The edges will be set, and there will be a slight jiggle in the middle. This is when you know they’re done. What you don’t want is any golden coloring or browning. Don’t worry, that jiggle will set up during the lengthy (but necessary) cooling time.
Cool bars + warm knife + wipe the knife between slices. That’s the trick! The cooling step is crucial for the bars to set up correctly and not lose their shape when you cut into them. Then, if you start slicing with a warm knife, they should cut nicely and smoothly, making those gorgeous little squares. And for sharp, clean edges on the bars, you’ll want to wipe down the knife with a paper towel before each cut.
More cheesecake and dessert bar recipes
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- 8×8 baking pan
- stand or hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup lemon pie filling divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep & Crust
- Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper placed in alternating directions, leaving a 2-inch overhang to create a sling.
- Make the crust. In a bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt, then stir in the melted butter until thoroughly incorporated.
- Press and par-bake. Press the crumbs into an even, thin layer in the prepared pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Cheesecake Filling
- Mix the base. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and flour on medium speed until smooth and fully incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle once or twice during mixing.
- Add the eggs. Mix in the lightly beaten eggs on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and paddle once during mixing.
- Add lemon and vanilla. Add ½ cup of the lemon pie filling and the vanilla extract, then mix on medium-low until just combined, 15-20 seconds.
Assemble & Swirl
- Pour the batter. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust and smooth into an even layer. The crust can still be warm.
- Swirl the topping. Gently spoon the remaining ¼ cup lemon pie filling in 3-4 parallel lines on top, then use a thin knife or wooden skewer to make straight cuts through the filling for a decorative swirl pattern. Don’t insert the knife deep enough to cut into the crust.
Bake, Chill & Cut
- Bake the bars. Bake until the bars are set with a slight jiggle in the center, 30-35 minutes.
- Cool and chill. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before cutting.
- Cut and serve. Lift the chilled bars from the pan using the parchment sling and place on a cutting board. Cut into 9 or 12 bars with a sharp, thin knife, then serve or chill until ready.
Notes
Nutrition
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