Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
These blueberry cheesecake bars are outrageously delicious! Our recipe has a graham cracker crust, lemon cheesecake filling, blueberries, and a crumbly brown sugar topping. It’s the best! We shared these easy cheesecake bars years ago, and they became so popular that Betty Crocker asked to share them as well! The bars are super delicious, with fresh lemon and blueberries! If you love cheesecake, these bars are for you! For more dessert recipes with that blueberry lemon combination, see our lemon blueberry cake, this easy blueberry crumble, and our lemon blueberry muffins! Key Ingredients Blueberries: I love fresh blueberries (when they are in season), but you can substitute frozen berries if that’s what you have. Other berries like raspberries or blackberries are great, too. Lemon: I use lemon zest and juice in this recipe! For finely grated lemon zest, use a microplane zester. Graham Crackers: I love cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, which I use in this recipe. Non-US bakers can substitute digestive biscuits. Cream Cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese for cheesecake. Make sure it is at room temperature. Eggs: Two eggs help firm up the cream cheese in our cheesecake filling, making it more creamy and rich. Sugar: You’ll use granulated sugar for the crust and cheesecake, then brown sugar for the delicious streusel topping. Butter: I use butter two ways. First, it helps bind the crust, and second, I add it to my topping. Blueberries: I love fresh blueberries (when they are in season), but you can substitute frozen berries if that’s what you have. Other berries like raspberries or blackberries are great, too. Lemon: I use lemon zest and juice in this recipe! For finely grated lemon zest, use a microplane zester. Graham Crackers: I love cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, which I use in this recipe. Non-US bakers can substitute digestive biscuits. Cream Cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese for cheesecake. Make sure it is at room temperature. Eggs: Two eggs help firm up the cream cheese in our cheesecake filling, making it more creamy and rich. Sugar: You’ll use granulated sugar for the crust and cheesecake, then brown sugar for the delicious streusel topping. Butter: I use butter two ways. First, it helps bind the crust, and second, I add it to my topping. How to Make Blueberry Cheesecake Bars These blueberry cheesecake bars come together quickly, especially when using a food processor. It makes quick work of the crust. You’ll combine graham crackers, sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter in the food processor and pulse until fine crumbs. Then, press the crust into your baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. You can also use a food processor to make the lemon cheesecake filling. Combine cream cheese, eggs, more lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar and pulse until smooth. Then, top the baked crust with the cheesecake filling and scatter blueberries over it. Finish with the brown sugar crumble topping and bake until golden brown. If you don’t have a food processor, no problem. You can put the graham crackers in a plastic bag, bash them into crumbs with something heavy, and then stir in the remaining ingredients with a spoon. Then, use a stand or handheld mixer to make the cheesecake filling. Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars PREP 25 mins COOK 40 mins TOTAL 1 hr 5 mins PREP 25 mins COOK 40 mins TOTAL 1 hr 5 mins These blueberry cheesecake bars are a dream! They combine the tangy flavor of lemon cheesecake with sweet blueberries and a crumbly brown sugar topping. If you can’t find fresh blueberries, feel free to use frozen ones or try other berries like raspberries or blackberries. Make sure you chill the baked cheesecake thoroughly before cutting them into bars. Makes 9 Bars You Will Need Graham Cracker Crust 9 whole graham crackers, 1 ¼ cups (125g) graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 4 tablespoons (56g) butter, melted 16 ounces (450g) full-fat block cream cheese, at room temperature 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup (100g) sugar 1 ½ cups (225g) fresh or frozen blueberries, 8 ounces 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons (85g) cold unsalted butter Directions 1Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. 2Make the crust. Add graham crackers, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to a food processor bowl. Pulse until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, cover, and process until moistened. 3Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the cheesecake layer. 4Meanwhile, make the cheesecake bar filling. Wipe the food processor mostly clean with a paper towel, then add the cream cheese, eggs, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of sugar. Process until smooth and creamy. 5Spoon the cheesecake filling over the crust, then top with blueberries. 6Make the streusel topping. Add the brown sugar and flour to a medium bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and add them to the bowl. Work the butter into the flour and sugar until crumbly using your fingers or a hand-held pastry cutter. Scatter the topping over the blueberries. 7Bake the cheesecake bars until the topping is lightly browned and the center is almost set (the center should jiggle only slightly when moved), 35 to 40 minutes. 8Cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Cut into 9 bars. 1Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. 2Make the crust. Add graham crackers, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to a food processor bowl. Pulse until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, cover, and process until moistened. 3Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the cheesecake layer. 4Meanwhile, make the cheesecake bar filling. Wipe the food processor mostly clean with a paper towel, then add the cream cheese, eggs, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of sugar. Process until smooth and creamy. 5Spoon the cheesecake filling over the crust, then top with blueberries. 6Make the streusel topping. Add the brown sugar and flour to a medium bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and add them to the bowl. Work the butter into the flour and sugar until crumbly using your fingers or a hand-held pastry cutter. Scatter the topping over the blueberries. 7Bake the cheesecake bars until the topping is lightly browned and the center is almost set (the center should jiggle only slightly when moved), 35 to 40 minutes. 8Cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Cut into 9 bars. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Cheesecake bars can last up to a week in the fridge! I store them in a container or wrap them in foil to prevent them from picking up fridge odors. No food processor: Make the crust by crushing the graham crackers in a plastic bag with something heavy, like a rolling pin. Add the crumbs to a bowl along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter. Stir until blended. Then for the cheesecake filling, use a hand blender to blend cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar until smooth and creamy. Nutrition facts are estimates. Storing: Cheesecake bars can last up to a week in the fridge! I store them in a container or wrap them in foil to prevent them from picking up fridge odors. No food processor: Make the crust by crushing the graham crackers in a plastic bag with something heavy, like a rolling pin. Add the crumbs to a bowl along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter. Stir until blended. Then for the cheesecake filling, use a hand blender to blend cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar until smooth and creamy. Nutrition facts are estimates. AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us