Lemon Cheesecake Bars – My Baking Dependancy

A cookie crust, tangy cheesecake, and swirl of lemon curd make these lemon cheesecake bars a dream come true. Take these to your subsequent potluck and watch them disappear very quickly!

Since I’m type of the cheesecake queen, it is sensible that I’d wish to take cheesecake to simply about any occasion I’m going to.

However common cheesecakes aren’t the simplest with regards to sharing at a potluck or cookout, ya know?

Cheesecake bar recipes or recipes like my nana’s straightforward cheesecake actually are a lot simpler to chop and share with a bunch of buddies.

After I was testing these lemon cheesecake bars, I took them to some cookouts and lemme inform ya, they have been a HUGE hit. 

I like the combo of lemon with cream cheese, whether or not it’s in mini lemon cheesecakes, layered lemon dessert, or lemon cream cheese frosting. So clearly these lemon cheesecake bars are considered one of my favourite recipes I’ve made currently.

Bake these up, take them to your subsequent potluck, tailgate, or recreation night time, and also you’ll be everybody’s favourite visitor!

Vibrant and tangy lemon cheesecake bars

These lemon cheesecake bars take all the pieces I like about my traditional lemon cheesecake and switch it right into a extra transportable bar dessert.

The recipe begins with a crust comprised of lemon sandwich cookies, with a little bit of added lemon zest (as a result of we actually love lemon round right here!). 

The creamy cheesecake filling is flavored with lemon juice and extra lemon zest and is swirled with lemon curd. The swirl bakes as much as create little pockets of lemon curd all through the bars.

The bars are tangy from the cream cheese, brilliant from the lemon, and just a bit bit candy from the crust. It’s the proper stability of flavors!

Easy methods to make lemon cheesecake bars

Components you’ll want

These lemon cheesecake bars have a cookie crust topped with a lemony cheesecake filling. For the crust, you’ll need:

• 15 lemon sandwich cookies, crushed into crumbs
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

In the event you can’t discover lemon sandwich cookies, be happy to make use of vanilla sandwich cookies (aka vanilla oreos) as an alternative.

For the filling, you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 16 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
• 2 massive eggs at room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup lemon curd

For the smoothest cheesecake filling, ensure that your cream cheese is at room temperature earlier than you begin baking. In the event you overlook to set it out forward of time, take a look at my suggestions for easy methods to soften cream cheese shortly.

I additionally recommend ensuring the eggs are at room temperature. In case you have by no means performed this earlier than, I’ve received a put up on easy methods to deliver eggs to room temperature.

I like utilizing my microwave lemon curd in these bars, however be happy to make use of your favourite store-bought lemon curd should you choose.

Making this recipe

These lemon cheesecake bars are baked in an 8×8-inch pan. Earlier than you get began, line your pan with foil, leaving an overhang for eradicating the bars later, and spray the foil with nonstick spray.

To make the crust, combine collectively the cookie crumbs, lemon zest, and melted butter till properly mixed. Press this into the underside of the ready pan—I like to make use of the underside of a glass to do that, however you need to use your palms, too.

Bake the crust at 325°F for 10 minutes. Depart the oven on and set the crust apart whilst you make the filling.

For the filling, add the sugar and lemon zest to a big bowl. Work the 2 components collectively together with your fingertips till the sugar is moistened and aromatic.

Add the cream cheese. With a mixer, beat on medium-high till clean and properly mixed. This may take 2-3 minutes.

Add the eggs one by one, mixing properly after every addition. Scrape the edges of the bowl with a spatula as wanted. Combine within the lemon juice and vanilla till properly mixed.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the ready crust. Spoon dollops of the lemon curd throughout the highest, then use a chopstick, skewer, or skinny knife to swirl the curd into the cheesecake filling.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. The perimeters needs to be set however the heart ought to nonetheless jiggle barely whenever you shake the pan. 

Depart the pan within the oven. Flip the oven off and crack the door open. Let the bars relaxation within the cooling oven for half-hour, then take away them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

As soon as cool, cowl the bars and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or as much as 24 hours earlier than serving.