Lemon Cheesecake Bars
A decadent mix of tangy lemon freshness and sweet graham cracker crust make these lemon cheesecake bars a delicious treat.
Servings: 15
Calories: 281kcal
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter, melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened (two 8-ounce packages)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup lemon curd, for the lemon swirl
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture is completely combined.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325°F.
Filling
- Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on low speed, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest just until well combined.
- Keeping the mixer speed on low, add the eggs one at a time. Mix until the filling is completely incorporated.
- Evenly pour the filling on top of the crust.
- Drop the lemon curd by teaspoon on top of the filling. Use a knife, toothpick, or offset spatula to shallowly swirl the lemon curd, being careful not to swirl too deep. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- For the creamiest cheesecake, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
- If you need to crush the cookies for the crust, pulse in a blender or food processor until they are fine crumbs.
- Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to press the crust into the bottom of the pan. This ensures a nice firm base for the bars.
- Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature, or it may leave lumps in the filling.
- If a brighter shade of lemon curd for the swirl is desired, you can add 2 to 3 drops of yellow food coloring.
- Before slicing your sweet treat, you can place the cheesecake in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes for a cleaner cut.
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg