Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars
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Our Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars are loaded with juicy blueberries bursting right out of these lemon cheesecake shortbread cookie bars! What a perfect combination when you want a delicious lemon bar dessert representing blueberries and cheesecake!
These bars are so blissful, hence the name “Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars”! You may want to try this refreshing Easy Orange Creamsicle Cake Bars as well!
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What are Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars?
Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars are tart, sweet and creamy bars that are perfect when you want cheesecake and blueberries together in a bar! What a combination! That shortbread crust has amazing texture with the cheesecake and blueberry flavor!
One of the beginning steps is simmering the blueberries briefly on the stove with a little brown sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Then the juicy, flavorful blueberry sauce is swirled into the lemon creamy cheesecake filling, on top of a lemon shortbread crust and baked to perfection!
I could eat these all year long, along with these Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins and these White Chocolate Blueberry Blondies
About Blueberries
So…What is blue, sweet and juicy and is a rich, anti-oxidant super food for your brain?
Did you guess Blueberries? Perfect! 🙂 That’s why we added blueberries in with our Cheesecake Bars! Did you know?
- Blueberries are high in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants called flavonoids. Flavonoids interact with proteins and enzymes in ways that keep your brain younger. Scientists are still trying to figure it all out, but research shows blueberry flavonoids do seem to keep you smarter.
- People who eat a high-flavonoid diet stay sharper than folks with low-flavonoid diets. So, eating blueberries or drinking blueberry juice daily can improve your memory function by 30%.
- We’ve established some awesome benefits from blueberries, and we definitely already know they taste great frozen, blended in a smoothie, by themselves, in a tart or pie, cobbler and of course undoubtedly, wickedly good with cheesecake. These are no exceptions!
How do you like those apples? I mean blueberries! 🙂
Ingredients You Need for Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Shortbread Crust
- butter
- granulated sugar
- lemon zest
- all-purpose flour
- salt
Blueberry Filling
- fresh blueberries
- brown sugar
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
Creamy Cheesecake Layer Filling
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- eggs
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Crumb Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray with non-stick spray or line an 9×9 pan with parchment paper.
Shortbread Crust
- Combine 1 tablespoon lemon zest with ½ cup granulated sugar and using fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to infuse the sugar with lemon.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until well incorporated and creamy.
- Beat in flour and salt until combined.
- Press shortbread dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake until edges are golden, 25-30 minutes.
Blueberry Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries with brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, until berries are just soft, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After berries are soft, set aside to cool. I also like to squish the remainder of the berries that are still whole, after they’ve cooked, but it’s up to you how you want it to be.
Creamy Cheesecake Layer Filling
- Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with ½ cup sugar and using fingers or fork, mix together to infuse the sugar with lemon.
- Beat cream cheese with the sugar/lemon mixture and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
Assembling the Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Crumb Bars all together
- Dollop cream cheese mixture onto warm crust and spread to make an even layer.
- Dollop blueberry mixture over top of cream cheese layer and gently use a knife tip through the top to create some random swirls.
- Optional: Sprinkle blueberries on top.
- Bake in oven until filling is set, 35-40 minutes.
- Let cool and cut into bars, if you can wait that long.
Substitutions & Options
Fresh Blueberry Options: If you don’t want to make the blueberry filling, you could use canned blueberry pie filling, but I would still add in some random fresh blueberries and some lemon zest, for a pop of fresh.
If you want thicker cheesecake bars, use an 8×8 pan.
Blueberries are in season, so you won’t want to miss the boat and make these blueberry lemon burstin’ bars. Enjoy!!
Love the shortbread theme? You have to see these Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, these Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies and these Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies too!
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More Desserts You’ll Love
- Best Blueberry Crumble Muffins
- Super Fluffy Lemon Pudding Cake
- Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake
- Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins
- Buttermilk Blueberry Explosion Cake!
- Blueberry & Cream Crumble Bars
- 25 Buzz-Worthy Blueberry Desserts to Bake
- Blueberry Oatmeal Protein Smoothie (Greek Yogurt}
- Fluffy ‘Greek Yogurt’ Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes!
- Soft Lemon & Blueberry Explosion Cookies
- Homemade Pecan Sandies
- Easy Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cups
Blueberry Lemon Bliss Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 ¼ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Blueberry Filling
- 2 cups blueberries fresh
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Optional Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray with non-stick spray or line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
Shortbread Crust
- Combine 1 tablespoon lemon zest with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and using fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to infuse the sugar with lemon.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until well incorporated and creamy.
- Beat in flour and salt until combined.
- Press shortbread dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake until edges are golden, 25-30 minutes.
Blueberry Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries with brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, until berries are just soft, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After berries are soft, set aside to cool. They should thicken up some.
Cheesecake Filling
- Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1/2 cup sugar and using fingers or fork, mix together to infuse the sugar with lemon.
- Beat cream cheese with the sugar/lemon mixture and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
Putting it all together
- Dollop cream cheese mixture onto warm crust and spread to make an even layer.
- Dollop blueberry mixture over top of cream cheese layer and gently use a knife tip through the top to create some random swirls.
- Bake in oven until filling is set, 30-40 minutes.
- Let cool and cut into bars, if you can wait that long. 🙂
Notes
- Fresh Blueberry Options: If you don't want to make the blueberry filling, you could use canned blueberry pie filling, but I would still add in some random fresh blueberries and some lemon zest, for a pop of fresh.
- If you want thicker cheesecake bars, use an 8x8 pan.
