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Sharing something different today, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Candied Lemon.
Happy Friday! I am so excited for today’s recipe because I’ve never shared a cheesecake here on HBH, and today is finally the day. In all honesty, I never grew up eating cheesecake. In fact, I’ve really only had it a few times and I think the first time was only a couple of years ago.
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that my mom raised her kids to follow in her chocoholic footsteps. Meaning we did not eat fruit-based desserts growing up, and instead enjoyed chocolate cakes, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pies, and chocolate peanut butter bars. See the theme? All things chocolate and all the time.
Totally not complaining in any way, but this does mean that we never knew how delicious non-chocolate desserts, like cheesecake, could be. Thankfully, as I grew up I began to learn some things about cooking and baking. I was forced to step outside of my little chocolate comfort zone and try some new desserts…cheesecake being one of them.
And that’s where today’s blueberry lemon cheesecake bars come in. Made using my go-to Land O Lakes® Butter and all the fresh blueberries I could get my hands on…these bars could not be any more delicious.
SO, here’s the story. You guys have probably noticed that I am really, really into spring this year, and really into making lighter desserts. I’ve tried out some cakes and have now moved on to cheesecake. With everything I do, I like what I make to be different from anything I’ve shared with you guys before. I know blueberry cheesecake isn’t a new concept, but I personally have never made it.
Plus, these cheesecake bars are not like any cheesecake you have had before.
Nope.
These bars are filled with sweet blueberries, both fresh and in jam form. They are light and airy and packed with fresh lemon flavor. And my crust? It’s of course extra buttery, because if you’re going to take the time to make a crust for your dessert, it needs to be extra buttery. It just does.
Speaking of my crust, mine is simple…graham crackers and butter. There’s not a lot of ingredients or anything fancy, but my Land O Lakes® Butter shines through flavor wise and the graham crackers add a nice crunchy sweetness. It’s the perfect base to hold these cheesecake bars together.
For the filling, I really wanted a cheesecake flavored heavily with blueberries and hinted with lemon. To give the cheesecake ample blueberry flavor, I used a combo of blueberry jam and fresh blueberries. I love how the jam has a more concentrated blueberry flavor. It’s so intense and so delicious when paired with the cream cheese. I then sprinkled fresh berries on top…they burst in your mouth with every single bite.
SO. SO. GOOD!
To add one last pop of both flavor and color, I finished my bars off with candied Meyer lemon slices. While these are not a must for this recipe, they do add a special touch and make the bars feel extra springy!
Speaking of spring, I’m in LA today working on a fun and very springy project. These bars are perfect for a spring brunch, Easter, or upcoming Mother’s Day!
If you don’t love blueberries, you can easily swap in a berry you do love. Strawberries, blackberries, and even oranges would all be so good.
What I also love about these bars is that they can be made a couple of days ahead of time, and even travel well too. Meaning, if you’re not hosting brunch, but need to bring something, these bars should be your recipe. Trust me, everyone will love them…and in turn, they’ll love you for bringing them.
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Candied Lemon
Servings: 16 bars
Calories Per Serving: 159 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 9 graham cracker sheets, crushed into crumbs
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) Land O Lakes® Butter, melted
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup blueberry jam
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Candied Lemon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 lemons, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter.2. In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. 3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and honey. Add in one egg at time until the eggs are fully incorporated. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth. Divide the batter in half. Stir the blueberry jam into 1 half of the batter. 4. Pour the blueberry batter over the graham cracker layer. Now gently pour the plain batter over the blueberry batter, the batters will mix. Using a knife, gently make swirls throughout. Sprinkle the blueberries over top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until just set, but still a little jiggly in the center. Allow the bars to chill in the pan for about an hour, then transfer to the fridge to chill completely, at least 3 ours. Cut into bars and serve topped with candied lemon slices (recipe follows).
Candied Lemon
- 1. Combine the sugar, 3/4 cup water, and the lemon juice in a 10-12 inch skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon slices and simmer until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove from the sugar and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Allow to dry before adding to the tart, about 2 hours.
{This post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
Lastly, if you make this Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Candied Lemon be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Hi! Your recipes are always phenomenal, and they have become my go-to for everything!
I’m hoping to make this for a friend’s birthday as her birthday cake. Do you have suggestions on bake time if I make this in a round spring-form pan? I’m assuming the ingredient quantities should be pretty okay the way they are.
Thanks in advance, and thank you for always providing such fantastic recipes!
Hey Lydia,
Thanks so much for your kind message! I probably wouldn’t do this one in a springform pan, here are some other recipes you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/blueberry-lemon-poppy-seed-creme-cake/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/simple-blueberry-basque-cheesecake/
I hope this helps!! Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’ve never had a recipe of yours I haven’t LOVED!! I was wondering if these measurements would also work as a traditional cheesecake in a spring pan?
Hey Laura,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! xT
I made this for my friend’s birthday and it was such a hit! His favorite fruit is mango so I did mango-lime instead of blueberry-lemon. I just made mango jam and substituted it for the blueberry jam and substituted lime juice for lemon juice and followed everything else exactly and it turned out amazing! I can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Victoria,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great week! ?xxT
Can you put the time on this for 3+ hours? I read the timing at the top as 50min total then realized too late it was actually like 4h total until I could serve.
Hi Leslie,
So sorry to hear this, the prep and cook time equal a total of 50 minutes. I hope you enjoyed the bars. xTieghan
I love this recipe!! I made it twice – the batch I left in the oven for 35 minutes came out perfect. I will definitely be making these for my next gathering 🙂
Hey Rayni,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
These are amazing. I skipped the candied lemon as I didn’t have an extra lemon. I’m sure that’s delicious but definitely didn’t lack not having them. These will be a staple in my house for sure! Yum!
Hey Abby,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Dying to make these! Do I need a stand mixer or can I mix by hand in a bowl?
Hey Ellie,
You can definitely mix these by hand. I hope you give this recipe a try, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
I used raspberry jam and my family gave it a two thumbs up.
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Wednesday!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
Obsessed with this recipe!! I’ve made it like 6 times already lol. I just skip the candied lemons – it’s perfect without them
Hey Kayla,
Awesome! It is so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xTieghan
Great flavors! The lemon was an awesome balance. Other reviews made it sound like it was too soft and didn’t set up, so I left it in the oven a little longer, and I don’t think it needed that. Next time (because there WILL be a next time!) I’ll stick to the suggested time frame.
I also made a quick sauce (more of the blueberry jam, a touch of lemon juice, a little water, and some mint leaves– boiled on the stove for 4-5 minutes) and served it on top, which was soooo yummy.
Question– my candied lemon did NOT turn out. The flavor was yummy, but the sugar had carmelized so they were turning brown and they were way too sticky and chewy to eat. What did I do wrong? Would love to include them next time!
Hey Madeline,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) So sorry about the lemon, was there anything you adjusted? xTieghan
I made the bars and was so excited for them, but unfortunately they came out mushy on the inside, I think it may have to do with the frozen blueberry’s and maybe I should have cooked them a little longer.
Hey Kristen,
So sorry to hear this, was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? This would help me to better help you! Let me know:) xTieghan
These are AMAZING! Do you have any tips to keep the top from cracking?
Thanks so much Meghan! Unfortunately, I feel like that is really just the nature of the bar, I just cover up some of the cracks with extra blueberries! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
I just made this cheesecake last night. We had friends over for dinner and I broke my rule to never prepare something for guests that I haven’t tested before. My God, was this a smashing success – with kids and adults alike! Even my husband who isn’t usually a cheesecake fan had seconds.
Hey Monika,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Are you able to provide the measurements in grams at all? Would be a huge help as I do not have graham crackers sheets where I live but we have a similar biscuit like it but they are not in sheets. Thanks so much!
Hey Morgan,
So sorry about this, I will add the metric measurements! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made them, very good, but they are kinda soft. Not sure what went wrong. Was wondering if the time needed to be adjusted?
Hey Peggy,
Thanks for trying the recipe, was there anything you adjusted? It’s hard to say without seeing the bars. Let me know how I can help! xTieghan