These delicious lemon cheesecake bars are made with a buttery graham cracker crust, scrumptious lemon cheesecake center, topped with lemon pie filling, then dollops of homemade whipped cream and lemon wedges on top.
I love cheesecake in any form. Over the years, there’s no telling how many cheesecakes, cheesecake dips, and cheesecake bars I’ve made. From plain cheesecakes to chocolate cheesecake, fruity cheesecakes and dips, and everything in between, if it’s cheesecake I’ve made it. One of my favorite ways to make cheesecake is cheesecake bars. They’re great for sweet treats and desserts after dinner or at parties, and you can make them in so many different ways. During the spring and summer, I make these lemon cheesecake bars quite often, and I’m excited to share this easy, delicious recipe with all of you.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These delicious bars start with a rich, buttery graham cracker crust. Then, I top them with lemon cheesecake batter and bake it to perfection. Finally, I chill the entire thing and top it with lemon pie filling just before serving. What I end up with are cheesecake bars that are so decadent and delicious that I never have leftovers. And a huge bonus is that they’re easy to make, too!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cheesecake Bar Recipe
- It’s an easy lemon cheesecake recipe that’s great for parties, backyard barbecues, family gatherings, or even a midday snack.
- It’s the perfect summer desert, but you can make it all year long!
- It is rich, creamy, and delicious and a lemon lover’s dream.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, and you’ll find them all easily at your local grocery tore.
- Graham cracker crumbs are used to make the crust of the cheesecake. The crackers are ground into crumbs and then mixed with melted butter and sugar.
- Melted butter is used to bind the graham cracker crumbs together. It also adds a bit of flavor to the crust.
- Sugar is used to sweeten the crust. It also helps to keep the crust moist.
- Full-fat cream cheese is the main ingredient in cheesecake. It is what gives the cheesecake its rich and creamy texture.
- Sour cream is added to the cream cheese to make the cheesecake more tangy. It also helps to make the cheesecake more moist.
- Vanilla extract and lemon extract are added to the cheesecake to add flavor.
- Large eggs are used to bind the ingredients together. They also help to make the cheesecake more stable.
- Lemon pie filling is added for more lemony flavor and sweetness.
How to Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Making these bars is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. The entire process takes just over an hour, which isn’t bad for homemade baked cheesecake bars!
Step 1: Make the Graham Cracker Crust
Stir the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar in a medium bowl. Then, press it into a 13×9 baking pan.
Step 2: Make the Creamy Cheesecake Filling
Beat the cream cheese and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Then, add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and beat again until combined. Finally, add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed until just blended. Pour over the crust.
Step 3: Bake
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 until the center is almost set and still a little jiggly.
Step 4: Chill
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then, chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Step 5: Top and Serve
When ready to serve, top the cheesecake with lemon pie filling, cut into bars, and enjoy! Garnish with whipped cream and lemon slices if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into the baking dish to ensure the crust holds when cutting the cheesecake into bars.
- Use fully softened cream cheese and room temperature eggs for the best texture.
- Mix the eggs into the batter until just blended. Don’t overmix.
Variations
- Add blueberries to the batter and top with blueberry pie filling for lemon blueberry cheesecake bars.
- Use chocolate graham crackers or Oreos for a chocolate crust.
- Use your favorite fruit pie filling to change the flavor of these cheesecake bars.
What to Serve with Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These delicious cheesecake bars are fantastic as an addition to a larger dessert spread at parties or potlucks with all your favorite sweet treats. They’re also excellent with:
- Dessert wine
- Mixed fruit
- Milk buns
- Candied nuts
Recipe FAQ
Why did my lemon cheesecake not set?
You probably overmixed it. While cheesecake batter should be mixed until completely combined, overmixing will create a super soft batter that never sets quite right.
What can I use if I don’t have lemon juice?
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Grapefruit juice
- Lemon extract
- Lemon zest
How do I know when my cheesecake bars are baked correctly?
Fully baked cheesecake will be set around the edges and slightly jiggly but still firm in the center.
How do you cut cheesecake bars easily?
Run a sharp knife under hot water. Then, wipe it dry and immediately make your cut. Wipe the knife with a paper towel and repeat the process for each cut until the cheesecake is cut into bars.
Can you freeze lemon cheesecake bars?
Yes, you can. They’ll keep for up to a month in the freezer.
How to Store Leftover Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Store these cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.
Try This Delicious Lemon Cheesecake Bar Recipe Today
These delicious lemon cheesecake bars are as easy as they are tasty. With just a few minutes of prep and less than an hour of baking, you’ll be well on your way to delicious cheesecake bars that everyone will love. Chill for a few hours, and then watch everyone devour them. Try this recipe once, and I know it will become a regular part of your dessert rotation.
More Delicious Lemon Desserts You’ll Enjoy
Lemon Pretzel Salad – This delicious lemon dessert is easy to make, loaded with lemon flavor, tastes delicious and is always a favorite. It has a pretzel crust, a sweet cream cheese filling and topped with lemon pie filling.
Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake – A delicious pound cake recipe with the classic flavor combo of lemon and blueberries. The perfect summer cake recipe.
Lemon Cookies with Lemon Glaze – These soft, thick and chewy lemon cookies are baked to perfection and topped with a lemon glaze, and are a sweet, lemony cookie recipe everyone will enjoy.
And, here are some Mini Lemon Cheesecakes from Great Grub, Delicious Treats that you will enjoy as well.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Lemon Cheesecake
- 24 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 large eggs
- 21 ounce can lemon pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
Graham Cracker Crust
- In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar together until combined.
- Press into a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Lemon Cheesecake
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together for 2- 3 minutes or until smooth.
- Add sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon extract and beat until combined.
- Next, add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low until just blended. Pour over the crust.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the center is almost set and still a little jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and let sit to cool.
- Once cool enough, place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
- Add lemon pie filling right before serving.
- Add whipped cream and lemon slices for garnish, if desired.
Notes
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