Lemon Cheesecake Bars Easy Dessert Recipe Wellplated Com

With a buttery shortbread crust and luscious lemon cream cheese filling, these easy lemon cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert recipe that tastes like sunny afternoons spent lounging on a blanket on the grass. Warm weather cries out for refreshing lemon, and these lemon cream cheese bars are here to answer. They are:

Easy-breezy and light, but still have a touch of specialness and decadence (think of them as the happy medium between Classic Lemon Bars and fancier Lemon Cake).Transportable to summer gatherings.Easy to pick up and polish off with nothing more than your fingers (like my top-rated Strawberry Oatmeal Bars).Scrumptiously seasonal (as are these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes in the fall).

How to Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These lemon cream cheese bars are a perfect dessert to enjoy at a backyard picnic of your own or to bring to a party or potluck. (Or if you’re looking for a lemony brunch recipe, try my Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake.)

The Ingredients

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and All-Purpose Flour. I love to use a blend of whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose to sneak a little wholesome nutrition into these bars.

Powdered Sugar. Sweetens the crust and makes it melt-in-your-mouth delicious.Butter. Essential to make the shortbread crust perfectly tender and ultra-buttery (like in this Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie).Lemon Zest. My secret to giving the crust and filling a little brightness and extra lemony oomph (also key for Lemon Poppy Seed Cake).Lemon Juice. Go with freshly squeezed lemon juice if you can, It makes a difference, I promise!

Cream Cheese. Light cream cheese (not fat-free) keeps these bars (and these Red White and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars) rich, creamy, and indulgent without feeling heavy.Nonfat Greek Yogurt. Adds moisture and helps make the cheesecake light and fluffy. (Try this Greek Yogurt Cheesecake next.)Egg Yolk. Contributes richness and natural yellow color to the lemon cheesecake.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Keep leftover lemon cream cheese bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.To Freeze. Wrap cheesecake bars tightly in a double layer of plastic, and freeze for up to 1 month. Let thaw in the refrigerator.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

8×8-Inch Baking Pan. This one is my favorite for bars, brownies, and more.Parchment Paper. The secret to easy clean-up and cutting for bars.Beater Blade Batter Attachment. I use this with my KitchenAid stand mixer—it scrapes down the bowl for you!

Brighten up someone’s day (including your own!) with this sweet, creamy, summery lemon dessert.