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!
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 9x9 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 8x8 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!
More Desserts You'll Love
- Best Blueberry Crumble Muffins
- 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 teaspoon 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 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. They should thicken up some.
Cheesecake 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.
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.
ChocolaTess says
You are so right Judy! Love that!!
Judy says
Everyone should buy extra blueberries when they're in season and freeze them. DO NOT WASH THEM, just pick out stems and leaves, bag, label and lay them flat. Anything blueberry can make the most dreary day better!
ChocolaTess says
Awww! Thank you for your kind words Christine! <3
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
This looks amazing, and perfect to bring to a get together. With the weather starting to shape up, there will be many opportunities to share this beautiful dessert. Thanks for sharing this!
ChocolaTess says
LOL Ariel, me too! I have been eating a lot of blueberries! I hope you try those bars, they are truly amazing and bursting with flavor! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Ariel says
Wow! Such awesome facts about blueberries! I had no idea! I'm all about eating as many as possible, so let's hope it's true what they say about staying sharp. 😉 And combined with cheesecake, I can't wait to try these! They'll be a great treat to bring to work for sure. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
ChocolaTess says
Thanks, they are very, very amazing. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by Rhonda!
Rhonda says
This looks amazing! My family loves blueberries - and know this would be a hit. Thanks for sharing at the Home Matters Linky Party! I hope you will be back this week and share again! Rhonda
ChocolaTess says
Hi Cathy! Thank you so much for visiting and I hope you bake these bars. They are amazing! I stopped by your page, I couldn't find where to comment but I read the article. I love learning about family history and telling stories. I'm on ancestry.com and I have done a lot of research. My grandma Blackford didn't have teeth either, but she had the dentures, and that was scary seeing them on the bathroom sink for the first time when I was a kid. 😉 Thanks for sharing your story! 🙂 Have a happy Friday!
Cathy Kennedy says
It was nice to visit you this morning. Friendship Friday pointed me to your site when I caught a glimpse of today’s post. I couldn’t resist knowing more. This looks like something that we'd like a lot. Definitely saving recipe to try. 😉 I invite you to stop by anytime to see what’s going on with Curious as a Cathy, but today you have a chance to read Meet my grandparents Part III #FlashbackFriday
Kendra @ www.joyinourhome.com says
These look sooo delicious! 🙂 Love cheesecake and that combined with blueberries would be delish! Would love to invite you to share any of your recipes with us tomorrow at our party please! Hope you have a great week! 🙂
ChocolaTess says
Oh yes, definitely. I took it to work and yes, we did have it for breakfast Teresa. 🙂
ChocolaTess says
Jayne, no, it's not 2 oz. and thanks for catching that. It's (2) 8 oz. packages of cream cheese. All Fixed. Hope you try it, it's amazing! 🙂
Teresa says
I love this. What a great breakfast idea.
Jaynewezie says
Is there really only 2 oz. cream cheese in this recipe? Doesn't sound like enough.