These easy cream cheese bars are dreamy. With an extra smooth filling, a simple graham cracker crust and bursting juicy blueberries, every bite is amazing. They can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen.
An easier alternative
If you're a fan of classic cheesecake and crave the burst of fresh blueberries, this recipe might become one of your favorite desserts.
They're easier to make, bake faster and more forgiving than baking a large cheesecake, yet you get the same creamy consistency and a surface without cracks. They're also convenient and portable, making them great for potlucks, barbecues and parties.
Just like a cheesecake baked in a rectangular pan, you can enjoy a creamy dessert with minimal hassle.
I like to keep them frozen for last-minute dessert needs; I thaw them at room temperature if unexpected guests arrive or a craving hits. It doesn't take long.
Testing Notes
To prevent a soggy crust, make sure you bake it for 10 minutes first before adding the filling. It helps create a barrier and crisp up the crust, reducing the chances of moisture seeping in. If using frozen blueberries, drain them first to avoid adding extra liquid to the filling. Using fresh berries will avoid this.
Thick graham cracker crust: If you like a larger ratio of crust to filling (as in this cheesecake pie recipe), use 1 ½ cups of crumbs and 6 tablespoons of butter.
To avoid a lumpy cheesecake filling, make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and mix it until it is completely smooth and creamy before adding the rest of the ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times until they're all well incorporated.
Clean-cut cheesecake dessert bars: The easiest way to get clean squares is to cut them cold, straight from the refrigerator. Use a large kitchen knife and wipe it between cuts to keep it clean each time.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- Graham crackers: Use the classic store-bought or homemade grahams.
- Blueberries: fresh or frozen.
- Cream cheese: Regular, full-fat cream cheese is needed for consistency and creaminess. I don't recommend reduced-fat cheeses.
- Sour cream: regular, full-fat.
Variations & substitutions
- Crust: Use a shortbread crust or a different cookie for the crumb crust, such as vanilla wafers, digestive biscuits, plain chocolate cookies, lemon cookies, or almond cookies.
- Nuts: substitute ½ cup graham cracker crumbs for ground almonds or pecans.
- Crumb bars: make half of this crumble topping recipe and sprinkle over the filling before baking.
- Berries: use another type, like blackberries or raspberries, or a mix.
- Blueberry sauce: substitute the fresh or frozen berries for a homemade blueberry topping, or use one from the grocery store.
- Orange: substitute orange zest for lemon. The flavor will be mellower as the sharpness of the lemon will be missing.
- Lemon blueberry cheesecake bars: For a more pronounced lemon flavor, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the cheesecake batter with the lemon zest.
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Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
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Ingredients
For the cookie base:
- 1 cup ground graham crackers
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the blueberry cheesecake filling:
- 16 ounces regular cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
Graham cracker crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spray or butter an 8-inch square pan. If you want to line the pan, use a piece of parchment paper covering the bottom and two sides. You will have two sides without paper. It makes it easier to remove the cheesecake when it's cold; you lift the paper and take out the block of cheesecake.
- Stir 1 cup ground graham crackers in a bowl with ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, until the mixture looks like wet sand. If you have whole cookies, use the food processor to grind them, add the melted butter, and pulse to mix.
- Dump this mixture into the prepared baking pan and press firmly onto the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
- Lower the oven to 325°F (170°C).
Blueberry cream cheese filling:
- Mix 16 ounces regular cream cheese, softened, in a large bowl until very smooth. You can use a handheld mixer or a wire whisk. Mixing the cheese by hand should not be a problem if the cheese is at room temperature. If using an electric mixer, use it only for this part and at the lowest speed. We don't want to incorporate air into the batter.
- Gradually add ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and beat until it's very well incorporated.
- Add 3 eggs all together, mixing until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well mixed. Don't be tempted to beat.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste, ½ teaspoon lemon zest and ¼ cup sour cream, stirring to incorporate.
- Add 1 ½ cups blueberries to the cream cheese mixture and stir with a spatula. Don't crush the berries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cheesecake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the center jiggles slightly and the sides are a little puffed. The time can vary depending on your oven.
- Remove from the oven, let it cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and carefully run a smooth-bladed knife around the sides of the pan to loosen up any batter that might be stuck. If it's too tender, let it cool a little longer. It will help prevent cracks as the cheesecake cools and shrinks.
- Cool completely to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, cover it with plastic wrap (still in the pan), and refrigerate for at least 6 to 8 hours before cutting and serving. I chill it for 1 or 2 days for the creamiest consistency before removing it from the pan.
Notes
Process steps
This dessert has two layers: the crust and the cheese filling. Both are simple and quick to put together.
Buttery graham cracker crust
Preparing the pan: you can line it with a strip of parchment paper, covering the pan's bottom and two sides. The other two sides will remain unlined but greased. This will help you remove the bars from the pan.
- The mix of crumbs and melted butter should look like wet sand. It will only cover the bottom of the pan, not the sides.
- Press the mixture until it's compacted. Use your hand, it's the easiest way. Some people use a measuring cup but I find it doesn't completely reach the angles.
Creamy cheesecake filling
- Use a whisk to mix and incorporate the ingredients. No need to beat.
- Pour the runny filling into the pre-baked crust and smooth the top if needed.
Storage
Cheesecake bars need to be kept chilled. Don't store them at room temperature.
- Refrigerating: this recipe keeps well for a week in the fridge, in an airtight container or in the pan well wrapped in plastic to avoid dryness.
- Freezing: use a freezer-safe airtight container or wrap the leftover squares in plastic wrap and foil. They keep for a month. Defrost uncovered at room temperature.
One last thing
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