Alright, Pull Up a Chair—Let’s Talk Cheesecake Bars

First off, if you’re anything like me, you get a craving for something fruity and creamy at least once a week, especially when someone brings over a giant punnet of blueberries and you’ve got a few sad lemons rolling around the crisper (my crisper is almost always chaos, not gonna lie). Anyway, I first made these Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars when I was trying to impress my in-laws, but ended up impressing myself more—I’d never gotten that perfect, bright citrus zing to actually come through before! There was a little disaster involving my ancient hand mixer flinging batter about, but hey, that's how kitchen memories are made, right?

Why You’ll Love Making These Bars (No, Seriously)

I make this when I want to look like I put in a ton of effort—even though, to be honest, it’s not fussy at all (unless you try to get fancy with the graham cracker base—which I did once, but honestly, no one noticed). My family goes mad for this because the blueberries burst and get all jammy in the creamy filling. Even my cousin, who is suspicious of lemon in desserts (don’t get me started), always comes back for a second square. And if you’ve ever had the frustration of cheesecake cracking or sinking? Bars are so much more forgiving. Plus, fewer fights over who got the biggest slice.

What You’ll Need… and a Few Options

1 and ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (I’ve swapped this for digestive biscuits, or even gingersnaps once when that’s all I had, and loved it!)
½ cup melted butter—salted is fine, my grandmother would insist on unsalted but I can't always be bothered
2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, room temp (some people swear by Philadelphia, but store brand honestly works too)
2 large eggs
⅔ cup granulated sugar (I’ve been known to scrape by with just a half cup)
2 teaspoons lemon zest—about 1 lemon’s worth, but I do steal a bit from a second if it’s a small one
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, give or take (honestly, I never measure this exactly)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries (frozen is fine, don’t thaw them! They’ll bleed less this way)
Pinch of salt

How I Throw These Together (With Impeccable Precision – Ha!)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (about 175°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment—trust me, this makes life easier. I never get it to fit perfectly, it always creases, but it works.
Mix your graham crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; it should look like damp sand. Dump it into the pan and squash it down (your hands work, but sometimes I grab a measuring cup to really flatten it out). And if a little crumb sticks to your shirt, well, bonus snack.
Bake for 8 or 9 minutes; it’ll just start to smell toasty. Let it cool a minute while you make the filling—this is where I usually convince myself to clean as I go. Five percent of the time does that actually happen.
In a big bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth—lumpy bits are fine, just not huge ones. I used an old electric beater, but you could go old-school with a wooden spoon if you need an arm workout.
Add eggs, one at a time—I always end up with a bit of shell, just pick it out and carry on. Pour in lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Beat till it looks glossy and dreamy. Sneak a taste (unless you’re particular about raw eggs, then, er, don’t).
Pour this awfully tempting mixture onto your cooled crust. Gently swirl in the blueberries. No need for perfection here—sometimes they clump up in one spot, and everyone fights for that square.
Bake 30–35 minutes, till the center has a bit of wobble but the edges are set and a little golden. Mine usually takes 32; depends on your oven’s stubbornness.
Cool to room temp, then chill at least 2 hours. Or do what I do and cut in early because you can’t wait (but they will be a bit messy if you’re impatient!).

Little Notes from the Front Lines

I used to overbake them thinking a little jiggle meant raw—nope! A bit of wobble is exactly right, it sets up as it cools.
If you’re out of fresh lemons, bottled juice does work, but it won’t taste quite as "sunny" (hard to explain any other way!).
One day I forgot the vanilla and it was still delicious, so don’t stress if you run out.

Fun Variations (And a Few Misfires)

I once swapped the blueberries for raspberries—delicious, but seeds can be a pain in the teeth. Mango chunks work surprisingly well (just not canned—they get weird!).
Tried with a chocolate cookie crust once. It looked cool but, actually, I found it made everything a bit too sweet. But hey, live and learn.
For a gluten free thing, I've used almond meal for the base—just add extra butter and be ready for crumbliness.

Equipment (But Don’t Panic If You’re Missing Stuff)

8x8 inch square baking tin (I’ve even used a round pan, cut the bars like little wedges—nobody cared)
Electric mixer (or just a strong arm and a whisk, though the filling’s less silky)
Parchment paper—I’ve made do with foil, but parchment’s less sticky
Microplane or just the fine side of your box grater for zesting lemons; or, honestly, peel it thin and chop up fine if you have to

How to Store ’Em (If You Don’t Gobble ’Em Up First)

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge; they’re best within 3 days, but honestly, in my house they never last more than a day! I think, if you really tried, you could freeze them (just wrap well), but I can never wait that long.

How I Like to Serve These (It’s a Whole Thing)

Okay, at my place, we cut them into little squares and eat with our hands, preferably on picnic blankets in the garden. If you’re feeling extra, a blob of whipped cream on top makes you look like you tried really hard. (A reader told me once they serve with a drizzle of homemade blueberry sauce—I haven’t tried, but if you want to get all cheffy, there you go!)

Hard-Learned Lessons (So You Don’t Have To Repeat Me)

I once rushed the chilling step… big mistake, turned into a messy, creamy avalanche. Lesson: patience, grasshopper.
Press the crumbs down really firmly, otherwise you get a sandy bottom, and not in the cute way.

Real Questions I’ve Actually Gotten (And My Answers!)

Can I double the recipe for a crowd? Oh, for sure! Use a 9x13 pan, just watch the bake time—might need an extra 10 minutes, maybe a smidge more. And if you forget to double the filling like I did once, you’ll have a very crunchy party tray, haha.
What if my blueberries sink? Sometimes mine sink too—coating them in a spoonful of flour before adding helps, but honestly it’s fine if they hang out at the bottom. Tastes the same!
Do I have to use fresh blueberries? Not at all; frozen's grand, just use 'em straight from the freezer. They'll turn the batter more purple in spots, but I'm into it.
How do I get clean cuts? Wipe your knife between cuts! I usually forget and end up with a bit of a mess, but honestly, who cares after the first bite?
Check out Sally’s Baking Addiction for a fancy swirl idea, or King Arthur Baking if you love a thicker crust.

Side note—never try zesting lemons after a manicure. Just trust me on that!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars Recipe