Lemon Cheesecake Bars

5 from 4 votes

These creamy lemon cheesecake bars are made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a graham cracker crust. These bars are topped with a lemon curd for even more bright lemon flavor!

Prep Time45

Cook Time40

Chilling time4

Total Time5 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Calories: 383kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the Lemon curd:

1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, softened

For the crust:

1 ¼ cups (128 g) graham cracker crumbss about 12 cracker
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the lemon cheesecake bars:

16 ounces (2 packages, 454g) cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream room temperature
3 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Make the lemon curd:

In a heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan with a few inches of simmering water in the bottom , whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk continuously for 8-10 minutes, until the lemon curd begins to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the butter until melted and combined. pour into a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.

Make the graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 8x8-inch square baking pan with tinfoil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
Bake the graham cracker crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven cool while you prepare the lemon cheesecake filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C).

Make the lemon cheesecake filling:

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese and sugar together one medium speed until smooth.
Add in the sour cream, flour, vanilla and salt. Beat to combine.
Stir in lemon zest, and lemon juice; and beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour filling on top of the graham cracker crust. Bake in the preheated 325°F oven, for 38 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle of the bars are still soft in the center. The bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Lift the parchment paper from the pan. Spread lemon curd on top of the bars before serving. Cut into bars and serve.

Notes

Storage: Transfer these lemon cheesecake bars to an air-tight container and store them in your fridge. They can last for 3 days up to a week.
Freezing: You can freeze these lemon cheesecake bars. Just make sure to let them cool completely before freezing or you will have a soggy and unpleasant dessert on your hands. To freeze, wrap the lemon cheesecake bars in parchment paper or aluminum foil. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Squeeze out excess air then seal. Place in your freezer. It can last up to 3 months.
Lemon Curd: You can also use store bought and skip making the homemade lemon curd.

Nutrition