Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries
Yield: 16 bars
These Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries are quick to put together, and their lighter texture is perfect for summer.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- lemon zest from 2 large lemons
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray the bottom of a 8" x 8" baking pan. (If you want very clean cuts on the bars, see Notes below for lining the pan with foil.)
Crust
- In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to completely combine. Press evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Set on a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling
- With an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add the eggs, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and beat on medium speed until just combined.
- Spread mixture evenly over the cooled crust and tap the pan gently on the counter a couple times, to settle in the filling. Scatter the top with raspberries, then press them into the cheesecake filling, just enough to completely cover each raspberry with cheesecake filling.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cheesecake just barely wobbles in the center, and the edges are just a bit golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to chill thoroughly and firm up. Overnight is even better.
- To serve, slice into individual bars. If you lined the pan with foil, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan by pulling up on the foil lining. Place cheesecake on a cutting board and slice into bars. For clean cuts, see Notes below.
Notes
For very clean cuts: Fold a 16'' long piece of foil into an 8'' x 16'' strip and place in an 8'' square baking pan, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Repeat with another sheet of foil in opposite direction, lining pan completely. Spray bottom of foil lightly with nonstick spray and set aside. This will enable you to lift the bars out of the pan before cutting. To slice, dip a thin non-serrated knife in warm water, or run it under warm water. Do not use water that is too hot, or it can "melt" the cheesecake when you slice it. Wipe water off with a towel, then slice. Repeat after each cut, for perfectly clean cuts. Cleaning the knife in between slicing and using warm water is key.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 204kcal Carbohydrates: 16g Protein: 3g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 8g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 61mg Sodium: 163mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 11g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.