Lemon Cheesecake Squares

These Lemon Cheesecake Squares are made with a shortbread base and topped with a creamy Lemony filling. This cheesecake bar is the perfect addition to your Holiday Cookie tray or even as a Summer or anytime dessert! So delicious it will be eaten first.

Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon Cheesecake Squares were always a Christmas tradition in my home in Canada. Have I ever said I love cheesecake? Well, I do! And these, I must say, are the easiest and tastiest ones out there, from the almond shortbread crust to the creamy lemon filling. They are perfect.

Now I make them with my daughters each holiday season, and I always think I’ll make a batch and freeze them, but it never works. Not because they aren’t freezer-friendly, but we can’t resist eating them first!

What I like so much about these lemon cheesecake squares, besides being so darned delicious, is the light taste of almonds in the shortbread base and that excellent creamy lemon filling, the lemon flavor with the cookie crust is the best match.

If you want a fantastic dessert bar for the holidays, you must give these a try. My Italian friends and family always look forward to a gift box at Christmas filled with all their favourite Cookies and Bars, including these lemon cheesecake bars.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour
• Salt
• Packed brown sugar
• Finely chopped almonds
• Melted butter
• Softened Cream cheese – I don’t recommend using light or fat-free cream cheese. The full-fat cream cheese makes the best creamy, rich filling.
• Granulated sugar
• Large egg – or two medium-sized eggs
• Fresh lemon juice
• Lemon zest

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease and flour (or use non-stick cooking spray) in an 8″ (21 cm) square pan.

Make the crust first by combining the flour, sugar, almonds, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until it’s crumbly. If it’s too dry and crumbly, add a little more melted butter.

Firmly press the dough into the prepared pan and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Let it cool for five minutes before you add the filling.

While the crust bakes, you can make the filling. With a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and zest at medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

Spread the cheesecake batter over the warm crust and then bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Take the pan out of the oven and run a knife around the edge of the crust. Cool the bars to room temperature, and then cover the baking pan with plastic wrap. Chill them in the refrigerator for at least two hours before slicing them with a sharp knife.

Recipe Tips

To make it even easier to slice the bars, line the baking pan with parchment paper so you can lift the cheesecake out in one piece before cutting it into squares.

Be sure to plan because the bars need time to cool and then need to be chilled for at least two hours. This allows the lemon cheesecake filling to set fully.

For extra flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract to the cream cheese filling.

You can also use a graham cracker crust for this recipe. 

For the holidays, I slice small bars to give away to friends and family. You can also serve large pieces for dessert to finish a meal.

FAQs

I’ve always loved these cheesecake bars, and everyone who tries one loves them, too. They’re cold and creamy with that delicious almond crust. If you love lemon desserts, you need to try them. Enjoy!

More Delicious Lemon Recipes.

• Lemon Tiramisu Cake
• Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
• Italian Lemon Crostata
• Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake
• Best Homemade Lemon Bread
• Tablespoon Italian Lemon Cake

Republished from July 2016.