Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These Lemon Cheesecake Bars 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 bars were always a Christmas tradition in my home in Canada. My Mom made these every year! 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!
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 –
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars
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. Let it cool for about 5-10 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 until set.
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.
Recipe FAQs
Gently shake the cheesecake (be careful it’s very hot). If it looks almost set, with only a small centre circle that jiggles slightly it is done. The cheesecake will firm up while it cools.
Fresh lemon juice and zest give the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice and dried zest can be used in a pinch, though the flavor may be different.
Blanched, slivered almonds, whole almonds (chopped) or pre-chopped almonds can be used.
For clean cuts, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut.
How to store Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Keep the bars in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in a single layer. They will keep for several days in the fridge as long as they properly stored.
How to Freeze the bars
Freeze them in a freezer safe container, I find it easiest to cut them into squares, place the squares on a cookie sheet and freeze for an hour or 2 until firm, then move to a freezer safe container, be sure to place parchment paper between the layers. They will keep for about 2-3 months in the freezer. Thaw the cookies in the fridge, best to remove the layers before thawing.
More Delicious Bar and Square Recipes
I’ve always loved these Lemon 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!
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
FOR THE BASE
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 7 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons almonds (finely chopped)
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted & cooled)*
*If you find the mixture too crumbly add another 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- 10 ounces Cream Cheese (whole not light) room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350F (180 C). Lightly grease and flour, spray or line with parchment paper an 8 inch (21 cm) square cake pan.
FOR THE BASE
- In a small bowl with a fork combine flour, sugar and almonds, add butter and combine just until mixture is crumbly. Place mixture in the prepared cake pan and press down firmly. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool approximately 5 – 10 minutes before adding the filling.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- While the base is baking make the filling, in a medium bowl beat at medium speed the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest together until smooth and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Spread the filling evenly on top. Bake again for approximately 20-25 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the pan, let cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours before cutting. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Republished from July 2016.
So my cream cheese mixture cane out very runny and after baking for 15 mins I put in fridge. Hopefully it comes out!! Also used pecans instead of almonds!!
Hi Haley, that’s strange did it turn out ok?
Forgot brown sugar in the crust Waiting to see what the outcome will be
Hi Sandi, I don’t know how that will taste, let me know.
I just wondered if you could swap out crushed pretzels for the almond. Just to give a slightly salty crust. My family is not big into nuts.
Hi Cheryl, that would probably work, sounds interesting. Let me know how it goes.
Can I substitute pie crust for the shirt bread?
Hi Lana, I suppose you could, but then it wouldn’t be the same, it would become a pie rather than cookie bars. If you do, let me know how it goes.
These were a great hit in our family! We shared some with our neighbours and they also found them so delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipes!
Hi Maria, thanks so glad you enjoyed them, yes one of my favourites too! Have a great week.
I made these and they are AWESOME — I did tweak the recipe a little bit — For the crust I used almond flour instead of crushed almonds & I added 1/2 c. (or so) graham cracker crumbs. I also added a layer of raspberry filling between the crust and the lemon cheesecake mixture. O.M.G – Delicious!
Hi Andrea, so glad you liked them and great idea. Happy New Year.
Enjoy your site. I made these They are delicious. Any thoughts about doubling the cheesecake filling. Simply double the ingredients?
Hi Ellen, thanks so much and yes no problem just double the ingredients.
Hi Rosemary I made these over the holiday weekend and they are so delicious. Thanks again for a great recipe.
Hi Alison, so glad you enjoyed them.
I just made them and I thing ground walnuts would be better. Also I think doubling the cheesecake filling would be better. Otherwise—yum
You mentioned freezing these, do you bake them all the way then freeze? Or do you freeze before baking? And what about thawing them out to serve?
Hi Kayla, I actually have some in the freezer now. I bake them and let them cool and then freeze (cover completely). And just let them either thaw in the fridge or room temperature. I have a pretty cool house, but it your house is hot I would thaw in the fridge. Hope that helps.
I am officially drooling. I love lemon desserts and these are calling my name!! Delicious.
Hi Olivia, thanks can’t get much better than a Lemon Dessert. Have a great weekend.
How delicious! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
The almond shortbread sounds like a great compliment to the lemon cheesecake. Hmm, I might just have all of the ingredients on hand to make these right now.
Thanks for sharing on Tasty Tuesdays.
Hi Audrey, thanks, it is really a good recipe and one of our favourites.
Thank you for joining in the fun at the Christmas Cookie swap Linky party. Pinned your yumminess! xo
HI Katherine, thank you and all those cookies look so delicious!
These look absolutely sinful and must admit being Italian myself love Italian cheesecake so very much. So, cannot thank you enough for linking these up with us today at the Christmas Cookie Swap and have totally pinned to try!!
Hi Janine, thanks, I love cheesecake too and these are so easy and good. Hope you enjoy them.