Smooth, creamy and full of citrus flavor, these lemon cheesecake bars are topped with a thin layer of lemon glaze and prepared on a simple graham cracker crust
There’s no secret I love cheesecake, and have made and eaten it many times, but I had never tried a lemon cheesecake before. It hasn’t occurred to be that you can combine the tangy lemon taste with the sweet velvety cheesecake, until recently.
These bars are most likely the best combo between luscious lemon bars and creamy cheesecake.
They are sweet, they are tangy. I don’t know which layer is my favorite. The lemon cheesecake or the lemon glaze. Both of them are good on its own, but combined it’s a lemony explosion!
Summer is on its last leg and most of the time lemon is associated with the hot sunny days, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying these lemon cheesecake bars year round.
I could eat cheesecake all day every day, and have to admit that most of the time I eat way too much when I make it, but I prefer making cheesecake bars instead of a big 9 inch round cheesecake. Seems to me it takes less effort and time to make the bars and I can enjoy them even faster! Plus it is less likely to crack. No fancy water bath, no sweat and tears. Not to mention it’s easier to grab one cheesecake bar rather than a cheesecake slice.
These lemon cheesecake bars do take a little effort and it takes a couple of hours from start to finish, most of it actually being waiting time, but don’t let that discourage you. They will be a hit and will put a smile on everyone’s faces. I don’t know about you, but the color yellow makes me happy.
For the best results, you have to follow the recipe directions, do not rush the process and definitely do not use bottled lemon juice. Use real lemons!
Start by gathering all your ingredients and make sure the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature. Having the ingredients at room temperature ensures a velvety cheesecake filling. If your cream cheese and eggs are cold, you’ll over-beat the filling incorporating too much air into it.
While the oven is heating up, prepare the crust and refrigerate it for few minutes. 2 ingredients are all you’ll need for the simple graham cracker crust : graham crackers crumbs and melted butter.
The lemon cheesecake layer is flavored with both lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It’s very important to be freshly squeezed and not coming from the little yellow bottle you can buy at the grocery store.
The sweet and tart lemon glaze is made out of cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice and egg yolk. It’s so good I just wanted to eat it by the spoonful!
Since the lemon glaze require not much cooking, only a few seconds, it’s very important to use a pasteurized egg yolk.
Make sure your cheesecake is completely chilled before spreading the lemon glaze over it.
[mpprecipe-recipe:560]
Happy baking,
Roxana
LOVE the tip about room temperature…especially the eggs. I know this, but ALWAYS forget to take my eggs out beforehand. Cheesecake is basically my life, and I am loving the DOUBLE lemony goodness! Pinned!
What a great recipe. Thanks so much Roxanna.
IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND YOUR RECIPES, AND ALSO TO PRINT THEM OUT. WOULD LOVE TO TRY THEM, BUT CAN’T GET THE RECIPE…..AND WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET THE RECIPE ONLY. DISAPPOINTED….AL
Hi Al,
Each recipe comes with a print button. If you click on it another browser tab will open allowing you to print just the recipe.
Please let me know if you still have problems.
Roxana
How I love that thin layer of lemon with blueberries on top. My kind of cheesecake!
It must taste like heaven
I LOVE cheesecake and my husband LOVES lemon anything. This sounds perfect for us! Pinning!
Lemon is right up there with chocolate when it comes to my favourite desserts. These bars look absolutely incredible – pinning and can’t wait to try them!
So gorgeous, love the double lemon!
Lovely looking recipe 🙂
What does the 1/3 cup of lemonjuice divided mean? (Like divide the 1/3 cup of lemon juice in half and use 1 half for the glaze ad one half for the cheesecake?
Hi Angela,
Divided means you’ll use some lemon juice in the cheesecake and some in the glaze.
For the cheesecake you need 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
The remaining juice is used in the lemon glaze.
Thanks,
Oh these look so delicious! I saw these bars on create link inspire and just had to come and see. Pinned!
Pentru o clipa, fotografiile m-au dus cu gandul la celebra prajitura cu branza si glazura de Fanta. Arata nemaipomenit de bine. Great job!
These lemon bars look absolutely fabulous…what a great dessert idea! Thanks for sharing!
Yum!!! This looks sooo good! I love everything about this dessert!
I just became obsessed with these. Lemon bars and cheesecake having a baby? Yes, please!