• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Instant Pot Recipe Guide! download now!

FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


Thank you for subscribing!


Formerly Your Homebased Mom

  • About
  • Latest
  • Contact
NEW! Watch on youtube!

Your Homebased Mom

Leigh Anne Wilkes

  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Appetizers
      • Beverages
      • Bread
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Dessert
        • Bars and Brownies
        • Cake
        • Candy and Treats
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream
        • Pie
      • Main Dishes
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Burgers
      • Sauces and Dressings
      • Side Dishes
      • Soup
    • Cooking Method
      • Crock Pot
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pan
      • Oven
      • Quick and Easy
      • Recipes for Two
    • Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Eggs
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Poultry
        • Chicken
        • Turkey
      • Seafood
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten Free
    • Cuisine
      • American
      • Asian
      • European
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
    • Holiday
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Easter
      • 4th of July
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
  • Travel
    • Europe
    • United States
      • New York City
      • Portland
    • What To Wear
  • Life
    • Home
    • Party Ideas
    • Empty Nesters
    • Church
      • Activity Day
      • Relief Society
    • Organizational Tips
    • Recommended Reads
  • New? Start Here
  • Subscribe for weekly recipes

    FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


    Thank you for subscribing!


Recipe Finder

  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Burgers
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
  • Cooking Method
    • Oven
    • Crock Pot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • One Pan
    • Quick and Easy
  • Ingredients
    • Beef
    • Eggs
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Poultry
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
    • Gluten Free
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • European
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
  • Holiday
    • New Year’s Eve
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Home / Latest Posts / Recipes / Course / Dessert / Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Jump to Recipe Print Video Share
Share on:
By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 3/21/18Updated: 3/03/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

Lemon cheesecake bars on a cake stand

Lemon Cheesecake Bars are not your ordinary lemon bar. They have a layer of cheesecake like filling that takes these lemon bars far to a whole new level!

lemon cream cheese bars on a serving dish

Today’s recipe for Lemon Cheesecake Bars are a favorite of my family and just about everyone who tries them.

I received this recipe from one of my wonderful blog readers.  When  Rachel shared it with me, she promised me they would become my new favorite lemon recipe.  She was right!  The cheesecake layer makes for a much creamier and yummier lemon bar!

lemon cream cheese bars dusted with powdered sugar

Ingredients Needed

  • Butter
  • Flour
    Sugar. You will use both brown sugar and granulated sugar.
  • Salt
  • Cream Cheese. Use full fat cream cheese and make sure it is softened at room temperature.
  • Egg
  • Milk. I use 2 percent but use what you have on hand.
  • Lemons You want fresh squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract

How to make Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These bars are a three step process and take a little big longer than traditional lemon bars but trust me, it is totally worth the effort!

Shortbread Layer:

  • Cut cold butter into pieces.
  • In a food processor (or blender on low, pulse setting) Process all ingredients until mixture becomes tiny and fine pieces.
  • Sprinkle mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan and press evenly into bottom of pan.
  • Bake at 325 degrees F for 12 minutes and remove from oven.
lemon cheesecake bars step by step

Cheesecake Layer:

  • In medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add sugar and mix well.
  • Cream together butter, flour, sugar and salt until smooth.
  • Pour cheesecake evenly over hot crust.  Pour slowly and gently, a little at a time.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300.

Lemon Layer:

  • In a bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until combined well.
  • Stir in lemon juice and flour.
  • Pour gently and smoothly over semi-baked cheesecake. If some of the cheesecake layer lifts up, don’t worry. It will be fine. A sprinkle of powdered sugar will hide any flaws.
  • Bake at 300 for 25-30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle powdered sugar over top if desired.
  • Cool for an hour and then refrigerate until ready to serve.
lemon creamcheese bars

Best Tools for Making Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

Because I love lemons so much and cook and bake with them a lot having the right lemon tools is important.

The microplaner. I love this tool.  It is a long, small grater type tool.  You use it to “zest” a lemon which basically means grating the lemon rind.  Fresh lemon zest adds great flavor to recipes.

A lemon juicer.  I use this handy little hand juicer – it quickly and easily squeezes all the juice out of the lemon.  I got mine for a couple of dollars at Ikea but both of these tools can be found at any kitchen shop or even Target.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

I guess you could, but please don’t unless you are really desperate and have no way of finding or buying real lemons.

Do lemon cheesecake bars need to be refrigerated?

Yes, because of the cheesecake layer they should be kept refrigerated. You can bring them to room temperature before serving. They will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze lemon bars?

Yes, of course! Cool the lemon cheesecake bars completely, Wrap the entire slab of lemon bars or individual pieces in several layers of plastic wrap. Place that into a zippered freezer bag and then into the freezer. Kept airtight they will last in the freezer for 2 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

lemon cheesecake bars on a tea party table

Tips for Perfect Lemon Bars

  1. Allow them to cool completely and set up before cutting. You will get a cleaner, prettier bar. I often refrigerate them before cutting.
  2. Remember to keep any leftovers in the refrigerator.
  3. Softening your cream cheese at room temperature for several hours will prevent a lumpy cheesecake layer.
  4. If you don’t have a food processor blender, you can make the shortbread layer by using a pastry cutter to blend the ingredients together.

Check out these delicious cheesecake recipes:

  • White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
  • White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake
  • Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
  • Small Batch Cheesecake

If you are looking for some more lemon recipes try these:

  • Delicious Lemon Ice Cream
  • My favorite Lemon Cream Cake
  • Easy Lemon Drop Cookies
  • Unforgettable Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
4.68 from 75 votes

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
Delicious lemon bars with a layer of smooth cream cheese will make these you new favorite lemon bar.
serves: 24 slices
Prep:15 minutes
Cook:55 minutes
Total:1 hour 10 minutes
Rate Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 3/4 cup butter chilled
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Cheesecake:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Lemon Layer:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup flour

Instructions

Crust:

  • Preheat oven to 325 F
  • Cut butter into pieces.
  • In a food processor (or blender on low, pulse setting) Process all shortbread ingredients until mixture becomes tiny and fine pieces.
  • Sprinkle mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan and press evenly into bottom of pan.
  • Bake for 12 minutes and remove from oven.

Cheesecake Layer:

  • In medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar and mix well
  • Cream together the rest of the ingredients until smooth.
  • Pour cheesecake evenly over hot crust.  Pour slowly and gently, a little at a time.
  • Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Lemon Layer:

  • In a bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until combined well. Stir in lemon juice and flour.
  • Pour gently and smoothly over semi-baked cheesecake. Don't worry if some of the shortbread crust lifts up.
  • Bake at 300 for 25-30 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips & Notes:

  • Allow them to cool completely and set up before cutting. You will get a cleaner, prettier bar. I often refrigerate them before cutting.
  • Remember to keep any leftovers in the refrigerator.
  • Softening your cream cheese at room temperature for several hours will prevent a lumpy cheesecake layer.
  • If you don’t have a food processor blender, you can make the shortbread layer by using a pastry cutter to blend the ingredients together.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 225kcal (11%) Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 10g (15%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Cholesterol: 59mg (20%) Sodium: 116mg (5%) Potassium: 55mg (2%) Sugar: 21g (23%) Vitamin A: 355IU (7%) Vitamin C: 3.2mg (4%) Calcium: 23mg (2%) Iron: 0.8mg (4%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:American
Did you make this?I love seeing what you made. Be sure to share a picture and tag @yourhomebasedmom on social media!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating
Previous Post
Orange Rolls
Next Post
Leftover Ham Recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Made this? Rate this recipe:




  1. Reffie says

    Posted on 12/2 at 4:03 pm

    So delicious!! Seemed complicated but was super simple to make!

    Reply
  2. Jackie says

    Posted on 9/19 at 6:27 pm

    Made this recipe very moist and lemony.

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Seasonal Posts

hand holding a hot dog wrapped in foil

Copycat JDawg Sauce

overhead shot of broccoli salad

Broccoli Salad

bowl of honey fruit salad

Fruit Salad

BBQ Ribs from the grill

BBQ Ribs

Most Popular Posts

Lemon Oatmeal Cookies

Lemon Oatmeal Cookies

Herb Rice

texas sheet cake for two in a baking pan

Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two {Texas Sheet Cake}

baked riblets

Easy Oven Baked Riblets

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Trending Now

overhead shot of cinnamon rolls

One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

plate of smashed potatoes and a fork

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

overhead shot of bowl of almond chicken

Almond Chicken

baked riblets

Easy Oven Baked Riblets

No knead bread in a pan

Instant Pot Bread

Tomato tart pieces

Easy Tomato Tart

spoon full of mac and cheese

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Almond Torte

  • Crock Pot
  • Instant Pot
  • Chicken
  • Breakfast
  • Appetizers
  • Bread
  • Salad
  • Dessert

Order my Cookbook, Holiday Slow Cooker!

Buy Now!
Back to Top
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Contact
© 2013–2022 Leigh Anne Wilkes Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled