These Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars start with a layer of shortbread on the bottom and lemon cheesecake on the top with raspberry goodness in the middle!
When I pulled these bars out of the oven I announced to my husband, they are not going on the blog. When he asked why, seeing as I hadn’t even tasted them yet, I told him that they were too ugly. You know how I feel about pretty and delicious! In my book, not only should something be delicious but it should be pretty too. These bars were not pretty.
But then I tasted them and I knew they had to go on the blog. They were delicious. I decided pretty can be fixed and I got out the powdered sugar and ran to the store or some fresh raspberries.
After a dusting of powdered sugar and a red raspberry on top I declared these chessecake bars not only delicious but pretty too. It’s amazing what a little bit of powdered sugar can do and it didn’t hurt the delicious part either!
The shortbread bottom gives the bar a nice base on which to add a layer of raspberry jam, I used my favorite which is Bonne Maman, and then a layer of lovely lemon cheesecake. I love the change in texture you get as you bite into the bar, soft on the top and a little crunchier on the bottom and just delicious sweetness in between.
These sweet treats would make the perfect Valentine sweet for your sweetheart!! And don’t worry if they don’t look too pretty when they come out of the oven, just give them a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a fresh red raspberry on top!
Printable Recipe for Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest divided
- 3/4 cup butter cold
- 2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup raspberry jam
- raspberries for garnish
- powdered sugar for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix together flour, powdered sugar and 1 tsp lemon zest in a bowl.
- Cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
- Press mixtgure into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan that has been lined with parchment paper or greased well.
- Bake at 350 for 20 -22 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Beat together cream cheese and granulated sugar in mixer. Add in eggs and beat until well blended.
- Stir in lemon juice and remaining lemon zest, beat well.
- Spread jam over baked shortbread with an offset spatula.
- Pour cream over the top of jam and spread to edges.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set.
- Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack and then cover and chill for 4-8 hours or overnight.
- Cut into bars and garnish with powdered sugar and raspberries
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it looks amazing 🙂 I am already waiting for Summer and fresh rasberries 🙂
These look so delicious! I’d like to make these, but there are only my husband and I to eat this whole pan. Just wondered if I could half this recipe, and what size pan would I use? Maybe a 9″ x 9″ or an 8″ x 8″? Thank you!
Janet, I haven’t ever tried halving it but I would think it would work, I’d use a 8×8 I think
Hi, Leigh Anne! I just made these, and they are delicious! I can’t stop going back to the pan and cutting off piece after piece! One question– the recipe calls for “1/2 cups” of flour in the shortbread crust, and I am wondering if that is supposed to be 1-1/2 cups? I made it as written with 1/2 cup, but my crust is a lot thinner than yours is in the pictures and it was difficult to press in the pan because the butter ratio was so high. Thanks so much! I have made quite a few of your recipes and they are always tasty!
Amy, Oh dear! You are absolutely right. I fixed the recipe but I’m glad they still turned out o.k.!!