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These Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars, a layer of shortbread on the bottom and lemon cheesecake on top with raspberry goodness in the middle!
These Lemon Cheesecake Bars are one of my popular recipes. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are a fall favorite and these Citrus Cheesecake Bars are a triple threat!
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! 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 cheesecake 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!
How to Make Cheesecake Bars
- Start with the shortbread base. Come the ingredients using a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour, powdered sugar and lemon zest unti crumbly. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. I like to line my pan with parchment paper to make for easy removal. Bake at 350 for 20 or just until it starts to brown. Don’t over bake.
- After baking the shortbread base add the jam layer. Use a good quality jam. I love the Bonne Maman brand. I like using raspberry but strawberry or blueberry would also be great.
- Top with lemon cheesecake layer and bake for another 25 minutes.
- Cool for an hour and then chill 4-8 hours or overnight.
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!
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Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars recipe
Raspberry Lemon Cheescake Bars
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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 mixture 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
Nutrition Facts:
Amy says
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!
Leigh Anne says
Amy, Oh dear! You are absolutely right. I fixed the recipe but I’m glad they still turned out o.k.!!
Janet says
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!
Leigh Anne says
Janet, I haven’t ever tried halving it but I would think it would work, I’d use a 8×8 I think
KR says
it looks amazing 🙂 I am already waiting for Summer and fresh rasberries 🙂