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Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes » Easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Published: Mar 21, 2022 · Modified: Apr 13, 2023 by Lynn Polito · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

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Full of Spring flavors, these Zesty Lemon Cheesecake Bars are so easy to make and so tangy! Lemon juice and lemon zest give these cheesecake bars their zesty flavor, while cream cheese bars give them a super creamy texture!

A lemon cheesecake bar is on a glass plate with lemons in the background

Cheesecake bars are some of my favorite things to make. I love a good old-fashioned cheesecake, but they can be a pain to make.

These cheesecake bars don't need a water bath, and they are baked to perfection in less than 30 minutes.

And don't forget to check out these other delicious cheesecake bars!

  • Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars
  • Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
  • Cheesecake Bars with Farmer's Cheese
  • Oreo Cheesecake Bars
  • Funfetti Cheesecake Bars
Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • Equipment For Lemon Cheesecake Bars
  • Step By Step Photos
  • How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars
  • How Do I Know When The Cheesecake Is Baked Through?
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Cheesecake Bars
  • Other Recipes To Try!
  • 📖 Recipe
The lemon cheesecake bars are on a plate on the left side of the photo

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • They are a great make ahead dessert! These cheesecake bars get better as they sit in the refrigerator. So feel free to make them ahead of time and let them hang out and get cold.
  • They are baked to perfection in less than 30 minutes! No need to fight with a water bath, these bars are baked in the oven in an 8x8 baking pan.
  • You only need a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your house. There's nothing in these that is strange or you wouldn't be able to get in the grocery store.

Ingredients Needed

The ingredients for lemon cheesecake bars
  • Graham crackers- 1 package, or 10 crackers
  • Lemons- Juice and zest
  • Cream Cheese- Full fat, at room temperature
  • Egg- Room temperature. This will hold the cream cheese filling together.
  • Sugar- To sweeten these bars up!

Equipment For Lemon Cheesecake Bars

  • Bowls
  • 8x8 Baking Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Food Processor
  • Hand Mixer

Step By Step Photos

The cheesecake filling is mixed with a hand mixer
Mix the cheesecake filling together
The crust is baked
Bake the graham cracker crust
The cheesecake mixture is added to the crust
Add the filling to the graham cracker crust

How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Bars

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a food processor, add the graham crackers. Pulse them until they are crumbs. Then add the melted butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
  3. Add parchment paper to an 8x8 baking dish. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the baking dish until it forms a layer on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes. Take out the baking dish when it is done cooking and allow it to cool while you make the cream cheese filling.
  4. In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. With a hand mixer, beat the mixture until completely combined and there are no more lumps.
  5. Once the crust is slightly cooled, add the cream cheese filling to the pan. Spread it out so it is evenly distributed.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the bars are slightly browned and there is no wobble in the middle of the bars. Allow the bars to cool before cutting.
A straight on shot of the lemon cheesecake bars

How Do I Know When The Cheesecake Is Baked Through?

Cheesecake can be tough to know when it is done because you can't stick a toothpick in and see if it comes out clean. The toothpick will always come out with a little cheesecake on it.

You want the bars to be slightly browned on top, and for there to be very little jiggle in the middle of the bars. They will continue to set as they cool, but a lot of jiggle means that the inside is still too liquid.

The lemon cheesecake bars are piled on a glass plate

Tips and Tricks

  • In the grocery store, you can often find graham cracker crumbs. Use 1 ½ cups of those graham cracker crumbs instead of full graham cracker sheets.
  • The cream cheese and eggs should be at room temperature. This will prevent the cream cheese from getting lumpy. It will produce a smooth, cheesecake filling.
  • Make sure the oven is preheated. Just like any other baked dessert, it's important the oven is preheated fully so the cheesecake bars bake evenly.
  • Lining the baking pan with parchment paper allows the cheesecake bars to easily be lifted out of the pan.
  • Before cutting into the cheesecake bars, allow them to cool completely. If they are not cooled, they will likely fall apart.
The lemon cheesecake bars are on a plate in the center of the photo

Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Can I freeze lemon cheesecake bars?

Yes! These lemon cheesecake bars freeze wonderfully! Make sure the bars are cooled completely and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they are frozen, place the bars in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do you cut cheesecake bars cleanly?

Cheesecake filling tends to stick to the knife when you are cutting them. To get a clean cut, run your sharp knife under very hot water for about 2 minutes. Then dry the knife off and cut the cheesecake bars. After each cut, wipe off the cheesecake that is on the knife and run it under hot water for another minute. Continue this process until the bars are cut.

Can I make cheesecake bars ahead of time?

Yes! These bars are a great make ahead dessert. Bake them and place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. They can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.

Can I use low fat cream cheese?

Full fat cream cheese is best. Low fat or fat free tends to be more watery than full fat and will change the texture and consistency of the cheesecake bars.

The bars are surrounded by lemons

Other Recipes To Try!

Did you love these Lemon Cheesecake Bars? I'd so appreciate it if you would give this recipe a 5-star review! That will help other hungry readers find my recipes!

And don't forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook and share this recipe on Pinterest! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and enjoy these delicious recipes!

  • More Dessert Recipes
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  • 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars
  • Kefir Cornbread
  • Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
  • Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
  • How To Make A Fruit Rainbow
  • Baked Peach Donuts

📖 Recipe

A lemon cheesecake bar is on a glass plate with lemons in the background

Zesty Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Full of Spring flavors, these Zesty Lemon Cheesecake Bars are so easy to make and so tangy! Lemon juice and lemon zest give these cheesecake bars their zesty flavor, while cream cheese bars give them a super cream texture!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 Bars
Calories: 287kcal
Author: Lynn Polito

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • 8x8 Baking Dish
  • Parchment Paper
  • Hand Mixer
  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 10 Graham Crackers 1 package
  • ⅓ cup Sugar
  • 6 tablespoon Butter Melted

For Cheesecake Filling

  • ⅓ cup Sugar
  • 2 Packages Cream Cheese Full Fat
  • 1 Lemon Zested
  • 2 Lemons Juiced
  • 1 Egg Room Temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a food processor, add the graham crackers. Pulse them until they are crumbs. Then add the melted butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
  • Add parchment paper to an 8x8 baking dish. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the baking dish until it forms a layer on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes. Take out the baking dish when it is done cooking and allow it to cool while you make the cream cheese filling.
  • In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. With a hand mixer, beat the mixture until completely combined and there are no more lumps.
  • Once the crust is slightly cooled, add the cream cheese filling to the pan. Spread it out so it is evenly distributed.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until the bars are slightly browned and there is no wobble in the middle of the bars. Allow the bars to cool before cutting.

Notes

  • The cream cheese should be at room temperature to avoid any lumps in the cream cheese filling.
  • The parchment paper will allow the cheesecake bars to be easily lifted out of the baking sheet.
  • If you can find graham cracker crumbs, you can use that instead of processing them yourself.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LynnsWayofLife or tag #lynnswayoflife!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna

    March 24, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    Love these cheesecake bars, the pop of flavor from the lemon is amazing!

    Reply
  2. Jennifer

    March 22, 2022 at 9:19 am

    5 stars
    These lemon cheesecake bars were so easy to make and so delicious! The only problem is we gobbled them all up. I'm planning my next batch this weekend!

    Reply
  3. Sherry

    March 22, 2022 at 9:11 am

    5 stars
    This cheesecake recipe tastes AMAZING!!! I will be making this easy lemon cheesecake bars recipe again and again!

    Reply
  4. Eileen Kelly

    March 21, 2022 at 11:27 pm

    5 stars
    I am all in for these delicious lemon bars. The flavors are so great and a dessert we all enjoyed.

    Reply
  5. Rupali

    March 21, 2022 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    Love these bars! So much simpler than baking them in a water bath. I am making a batch for the kid's lunchbox.

    Reply
  6. Anne

    March 21, 2022 at 7:05 pm

    5 stars
    These taste amazing and aren't complicated either! I love desserts that are easy and delicious.

    Reply
  7. Linda

    March 21, 2022 at 5:36 pm

    5 stars
    I'm drooling over these dessert bars! They're so refreshingly good, especially on warm days like today

    Reply

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Hey there! I'm Lynn and I'm based just outside of Boston. I'm a wife and mom of two with a passion for cooking and creating homemade food for my family.

Whether it's creating new recipes, or exploring tried and true classics, I am constantly trying to show that homemade doesn't have to be hard

More about me →

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