Happy Friday! I am so excited for today’s recipe because I’ve never shared a cheesecake here on HBH, and today is finally the day. In all honesty, I never grew up eating cheesecake. In fact, I’ve really only had it a few times and I think the first time was only a couple of years ago. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that my mom raised her kids to follow in her chocoholic footsteps. Meaning we did not eat fruit-based desserts growing up, and instead enjoyed chocolate cakes, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pies, and chocolate peanut butter bars. See the theme? All things chocolate and all the time. Totally not complaining in any way, but this does mean that we never knew how delicious non-chocolate desserts, like cheesecake, could be. Thankfully, as I grew up I began to learn some things about cooking and baking. I was forced to step outside of my little chocolate comfort zone and try some new desserts…cheesecake being one of them. And that’s where today’s blueberry lemon cheesecake bars come in. Made using my go-to Land O Lakes® Butter and all the fresh blueberries I could get my hands on…these bars could not be any more delicious.
SO, here’s the story. You guys have probably noticed that I am really, really into spring this year, and really into making lighter desserts. I’ve tried out some cakes and have now moved on to cheesecake. With everything I do, I like what I make to be different from anything I’ve shared with you guys before. I know blueberry cheesecake isn’t a new concept, but I personally have never made it. Plus, these cheesecake bars are not like any cheesecake you have had before. Nope. These bars are filled with sweet blueberries, both fresh and in jam form. They are light and airy and packed with fresh lemon flavor. And my crust? It’s of course extra buttery, because if you’re going to take the time to make a crust for your dessert, it needs to be extra buttery. It just does.
Speaking of my crust, mine is simple…graham crackers and butter. There’s not a lot of ingredients or anything fancy, but my Land O Lakes® Butter shines through flavor wise and the graham crackers add a nice crunchy sweetness. It’s the perfect base to hold these cheesecake bars together. For the filling, I really wanted a cheesecake flavored heavily with blueberries and hinted with lemon. To give the cheesecake ample blueberry flavor, I used a combo of blueberry jam and fresh blueberries. I love how the jam has a more concentrated blueberry flavor. It’s so intense and so delicious when paired with the cream cheese. I then sprinkled fresh berries on top…they burst in your mouth with every single bite. SO. SO. GOOD! To add one last pop of both flavor and color, I finished my bars off with candied Meyer lemon slices. While these are not a must for this recipe, they do add a special touch and make the bars feel extra springy!
Speaking of spring, I’m in LA today working on a fun and very springy project. These bars are perfect for a spring brunch, Easter, or upcoming Mother’s Day! If you don’t love blueberries, you can easily swap in a berry you do love. Strawberries, blackberries, and even oranges would all be so good. What I also love about these bars is that they can be made a couple of days ahead of time, and even travel well too. Meaning, if you’re not hosting brunch, but need to bring something, these bars should be your recipe. Trust me, everyone will love them…and in turn, they’ll love you for bringing them.
{This post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!} Lastly, if you make this Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Candied Lemon be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
