Description
These Lemon Cheesecake Bars are a delightful combination of a buttery shortbread crust, a creamy cheesecake layer, and a tangy lemon curd topping. They’re perfect for a refreshing dessert or a sweet treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
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For the Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
For the Cheesecake Layer:
- 24 ounces cream cheese (3 packages), softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Lemon Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Make Crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour, cornstarch, sugar, butter, salt, and lemon zest until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Bake Crust: Press the crumb mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Make Cheesecake Layer: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until well combined and smooth.
- Bake Cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Let cool completely.
- Add Lemon Curd: Spread lemon curd evenly over the cooled cheesecake layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow the layers to set.
- Cut and Serve: Lift the cheesecake from the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into bars and serve.
Notes
- Crust: You can use a graham cracker crust instead of shortbread.
- Parchment Paper: Use parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal.
- Yield: The number of bars will depend on how you cut them. This recipe yields 24 bars when cut 4×6.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze bars for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 300kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
