These Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are the best fruity desserts for the summertime. These fresh and tangy treats are made with a buttery shortbread crust for perfection in every bite.
Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Helloooo people!
Today I’m looking out for ya! Honest.
…A giver, a people pleaser, an all around go-to girl, that’s what I am. The thing is, I hear you need fruit in your diet. Health is important.
So today two fruits for the price of one. See? A giver! Plus there’s dairy and fiber: cheesecake and shortbread. A people pleaser!!! I told ya!
OR, I suppose you could say I’m a saboteur. A mean girl. An enabler…
Because, honestly I’m trying to sell you cheesecake bars as a well rounded meal. But I’m pretty much sure that might make me the coolest mean girl ever.
You say tomato.
Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars. Complete daily sustenance. Feel free to eat 30.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
The crust is yummy shortbread…and I actually used my pastry cutter…I knew I bought that thing for a reason!
It’ll be super crumbly and dry. Don’t you worry…
Press it into the pan and bake it until the edges are beginning to golden up.
When the crust is partially cooked, pull it out and spread on some Strawberry preserves. Use good ones, people.
How pretty is that?
Then pour the lemon cream cheese mixture on top of that.
I didn’t show this step, but while the crust is partially baking, you can mix this up. Super simple.
While it’s baking clean up.
No one likes a messy kitchen 😉
And finito!
I’m telling you, a full meal.
Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 36 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars are the best fruity desserts for the summertime. These fresh and tangy treats are made with a buttery shortbread crust for perfection in every bite.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest, divided
- 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into tablespoon sized pieces
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup strawberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine flour, powdered sugar, 1 tsp lemon zest and butter. Cut together with a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. It will be dry, don’t worry.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes until edges start to golden.
- Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer beat together cream cheese, remaining zest and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until combined. Stir in lemon juice.
- When crust is golden, remove from oven and spread strawberry preserves evenly on top. Pour cream cheese mixture on top of preserves.
- Continue baking for 25 minutes until cheesecake is set in the middle.
- Allow to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes and then chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- Cut into squares when ready to serve.
Notes
Garnish with whipped cream and strawberries if desired.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 126
- Sugar: 10.1 g
- Sodium: 22.4 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.3 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 25.3 mg
OH MY GOSH! Strawberry and lemon are my top 2 favorite flavors! and YOU combined them! I am dying.
I want to make these for Valentine’s Day! Did you use salted or unsalted butter? About how many lemons did it take to get that amount of zest/juice? Lastly, would these do well being cut with a heart shaped cookie cutter or would it be better to just do them as squares? Thank you!
You will most likely just need on large lemon! And as for the cutter, I would just cut them into squares, only because you will lose so much of it cutting it into shapes. Good luck!
Looking delicious !! I will try this recipe soon…
I am trying to watch my calorie intake but when I saw these I just had to print the recipe. I’m going to invite myself over to a friends place just so I can me these to take!
These look absolutely divine! I can’t wait to try them.
Thanks for posting such wonderful recipes! I visit your website often and am always drooling over the yummy recipes you post!
I have tons of strawberry filling, I wonder could I use that in place of preserves?
can these be made up in advanced and frozen? I’m planning a big “50”th birthday celebration for my husband and want to do some of the things in advance.
I bet they would freeze fantastically!
Looks lovely , it’s in the oven now will post again once we’ve eaten it.
These look amazing! Pretty too!
I just stumbled across your blog tonight. I love it! I see 5 pounds in my future. Your sense of humor is just what I needed tonight. Thanks for sharing.