Get ready to fall in love with these stunning raspberry lemon cheesecake bars. They're bursting with bright citrus flavor and an irresistibly jammy, sweet-tart berry swirl. Plus, this completely stress-free recipe skips the fussy water bath and offers a few other easy shortcuts that make throwing this delicious dessert together a breeze!
Jump to:
- ❤️💛A Bakery-Style Cheesecake Without The Hassle
- 👍The Benefits Of Keeping The Raspberry Seeds In
- ✅Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars Are The Perfect Dessert For So Many Occasions
- 🥘Just 8 Basic Ingredients Needed
- 🔪How To Make Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- 🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions
- 📖Easy Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe Variations
- 🍽Essential Equipment Needed
- 🍶Storing Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- ✅Betty's Top Tips
- ❓Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars FAQ
- 🥄More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
- 🍫More Brownies & Bars Recipes
- 📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
- 💬 Comments
❤️💛A Bakery-Style Cheesecake Without The Hassle
Nothing beats a rich, decadent cheesecake, but let's be hones--they're often a whole lot of work! If you want that bakery-quality dessert without the hassle, these raspberry lemon cheesecake bars are the perfect solution. They're bursting with bright citrus flavor and feature an irresistibly jammy, sweet-tart berry swirl, all while skipping the fussy water bath and long cooling times of a traditional recipe.
👍The Benefits Of Keeping The Raspberry Seeds In
Do you have endless patience to strain pulp through a fine mesh strainer? Me neither. You'll save so much time and energy skipping this laborious step. Plus, you won't lose a single drop of that incredible raspberry flavor by taking this shortcut. Keeping those nutrient-dense seeds intact actually gives the topping a fantastic antioxidant boost. The seeds also add a wonderfully jammy texture and a satisfying little crunch to every single bite.
✅Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars Are The Perfect Dessert For So Many Occasions
These beautiful and sparkly raspberry lemon cheesecake bars are a huge hit at any summer barbecue or spring Easter gathering. The bright pink berry swirl makes them perfectly festive for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, too! Plus, just like our classic lemon bars and red velvet cheesecake brownies, they're easy to transport when you cut them into squares.
🥘Just 8 Basic Ingredients Needed
- graham cracker crumbs, sugar, & butter - This delicious trio creates the perfect buttery graham cracker crust that serves as the sturdy, sweet base for our cheesecake bars.
- full fat cream cheese - Going with high quality, full-fat cream cheese is the ultimate secret to achieving that rich, melt-in-your-mouth creamy texture every classic cheesecake needs.
- sweetened condensed milk - This sweetens the filling perfectly while adding an extra layer of dense, fudgy richness to the dessert.
- lemon juice & zest - Adding both fresh lemon juice and zest cuts through the rich dairy to give these bars a bright, zesty citrus pop!
- eggs - Eggs act as the essential binder that gives these baked cheesecake bars their beautiful structure and smooth consistency.
- fresh raspberries & sugar - We use fresh raspberries and a touch of sugar to create a gorgeous, sweet-tart fruit swirl that makes this recipe completely irresistible.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪How To Make Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Step 1: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter; firmly press into bottom of pan; bake and allow to cool.
Step 2: Beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth; add condensed milk. Then add lemon juice and zest, followed by both eggs.
Step 3: Spread cheesecake mixture over cooled crust.
Step 4: Puree raspberries in food processor or blender; add a little sugar and pulse to blend.
Step 5: Dollop raspberry mixture over cheesecake.
Step 6: Use a toothpick to create swirls; bake.
For step-by-step instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
Hint: You'll know your raspberry lemon cheesecake bars are done baking by gently shaking the pan. If you see a slight jiggle across the top, it's time to remove the pan from the oven. Do not insert any kind of tester into the center. The cheesecake will continue to firm up as it rests in the pan.
🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions
- Make it Gluten-Free: To make this recipe completely gluten-free, simply swap the traditional graham cracker crumbs for a certified gluten-free graham crumb. Alternatively, you could crush vanilla wafers (which are gluten-free) and use them instead of graham.
- Reduce the Added Sugar: While the sweetened condensed milk is important for the structure of these bars, you can easily cut back on sugar by swapping the granulated sugar in both the crust and the fresh raspberry swirl for your favorite 1:1 sugar substitute, such as a monk fruit baking blend or erythritol.
📖Easy Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe Variations
- Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars: Swap the fresh raspberries for an equal amount of fresh blueberries! You can puree them the exact same way for a stunning, deep-purple swirl that pairs beautifully with the bright lemon filling.
- Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars: Fresh strawberries are a fantastic, crowd-pleasing substitute if you want to switch up the flavor profile. Just hull your strawberries before pureeing them for a gorgeous, sweet red swirl.
- Golden Oreo Crust: For a fun twist on the traditional base, swap the graham cracker crumbs for finely crushed Golden sandwich cookies. (Since the cookies and their filling are already quite sweet, simply omit the extra granulated sugar in the crust mixture!)
For another easy raspberry cheesecake recipe, see our decadent and creamy Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake!
🍽Essential Equipment Needed
- light colored metal sturdy 13x9 pan, lined with parchment paper
- hand mixer
- scraping spatulas
- food processor or blender
- citrus juicer & zester
🍶Storing Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
In the Fridge: To keep your lemon cream cheese bars tasting fresh and delicious, they must be stored in the refrigerator. Avoid covering the pan with plastic wrap, as it will stick right to the top layer and pull off your gorgeous fruit swirl! Instead, cover your baking pan with aluminum foil or, once set, transfer the cut squares into a spacious airtight container. They will stay perfectly creamy and maintain their bright flavor for 4 to 5 days. Please note: The crust starts to get a little soggy after day 2!
In the Freezer: Yes, you can absolutely freeze this dessert! For the best results, wrap the individual slices in parchment or wax paper first to protect the delicate surface, then wrap them securely in foil or place them together in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. They will keep beautifully for up to 3 months. Whenever a craving strikes, simply let a slice thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
✅Betty's Top Tips
Start with room temperature, full-fat cream cheese: For the absolute best, melt-in-your-mouth texture, use a high-quality, full-fat cream cheese and make sure it has come completely to room temperature. Whip the cream cheese with the mixer all by itself first until it's perfectly smooth to guarantee a beautiful, clump-free filling!
Don't overbeat the eggs: Once you add the eggs to your cheesecake mixture, mix them on a low speed just until they're incorporated. Overmixing adds too much air to the batter, which can cause your beautiful cheesecake bars to crack while baking.
The secret to perfectly clean slices: Patience is key! Make sure your cheesecake bars have chilled in the fridge and are completely set before you try to cut them. For those bakery-worthy, picture-perfect squares, use a sharp knife warmed under hot water (and wiped dry) between every single slice.
❓Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars FAQ
For the absolute best, brightest citrus flavor, I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice can often have a flat or slightly metallic taste that throws off the balance of the dessert. Plus, you'll need fresh lemons anyway to get the delicious zest that really makes these bars pop!
While frozen berries are great for smoothies, I don't recommend them for this recipe! Frozen raspberries hold onto a lot of excess water. When they thaw and get pureed, that extra moisture can make your top swirl too watery and prevent your bars from setting up perfectly. For that bakery-worthy, dense, and creamy texture, sticking with fresh raspberries is definitely the way to go!
Absolutely! If you only have whole graham crackers on hand, it's incredibly easy to make your own crumbs for the crust. You will need about 11 to 12 full-sheet graham crackers to get the right amount of crumbs for this recipe. Just pulse them in your food processor until they're finely ground. If you don't have a food processor, simply place the crackers in a large zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until fine, then mix with your sugar and melted butter!
Cracks in cheesecake usually happen for two reasons: overmixing the batter or overbaking. When you add the eggs to your cream cheese mixture, only mix on low speed just until they're incorporated to avoid beating too much air into the filling. Also, be sure to pull the bars from the oven while the center still has a slight jiggle to it!
🥄More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these, or head over to our from From-Scratch Desserts Page for more inspiration!
🍫More Brownies & Bars Recipes
Here are some other crowd favorites that transport well like Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars. Find even more on our Cookies and Bars Page!
📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- 13x9 nonstick metal pan (lined with parchment paper)
- medium & large mixing bowls
- citrus juicer & strainer
- toothpick or small skewer
- wire cooling rack
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I truly love and use in my own kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 2 (8oz) bars full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 2 & ½ large lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs at room temperature for easier mixing
- 12 oz fresh raspberries washed and dried well before using
- 3 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉.
- In medium mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs with ⅓ cup sugar. Pour in melted butter; mix until all crumbs are moist.
- Transfer mixture to parchment paper-lined 13x9 pan. Using the back of a spatula or measuring cup, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan only, taking time to smooth it out as best as possible. Bake crust for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- To a large mixing bowl, add both blocks of softened cream cheese. Use a hand mixer on low to whip the cream cheese into a smooth consistency.
- Next, add the sweetened condensed milk. Use the mixer on medium to incorporate with the cream cheese, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Pour in the lemon juice and zest. Use mixer on lowest setting to blend.
- Add room temperature eggs, once again using mixer on lowest setting. Beat until just combined (do not overmix).
- Place raspberries in food processor. Blend until berries are smooth. Add 3 tablespoon sugar. Pulse for about 15 seconds to blend with the berries.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust. Use a spatula to smooth to edges. Then use a spoon to dollop raspberry purée over cheesecake mixture. Insert a toothpick or small skewer into the purée dollops to create swirls (you may find it helpful to use a spoon to scoop some of the cheesecake mixture up to the surface to help with the swirls).
- Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, or until cheesecake center slightly jiggles when you gently shake the pan. Allow to cool on wire rack for 1 hour, then cover with foil and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 additional hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Comments
No Comments