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Last Friday, I went blueberry pickin’. It’s one of the reasons I love summer.
Last Friday, I went blueberry pickin’. It’s one of the reasons I love summer.
When I came home, I was on the hunt for a great dessert to take to a get together on Saturday evening. I was browsing around on Tasty Kitchen. When I saw this recipe, I knew it was a must-try. I love lemon and I think it’s great in a cheesecake. But cheesecakes have the reputation of being a little bit touchy and I needed something that was a little quicker to make than that.
These were absolutely a winner! It’s a great combination – graham cracker crust, creamy lemony cheesecake and fresh blueberries! All in a good ole 9×13 pan, that’s easy to take and share at your next summer get together. It seems like a lot of steps, but it’s not difficult or super time consuming. You will love them!
LEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
The Crust:
2 cups GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS*
3 Tablespoons SUGAR
8 Tablespoons BUTTER, melted
The Cheesecake:
2 blocks CREAM CHEESE, (8 oz. each) at room temperature
1/2 cup SOUR CREAM
3/4 cup SUGAR
2 EGGS
1 teaspoon VANILLA EXTRACT
Pinch of SALT
2 teaspoon LEMON ZEST
2 Tablespoons FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE
2 cups FRESH BLUEBERRIES
Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil*, lightly grease the foil.
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Combine with a fork until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, leave the oven on.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla extract, salt, lemon zest and juice. Mix well. Gently fold in blueberries until evenly incorporated.
Pour mixture over crust and gently spread into an even layer.
Bake for 35 minutes or until just set and the center no longer jiggles when the pan is tapped. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
*I was a little short on graham crackers, so I used animal crackers to make the rest of the 2nd cup of crumbs- turned out just fine!
I used a 9×13 glass baking dish and didn’t line it with foil, but I did lightly grease it. If you are using a metal pan I would recommend lining it with foil.
Recipe Source: Tasty Kitchen
This post is linked to Melt In Your Mouth Monday, These Chicks Cooked, Fresh Food Fridays, Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays, LifeasMOM URS and Ingredient Spotlight
Oh my gosh, this looks good! The mix of lemon and blueberry is perfect for summer. I’d love to try this!
Wow — love this idea. There’s nothing better than freshly picked blueberries in the summer 🙂
YUM! Sounds so creamy and refreshing! And a great way to use up those blueberries in my fridge!
Well these are just beautiful. I’m loving blueberries this summer! I can’t wait to make these, I love the mix of blueberry and lemon 🙂
Oh wow, your blog has so many great posts. I love these cheeseake bars and would like to invite you to share them or any recipe on my weekend blog hop too. Now following ya!
Lemon and blueberries go so well together. And everything is good with cream cheese! I’ve got lots of company this week. This looks like a great crowd pleaser. Have a great week.
Hello to the sweet 4 sisters! Thanks so much for sharing this superb blueberry recipe last week on Fresh Food Friday / Seasonal Saturday! I loved it so much that it is one of the featured posts on this week’s edition. I hope that you can stop by, check it out, grab the ‘featured’ button, and share another recipe or two from any date! Happy cooking!
oh this sounds heavenly what a great combination of lemon and blueberries