“Like Cheesecake, Without All the Work”: The Lemon-Blueberry Bars I’m Bringing to Every Summer Gathering

Making a whole cheesecake from scratch can be intimidating — you don’t want it to crack, you need a special springform pan, and you might even need to bake it in a water bath. If you’re looking for something equally as delicious but with half the effort, then you’ve got to try these lemon-blueberry cream cheese bars. They’re delightfully creamy, easy to make, and perfect for transporting to a potluck, picnic, dinner party, or whatever other summer gatherings you’ve got planned. 

Get the recipe: Lemon-Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

These lemon-blueberry cream cheese bars are so luscious, rich, and delicious. They look and taste like you could’ve gotten them from a bakery. The delicious graham cracker crust is nice and sturdy and holds up well as the base for the bars. The cheesecake layer is silky-smooth, bright and zesty, and bursting with fresh blueberries. A final layer of the buttery graham cracker crumbs on top (double duty!) adds even more texture and flavor. 

These bars are way easier to make than a typical cheesecake, but they’re equally as, if not more, delicious. Believe me — they’ll be a crowd-pleaser, whatever the occasion. Plus, because they need to chill overnight, you can make them in advance.

1. Make the graham cracker crust and topping. In a food processor, blitz the graham crackers, then add melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press most of it into a 8×8 pan and bake, reserving some for the topping. 
2. Make the cheesecake layer. Blitz together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Fold in the fresh blueberries, reserving some for the top. 
3. Assemble the bars. Pour the cheesecake layer over the baked crust. Top with the remaining blueberries and graham cracker crumbs. 
4. Bake and chill. Bake the bars at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Let cool, then chill completely in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to overnight. 
5. Slice and enjoy. Once fully chilled, slice the bars into 9 or 12 squares, and enjoy! 

• Use fresh blueberries: Fresh blueberries work best in this recipe, as frozen ones will add too much liquid into the mixture. 
• Keep your ingredients at room temperature: For the best results and easier mixing, make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before making the filling. 

Get the recipe: Lemon-Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: "Like Cheesecake, Without All the Work": The Lemon-Blueberry Bars I'm Bringing to Every Summer Gathering