Cheesecake Lemon Bars
A light lemony cheesecake dessert that makes two layers, one lemony layer, and another cheesecake layer. You'll be coming back for more!
A light lemony cheesecake dessert that makes two layers, one lemony layer, and another cheesecake layer. You'll be coming back for more!
Made these last night and they were very, very good. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because there wasn't enough lemon flavor for me. When I make this again I will double the lemon mixture. The cream cheese mixture is super thick and creamy so it can definitely stand the larger lemon amount. Very excited to have found a lemon bar recipe that's a little different from the rest. I think I will also try it with Key lime juice. I think this would be beautiful for a wedding or baby shower.
Read MoreI LOVE lemon and cheesecake, but these just didn't mesh that well. I think doubling the lemon filling would've been a good idea, and they definitely need to chill overnight. (They were much better the next day.) I also had to add a sweet sour cream layer for presentation. Maybe a water bath would've kept the top from browning.
Read MoreMade these last night and they were very, very good. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because there wasn't enough lemon flavor for me. When I make this again I will double the lemon mixture. The cream cheese mixture is super thick and creamy so it can definitely stand the larger lemon amount. Very excited to have found a lemon bar recipe that's a little different from the rest. I think I will also try it with Key lime juice. I think this would be beautiful for a wedding or baby shower.
These turned out great. A lot of steps but well worth it. I topped mine with a thin layer of sweetened sour cream (about a cup of sour cream w/ confectioners sugar to taste and a drop...litterally a drop...of lemon extract). I only topped it because I liked the more finished look. These were a hit with our family and friends. Great refreshing summer dessert w/o instant pudding or cool whip! (no offense to those desserts, I make them too!) :)
Excellent recipe. I put the cream cheese on top of the lemon mixture and thought there was no way this was going to set and separate. I was wrong, turned out great and everyone loved it. Whelma
i would happily give this dish 100 stars as it was absolutely wonderful! i did increase the lemon juice to 2/3 as suggested and added an additional 1 tbsp flour to the lemon juice mixture. afterward it cooled, i topped it with one cup of sour cream along with approx. 1/4 cup powdered sugar. turned out sooooo good. however, PLEASE (unless you really like the tart taste of lemon) wait for at least 6 hours before you eat it. this allows the flavors to really infuse and work their "magic" on this dessert.
Made these for Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit! Absolutely delicious. I melted my butter for the crust to save time and the crust turned out perfect shortbread texture. If you have a favorite lemon bar recipe then just add the cheesecake part on top of it!
Added lemon extract (1 teaspoon) and some lemon zest to the lemon mixture. Best lemon bars ever and very easy to make
Just made these today and they are so good! After reading some reviews saying there was not enough lemon flavor, I also added in some store bought lemon juice in addition to the fresh and they are perfect! However I did end up cooking them for 40 min instead of 30. Will definitely be making these again!
For the crust part I broke up a roll of sugar cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Than I baked it at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Then added the rest. A little easier and delish!
AMAZING! These are much better than regular lemon bars. I loved everything about this recipe, even the crust was perfect. The only thing I did differently was to add 1 tsp. lemon extract to the lemon filling. I will be making this again.
These are so good! they came out perfect. I added a little more lemon flavor and it was great sweet and tart just like I like it. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! I took these to a party, cut into 1.5" squares, and they were a hit. I had trouble pressing the crust into the pan, and gave up half-way up the sides, which turned out to be the perfect height! The recipe also took 45 minutes to bake, not 30, but might have been my oven. Will definitely use again!
Great lemon bar! This is the approach I took. Shortbread 1.5 cups of flour 1/3 cups of granulated sugar 1 stick of butter at room temp Filling (more lemon flavor) 4 eggs 1.5 cups sugar .5 cups of flour 1tbsp of lemon zest 3/4 cup of lemon juice cream cheese topping: 2-8oz packages cream cheese 1cup white sugar 2eggs Lastly I made a white chocolate drizzle by melting a cup of white chocolate chips in a double boiler. The sweet white chocolate really balances the tartness of the lemon and the cream cheese. Great base recipe. Outcome was great.
I LOVE lemon and cheesecake, but these just didn't mesh that well. I think doubling the lemon filling would've been a good idea, and they definitely need to chill overnight. (They were much better the next day.) I also had to add a sweet sour cream layer for presentation. Maybe a water bath would've kept the top from browning.
These are great! Very easy! I made them exactly as the recipe is posted, then topped with fresh raspberries and a little raspberry sauce. I cut into squares and made a treat plate for my husband to take to share at work. It was a hit! Thanks for the great recipe!! We will add it to our favorites for sure!
wow, these were super rich!! they were very tasty but make sure you cut small squares, it's hard to eat a lot of this. i loved the crust of this recipe, too!
OUTSTANDING!! I made these "as is" although I read all the reviews. I used parchment to line a 9x13 pan which worked fine. I was glad that others mentioned how "strange" it looked after you add the cream cheese layer--- but don't worry, as it bakes everything works out great. The taste is tart but creamy. I garnished with some whipped cream and a slice of fresh strawberry. We liked these MUCH BETTER than just a plain lemon bar.
These are delicious. I added a little extra lemon juice and lemon zest. Everyone enjoyed them.
I kept thinking there was no way this was going to turn out. Looked like a mess when it went into the oven. But... 30 minutes later I was eating both my words and some delicious lemon bars. Outstanding recipe.
I would give this 10 stars if I could! They are amazing! The only thing I did different was to add a little vanilla to cheesecake mixture.
Made these for my co-workers and they were a huge hit!! So delicious! I added a drop of lemon extract to the cheesecake mixture to give it an extra kick. I also took the advice of another reviewer and made a sweetened sour cream topping (1 cup sour cream, 1 drop lemon extract, 3 tsp. confectioner's sugar) along with a blackberry sauce ( 1 pint blackberries, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp. sugar-- simmer on the stove 5 minutes). Really amazing flavor and a very refreshing treat! Will definitely make again :)
I made these for my friends at prayer group. they could'nt get enough!!!!!!
Flavor was great and lemony, but I decided to substitute the crust with a graham crust. The graham crumbs just soaked up the lemon layer and it became a thick lemony graham sponge with a thin layer of cheesecake on top. My advice, do not substitute with graham crust, stick with the original recipe.
I followed this recipe exactly as written and the result was lovely and scrumptious! It did require an extra few minutes of bake time!
So I had all the ingredients in house to make these yesterday morning so I gave it a try. These turned out very nice. They layered perfectly and looked tasty. I was concerned with the crust because I thought I might have overworked it a bit. Not the case. I took these into work yesterday afternoon and everyone really enjoyed. I got compliments on the crust, taste and texture. Are these the best lemon bars I have ever had?...no, but overall, very good and I would make these again.
If lemon bars and cheesecake got together and had a baby, that's what this would be. What a great way to blend two of my favorite desserts! Perfect as is. Well, I might add just a smidge more zest. Five stars from me and the DH.
Very tasty. I followed the recipe exactly and they separated out beautifully. I did have to add about 12 minutes to the cooking time and next time I'll try to make the crust on the edges look a little prettier.
these were yummy! Everybody enjoyed them, but they are super sweet. I halved the recipe because of lack of cream cheese, but I ended up doubling the original recipe of crust cause I didn't have enough to cover the bottom, nevermind the sides. Next time I will double the lemon flavour, because the cream cheese is super thick and sweet. Thanks for the recipe
Awesome!!!!!!! I will make these again. My whole family loved them, especially my dad, who is a lemon bar fan!
Y-U-M. I've never been a huge fan of anything lemon-flavored, but decided to make these anyway after a friend told me about them. They are amazing! Not too tart, not too sweet. I wouldn't change a thing. The cream cheese layer goes so well with the tangy lemon. A perfect summertime treat.
Delicious! I reduced the amount of sugar in each part and baked it for about 40 minutes and it came out good still. I also didn't have unsalted butter, but that didn't ruin the flavor either. I will definitely make this again.
MMMMMMM....these were good! In the crust, I only put 1/2 cup margarine (instead of 3/4) because it was all I had...and it still turned out great! I also used 1/3 less fat cream cheese.
This. Was. Awesome. If you use real lemons, it is perfectly lemony. Don't put the crust up too far on the sides. If it sticks up over the filling it gets dark. Not a bad thing... It just does. . I found it impossible to get the bubbles to skim but it didn't make a difference. Do not panic when you go to put the cream cheese layer on top of the completely liquidy lemon layer. Just finagle it around til it covers the best you can. When it bakes it separates like it should. I won't lie... This did not turn out as pretty as the picture with the 2 perfect layers but my guests at Christmas were fighting over who got to take the leftovers home. DEEE-lemony-licious.
As always, increase the lemon filling quantities for more tartness and volume (general rule seems to always apply). I appreciated the combination recipe, and think the flavors complement one another. It was helpful to know I could do this in two bakes, not three.
We loved these. My middle son (who doesn't like sweets) ate half the pan. I halved the recipe and used an 8" square pan. I did up the lemon juice and zest. Yummy, thanks for sharing!
This is my go-to cheesecake recipe-fresh and light and yummy. Once I didn't have the lemon and left it out, but I have to say that it's so much better with the lemon juice and zest, like the recipe states-great recipe!
I do not usually bake - I am not very good at it - but I made these for a family reunion and everyone loved them! The only thing I did differntly was add 1 tsp of vanilla to the cream cheese mixture. I will definately make these again. As will most everyone who tried one - I shared the recipe!
I'm giving this 4 stars, only because the crust was so soggy and mushy, using packaged sugar cookie dough as suggested by another member...but the overall taste was pretty good! I'll make it again, but will have to figure out a way to dry up the crust. Love cheesecake, love lemon, what a great combo!
I was very maticulous about measuring and assembling this recipe,these were being made for 30 high school kids. Although tasty,they did not have a finshed/attractive look to them and they were too wet. Moisture seemed to gather on the surface. If anyone has a suggestion that would be great. I gave the recipe 3 stars because the flavor was descent. Otherwise I will not be making this recipe again.
Very tasty lemon bars. The two layers didn't really separate but it wasn't a big deal taste-wise. Best chilled. Will make again.
These were delicious and got rave reviews at the football party. I halved the recipe and used an 8"x8" pan, lined with foil, and sprayed with nonstick baking spray. I added about an extra 1/3 tsp. lemon zest, 1/8 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp flour. I suggest not pressing the crust all the way up the sides of the pan as the tops of the edges burn and I had to cut that part off. I would bring it halfway up next time. The crust also softens and is a bit cakey with the lemon filling. Still tasty; I was just expecting a firmer shortbread type crust. I will definitely make this recipe again and again to bring to occasions as it was a crowd favorite.
These were amazing!!! My family and boyfriend loved them! I agree there were many steps to this, but so worth it!!
These were dee-lish and so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly; however, I did add 3 drops of yellow food coloring to boost the yellow color. I had several people ask me for the recipe and of course I give them the www.allrecipes.com website! And, like other reviewers said I was a tad skeptical that the layers wouldn't separate and they did beautifully, they were picturesque. I will definitely makes these again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
I was really excited about trying these. I have tried regular lemons bars on this site and I love them! I was really disappointed. The cream cheese topping came out eggy. It was very unappealing. I followed the recipe step by step. Probably won't try again.
Very tasty, especially the next day. Added more lemon as suggested.
I will never make this again. The "cheesecake" portion gave me pause when I read the ingredients. It ended up having this odd texture, nothing like a cheesecake. I love making cheesecake & lemon squares, but I don't think this was a good combo!
This is now a favourite at our house Almost passed on it thought the lemon and cheesecake would not separate so happy I made them also had to pass the recipe to friends once they tasted them.
Pretty good especially the crust. I guess I'm a lemon bar purist, I prefer the just plain tart lemon bars.
These were delicious!! I substituted the lemon for lime juice. I'm still new to baking/cooking. And it showed when these were ready. I used a graham cracker crust instead and well, the lime filling sank to the bottom of the dish (so from bottom to top it was: lime filling, graham crust, cheesecake). Very difficult to get out of the pan of course. I don't understand why this happened though. Same thing happened when I tried to make M&M blondies...All the M&Ms sank to the bottom of my dish!! Baking is not my forte q.q
THis is a great recipe! omg yum! i add a little more lemon and some fresh blueberries. turned out very good!
I changed this up a bit, sort of combining two recipes: what came out was a Lemon Bar Cheesecake, which I plan to submit as a new recipe. Any who...the layers separate excellently and with more lemon juice, the flavor was perfect! I cut the sugar almost in half and used fresh lemon juice and a little bit of rind in the lemon layer. Since I cooked this in a springform pan, I served slices with fresh blueberries on top. YUMMY! Perfect for summer :)
These are fantastic! I made half a recipe and followed the ingredients exactly *only had low fat cream cheese and it still was awesome!*. Can't wait to try these the day after... I used 1 lemon and the zest/juice were the perfect amounts. Will def make again - esp for my brother who LOVES lemon bars.
Everyone at the potluck loved them. I fallowed the recipe exactly.
Tart, tangy & delicious! I followed the advice of a few other reviewers and added the sour cream topping to finish it off. I also added 1/2 tsp. of salt to the shortbread crust and 1 tsp. of vanilla to the cheesecake mixture.
Simply delicious !!! I used lime juice and zest instead of lemon.
I was so excited to try these based on the reviews, but I was so disappointed! The crust pretty much disintegrated into the lemon layer and became nonexistent. So the bars stuck pretty bad in the pan even though I put down heavy duty foil and sprayed the foil. Also the cheesecake part wasn't very good and the textures of the layers are so different it's weird to eat - the cheesecake is creamy, the lemon/crust layer was more chewy. Also they baked uneven, I started at 30 min and the middle was still very underdone even though 3 of the sides were done. I increased by 5 minute increments and I think I ended at 45-50 minutes. Even when done and cooled there was no way to cut these and have them be pretty. If you do attempt these, don't worry about the layers, they will separate like the other reviews say. Also definitely use a different crust, maybe a graham crust would work better.
This was a huge hit at our house. I am a novice and found it easy to make. As others suggested I upped the amount of lemon zest and added lemon extract to my cream cheese layer. I also put a top layer of sour cream mixed with confectioners sugar on the top.
Halved the recipe and cooked it in an 8x8 pan. I brought it to work and everyone there loved it. It was easy to make, but I think next time I would follow the advice to double the lemon part, so that there was more of it. Overall, very tasty though!
great!! we loved it, it's so much more than the usual boring lemon bar!! I followed it to a T, had some lovely organic lemons so I felt safe using the zest. Next time I think even more grated zest will find its way in this fab recipe, which is perfect for spring and summer. The crust is delicious and the cheesecake filling is luscious: mine turned out as a sort of rich lemon curd, that's amazing! It was only for the family, so I didn't go to a lot of trouble to decorate it, but I believe that raspberries or strawberries on top would add a nice touch when you have company.
I made this recipie and mine didnt turn out like the picture, the video didnt say bake the crust and the top of mine turned out brown, after 30 min in wasnt doen in the middle so I kept checking on it every 5 min, the crust was hard, can anyone tell me what I did wrong. Will send photo if needed. I did not change recipie. Cindy
I was so disappointed. There are too many calories from sugar and eggs to make this worthwhile.
I would take a picture but there is none left! I made it for my grandson ‘s birthday and everyone loved it and requested it for all holidays from now on. Because of another review wanting more lemon, I added zest to the cheesecake layer. Delicious!
OMG its now my Favorite. Made as written except for increased lemon filling by another 50%. Will be making it often.
I added the extra lemon and WOW, was this surprisingly good. I made it for a friend at work who like lemon stuff. It was excellent!!
This recipe was easy peasy ! I wish I had made a double recipe because it went so fast ! They were delectable !!!
When I’ve made this in the past it was always a bit light on the lemon flavor. This time I used the zest from one very large lemon, about 2 Tbsp, and the flavor balance turned out perfect. The amount of each layer is perfect, so there’s no need to go doubling other ingredients.
I really liked the upper portions of the bar. I did add extra lemon juice. The part I was disappointed in was the crust. Most of it stuck to the bottom of the pan. I will make again but with a graham cracker crust
Followed recipe and worked well. Tasted divine, definitely a keeper. Will make this a regular recipe.
OMG!! This was so easy and delicious. I only had one lemon on hand which yielded 1/4 c. juice. I had frozen lemonade concentrate... used a little less than 1/4 c. and added enough water to make the 1/4 c. -- maybe 1-2 Tbs. I cut back on the sugar a bit because of the sugar in the concentrate. Great flavor!! I also used another reviewer's suggestion and placed a sour cream topping on top to make it a little prettier for our reunion (2 c. sour cream, 1/3 c. sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla) -- worked great! Lovely recipe -- thank you!!
A combination of two of my favorites - cheesecake and lemon bars. These are delicious! I added a couple drops of pure lemon extract based on a couple of reviews saying there wasn't enough lemon flavor. They are definitely lemon-y. I made them for the Staff Appreciation Luncheon at the high school today. Hope they enhjoy them as much as I do.
I made these tonight for the first time for a party that I am going to tomorrow. I thought the flavor was kind of bland. I did not think there was enough lemon flavor, so I would add more lemon juice and/or zest. I also didn't think the cheesecake was that flavorful. I would maybe add a little vanilla extract to the cheesecake portion. I would also sprinkle some powdered sugar on top for looks & a little extra sweetness, as they were not that sweet. We'll see what everyone thinks of them tomorrow, but I would probably not make this recipe again. I also did not think it was gonna turn out, by the looks of it, when I put the cheesecake over the lemon, but as the recipe said, if did separate. I wondered how it would have worked out if the cheesecake went first, then the lemon. Also, if I did make again, I would use 1/2 c of butter, as the crust was more dough like, not crumby.
When I was a kid, way back when,:) my mom made these exact same lemon squares; every second Saturday and they were sooooo good; I thought I would never find a recipe exactly the same, alas. I made these last night and I also added extra lemon, and they were so awesome. Okay; I must get to my kitchen, I am making my Pork hock/feet etal and dumpling stew I put them over boiled potatoes it is an awesome dish with the mushroom gravy; but very high in fat.
I made this today at the request of my husband. They turned out great. It's pretty neat how it separates, the lemon mixture seems to combine with the crust to make the lemon curd! These lemon bars are delicious.
We’ve made this three times in a month! It’s easy to double the lemon part if you prefer more of the twang, or double the cheesecake part if you prefer a milder flavor.
Delicious! As other reviewers suggested, I added a tsp of lemon extract to the lemon bar mixture and a thin layer of sweetened sour cream to the top. A raspberry for presentation and voila! Everyone loved them.
Followed the recipe exactly as written. Turned out amazing. :)
Made these tonight and they are phenomenal!! I spilled quite a bit of my lemon juice while squeezing my last lemon so I tossed in a shot of Limoncello to even things out and it worked perfectly. Definitely making them again...my hubby said it ruined him because he used to think the boxed variety were just fine until I made these!
Not sure what I did wrong but the lemon layer soaked through the crust and cooked on the bottom of the pan, making the whole dish hard to eat. The lemon layer was good but the cheesecake layer was bland.
As others suggested, I added 1/2 tsp. of lemon extract to the lemon portion, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla to the cheese cake portion. I also added the sour cream topping (1 c sour cream, 1T confectioners sugar and 1/2 tsp of lemon extract whisked together) to give the dish a better appearance. I also made it the night before to allow flavors to develop. This is a serviceable recipe that would probably taste better with a graham cracker crust. I might make it again when there are unused lemons and cream cheese taking up fridge space as there were last evening.
I add a little bit of lemon extract to the cheese cake mix part. Helps to boost the lemon flavor. Great dessert.
My family loved these and are super easy to make! My husband said it could use a tad more lemon flavor, but my daughter said it was perfect...great recipe!
I turned this into a Lemon Bar Cheesecake by cooking in a springform pan rather than 9x13. As a cake, it was thicker and took longer to cook, but I didn't change any of the proportions. I topped with sweetened sour cream and strawberries, and the final effect was stunning.
I took the suggestion of another reviewer and increased the lemon juice to 2/3 C and added another tablespoon of flour. I also melted the butter before mixing it into the flour/sugar mixture. The flavor is good, not overly tart, just right. The reason for only 3 stars is that although the layers separated, the lemon mixture ended up mostly underneath the crust. Also, I made these for a July 4th BBQ, and they're really not attractive at all. Will not attempt these again.
This recipe turned out great on my first try! I doubled the lemon filling and had to bake it longer, kept checking on it till the filling appeared to be set. Delicious. Thank you for posting
I just took them out of the oven and was amazed at how beautiful looking they are! I'm giving it 5 star's without even tasting if because I was very skeptical about this coming together. The only changes I made was to add an extra TBS of flour and to up the amount of lemon juice to 2/3 cup. I only had 1 8oz package & a half of another of cream cheese, but I think that'll be plenty. It's going to be hard waiting until morning to try these! :)
After reading some reviews that there needed to be a more lemon layer, I still decided to follow the initial recipe. On that note, looking at the pictures which show a thick lemon layer, those pics are deceiving because when people take a picture of the recipe which they modified, it looks like it will be perfect. I tried it exactly as is, but I definitely agree that it needs to have a thicker lemon layer. Next time, I am going to half everything, except the lemon layer, and make the dessert in a 8 x 8 pan. I also did not like the way the top looked browned, so I did decide to do the sour cream topping as some suggested.
You can always add fresh blueberries on top before baking. YUMMY !
I made as instructed except for using store bought lemon juice. I found there to be a good lemon flavor in the bars though my husband thought they were too sweet. Unless you have a lot of people who like lemon I recommend halving the recipe as 24 bars was way too many. Mine could've came out before 30 mins as the edges were really turning brown and parts of the cheesecake cracked; I hid that with halved strawberries.
this is delicious. i made these for my Aunt who is battling cancer. she loves lemon deserts. these were very special and enjoyed.
This was awesome!!! Everyone wanted seconds!! LOL New family favorite. Added one drop of lemon extract.
It's dangerously delicious. The entire dish was polished off in less time than I would like to admit.
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