Description
Lemon Cheesecake Crumb Bars combine a buttery crumb crust and topping with a smooth, tangy lemon cheesecake center. They bake easily in a 9×13 pan—no water bath—then chill for clean, creamy slices.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crumb crust and topping:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg
For the lemon cheesecake filling:
- 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional garnish:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Fresh lemon slices or zest curls
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for lifting.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
- Stir in egg until the mixture clumps slightly but stays crumbly.
- Reserve about 1 1/2 cups crumbs for the topping. Press remaining crumbs firmly into the pan to form an even crust.
- Bake crust 12–15 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each.
- Mix in flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Stop as soon as it looks combined.
- Pour filling over warm crust and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the top.
- Bake 35–40 minutes until center looks set and the top turns lightly golden.
- Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before slicing.
- Lift out with parchment and cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.
Notes
- Use room-temperature cream cheese for the smoothest filling.
- Mix gently after adding eggs to avoid excess air in the batter.
- Chill well before slicing for the cleanest bars.
- Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze bars (well wrapped) up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 85mg