Description

These classic blueberry cheesecake bars feature a buttery biscuit crust topped with a creamy, tangy cheesecake filling studded with fresh blueberries. Baked to perfection, they offer a delightful balance of sweet and tart flavors, with a smooth texture and a hint of lemon zest. Perfect as a refreshing dessert or afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

18 Arnott’s Marie crackers (150g) or 16 Graham cracker squares (8 full sheets)
100 g / 3.5 oz unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp sugar

Filling

320 g / 12 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp plain flour
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup / 220 g white sugar (superfine or caster sugar preferred)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, at room temperature
250 g / 8 oz (~1 3/4 cups) blueberries (about 2 Australian punnets)
Icing sugar / confectioners sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F), suitable for all oven types including fan-forced and conventional ovens.
Prepare Baking Tin: Spray a 20cm (9 inch) square baking tin with oil and line it with baking or parchment paper, ensuring there is an overhang on the sides to lift the bars out easily after baking.
Make Crust: Place the Marie crackers or graham crackers into a food processor and blitz until they become fine crumbs. Add melted butter and sugar, then pulse to combine until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Form Crust: Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared baking tin and press down firmly with a flat-bottomed utensil to create an even and compact crust layer.
Prepare Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth but not fluffy. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Incorporate sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest into the cream cheese mixture, beating until well combined. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating gently after each addition until just incorporated.
Fold in Blueberries: Gently fold in most of the blueberries, reserving some for topping the cheesecake.
Assemble and Top: Pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared crust in the tin, smoothing the surface evenly. Scatter the reserved blueberries on top of the filling.
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes if using a fan-forced/convection oven or 40 minutes in a standard oven. The cheesecake is ready when the edges are set but the center still slightly wobbles like jelly. The top should not brown and may have some minor cracks.
Cool and Chill: Allow the cheesecake bars to cool completely in the tin before covering and refrigerating for at least 4 hours to set fully.
Serve: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cheesecake bars out of the tin. Dust with icing sugar if desired. Cut into squares or bars and serve chilled.

Notes

You can use Arnott’s Marie crackers or Graham cracker squares interchangeably for the crust.
Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for a smooth filling.
Use superfine or caster sugar to achieve a finer texture in the cheesecake filling.
The cheesecake should not brown on top; slight cracks are normal.
Chilling the bars for at least 4 hours is essential for proper setting and texture.
Fresh blueberries can be substituted with frozen if necessary, but fresh is preferred for best texture.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: blueberry cheesecake bars, cheesecake bars, blueberry dessert, baked cheesecake, cream cheese dessert, homemade cheesecake bars