Description

Classic Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are a delightful dessert featuring a buttery crumb base topped with a creamy, tangy cheesecake layer studded with fresh blueberries. Perfectly baked to achieve a smooth, set filling with a slight wobble in the center, these bars are easy to make and ideal for any occasion, offering a delicious twist on traditional cheesecake in convenient bar form.

Ingredients

Scale

Base

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

Filling

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

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) for all oven types to ensure even baking.
Prepare Tin: Spray a 20cm (9″) square tin with oil and line it with baking or parchment paper with an overhang. This allows easy lifting of the cheesecake bars after baking.
Make Cracker Base: Place the Arnott’s Marie crackers or Graham crackers in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and sugar, then blitz again until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Press Base: Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared tin and use a flat-bottomed utensil to press it firmly and evenly into the base. Set aside.
Prepare Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth but not fluffy. Add the plain flour and mix until just combined.
Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Incorporate sour cream, white sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition to avoid over-beating.
Fold in Blueberries: Gently fold most of the blueberries into the cream cheese mixture, reserving some to sprinkle on top.
Assemble: Pour the filling evenly over the prepared crumb base, smoothing the surface. Scatter the remaining blueberries on top.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes if using a fan-forced/convection oven or 40 minutes for a standard oven. The cheesecake should be set on the edges with a slight wobble in the center, without any browning or significant cracking.
Cool and Chill: Allow the cheesecake bars to cool completely in the tin. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up and develop flavor.
Serve: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cheesecake from the tin. Optionally dust with icing sugar. Cut into squares or bars and serve chilled for best results.

Notes

You can substitute Arnott’s Marie crackers with Graham cracker squares if preferred; both yield a delicious crumb base.
Ensure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to achieve a smooth, lump-free filling.
Be careful not to overbeat the eggs into the filling, as this can cause cracks during baking.
The slight wobble in the center after baking indicates the perfect doneness for a creamy texture.
Refrigerating the cheesecake bars for at least 4 hours is essential to set the filling firmly before cutting.
Using superfine or caster sugar helps the sugar dissolve more efficiently into the filling, resulting in a smoother texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: blueberry cheesecake bars, classic cheesecake bars, blueberry dessert bars, baked cheesecake bars, easy cheesecake recipe