Creamy, dreamy lemon cheesecake infused with fresh blueberries on top of a brown sugar oatmeal cookie crust.
So go ahead, make something a little different to wow your friends and family. I know these would be the first thing I pick out on a dessert table. 🙂
Print
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: 20-24 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Creamy, dreamy lemon cheesecake infused with fresh blueberries on top of a brown sugar oatmeal cookie crust.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 pouch Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie mix*
- 2 large eggs
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used reduced fat)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 1–2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
- 1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (do not use frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Generously spray parchment paper/foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Make cookie crust: In a large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using a fork or electric mixer. Stir in 1 egg until mixture is crumbly.
- Press half of oatmeal cookie dough into bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Reserve the other half of the dough for topping.
- While cookie crust is baking, prepare cheesecake filling: With an electric handheld or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together until creamy. Make sure there are no cream cheese chunks hiding, you want the mixture nice and smooth. Remove cookie crust from oven and reduce heat to 325°F (163°C). Pour the lemon cheesecake filling over the hot cookie crust. Sprinkle the blueberries overtop and gently press them down. Crumble the reserved oatmeal cookie dough over the blueberries.
- Bake for 35 minutes until the top is lightly browned. The cheesecake filling will slightly jiggle in the center. Allow bars to cool completely and chill for at least 3 hours before cutting. I chilled mine in the refrigerator overnight. I highly suggest chilling them for up to 12 hours, which allows the bars to be cut easily.
Notes
- If you can’t find the Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix, use this from-scratch oatmeal cookie base recipe instead. No egg required, but you’ll still need an egg for the filling as directed in step 4 above. In a large bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using a handheld mixer, cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter and 1 cup brown sugar until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats together. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Continue with step 3 in the recipe above.
Keywords: lemon blueberry cheesecake bars
I am confused about the eggs when you make your own crust recipe….should there be an egg in there or not? HELP!
Hi Carole, no egg in the homemade oatmeal crust/topping. Follow that recipe at the bottom. You’ll still need 1 egg for the filling though.
This is my favorite recipe from all of your recipes that I’ve ever made (which is quite a lot, because they’re all amazing). I’ve also made it for others and the reactions varied from “amazing” to “I don’t want to talk, I just want to eat this” to “this must be what’s served in heaven”. And then someone offered to pay me to bake them a double batch for a party! Turns out, they only needed 1.5 batch, but wanted some extra for themselves – because these are just THAT good. The tangy and sweet lemon filling pairs perfectly with the juicy blueberries, and the oatmeal crust and topping offer just the right amount of warmth. Just… perfection.
★★★★★
We’re thrilled you loved this recipe, Tessa!
Hello!
I am planning on making these tomorrow for a weekend trip. Though I have to drive about an hour and a half- at what point should I freeze them? Should I make- Cool and refrigerate 12 hours before freezing? ( hoping to freeze them for the drive then place in the fridge once I arrive for dessert that evening.) Thanks!
Hi Samantha, I would cool them completely at room temperature, then place them in the freezer. You could, of course, cool at room temperature then chill in the refrigerator before freezing but the refrigerator step isn’t really necessary if you’re just freezing them anyway.
Love this receipe!
★★★★★
I tried making a double batch in a 9 x 13 pan. Baked for 41 minutes – which doesn’t appear to be enough, but it was hard to gauge if they were done. I followed the make from scratch oatmeal recipe and, while tasty, it’s very crumbly. Are you sure there isn’t supposed to be an egg in there? I’ll still be taking this into work, but will sadly be serving with a spoon instead of as bars.
I have made these for several years now and they are ALWAYS a hit. I love your recipes so bad. Also…after having the oatmeal crust with this I started using oatmeal crusts for pies as well and will never go back to graham cracker crusts….so much tastier and more fiber too. =)
I usually so a double batch for music festivals we go to…I put half the batch in a large Tupperware to be eaten right away and vacuum seal the other half to be eaten later in the weekend. LOVE.
Yes – oatmeal crusts are good with so many things!
These bars are so so so good. I made them for Delfest and everyone devoured them. So so good. I vacuum sealed two separate batches and froze them and they held up really well in the cooler throughout the weekend. I never thought to put oatmeal cookie crust with cheesecake but at this point I don’t thin I’ll ever use graham cracker crust again! I’m making another batch of these for another music fest this weekend- I know for sure they’ll be a hit.
HI Sally, Can I use canned blueberry preserves instead since fresh blueberries are not available in my country? Thank you.
That would be fine but they will turn the cheesecake layer a blue/purple hue.
Hi Sally!
My company is having a bake-off competition and it’s serious stuff. 😉 People are talking a lot of smack! I was thinking of making either your Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars or the ones on this page (Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars). Which would you prefer??
I’ve made your Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake a few times before and it was insanely good. (I think a cake might be hard to transport to my long commute to work, which is why I want to try the bars).
Thanks!!
Oh, both are wonderful Abby! They’re pretty much the same thing, but these have that wonderful streusel. For a bake-off, how about going with these.
Hi Sally – These look awesome! I would like to make them in mini muffin tins. Do you have any suggestions on baking times?
Thanks so much!
I’m unsure, sorry! Maybe 10 minutes in a 24-count pan. That’s just a guess.
I made this recipe in mini cupcake pans. I got 40 mini cupcakes.
I baked the bottoms for 7 min and the assembled cupcakes for 20 min.
When I do it again I will make half as much oatmeal crust.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you make these in advance as you can your oatmeal lemon bars? I’d like to try both for a bridal shower I’m hosting, but need to make some things in advance. Can’t wait to try these!
Definitely! You can make them a day or two ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Hi Sally, blueberries are priced through the roof at the moment here in Australia, if I dusted frozen blueberries with flour or something like that, would frozen work or do you not recommend? I am trying this receipe regardless as it looks awesome!
P.S. Made your lemon cupcakes tonight for my mother-in-laws birthday – I love lemon receipes!
Hi Jodie. Frozen blueberries may release their juices and turn the cream cheese mixture blue. But give it a try, I’m sure it would still taste great. Love those lemon cupcakes!
Hi Sally! Just wanted to let you know that I did make the bars last weekend and they were a HUGE hit! Easy to make, fresh, and delicious! Overall, it was love at first bite! Thanks again for taking the time to share the recipe with your readers.
-Dawn 🙂