Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
TASTE: Buttery graham cracker crust, with tart, sweet, refreshing lemon and raspberry flavors.
TEXTURE: The crust is crisp while the cheesecake is creamy and luscious. Texture heaven!
EASE: So much easier than a traditional full cheesecake.
PROS: The vibrant raspberry swirls are so pretty.
CONS: Having to wait 4 hours for these babies to chill enough to slice, but the flavor develops so much in this time. I promise it’s worth the wait!
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? 100% definitely yes!
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Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars are the edible embodiment of a summer day.
The buttery, crisp graham cracker crust is the perfect base for the bright, creamy lemon cheesecake that’s swirled with homemade sweet, tart raspberry puree.
These bars are as beautiful as they are delicious! In fact, I even made this photo my new phone background for the summer season:
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I love making cheesecake bars (like my go-to Classic Cheesecake Bars or my Nutella Cheesecake Bars), and these fabulous Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars are a definite favorite of mine.
Cheesecake bars are so much easier to make and serve than a full cheesecake (no water bath, yay!), and the vibrant raspberry swirls make these bars show-stoppingly stunning. Not to mention, they also help cover up any cracks!
I have included lots of tips and tricks to ensure perfect cheesecake bars below, so you’ll be sure to nail this recipe.
Perfect for spring or summertime gatherings, these Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars will be the prettiest dessert on any table. I promise you’ll want to make these for every summer BBQ, potluck, and block party.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
What Kind of Cream Cheese Should I Use for Cheesecake Bars?
- Use blocks of full-fat, high-quality cream cheese.
- Do not use reduced-fat cream cheese, or your cheesecake bars may be watery or rubbery.
- Opt for the best brand possible, as some generic brands have a high water content.
- Don’t use whipped cream cheese or cream cheese meant for spreading on a bagel.
What’s the Best Pan for Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars?
Use a light-colored 8 by 8-inch metal baking pan for these cheesecake bars, lined with parchment paper or foil, for best results. This is my favorite pan for any bar dessert recipe. If you only have a glass or ceramic pan, your cheesecake bars may take longer to bake. Learn more about Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here.
How to get Smooth and Creamy Cheesecake Bars:
- Be sure your cream cheese is COMPLETELY softened to room temperature.
- Make sure your eggs are also at room temperature.
- Beat the cream cheese very well, and beat well again once the sugar is added, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Once the eggs have been added, only beat until just combined to prevent your cheesecake bars from sinking or cracking.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl and paddle attachment often to prevent lumps or unincorporated ingredients.
How to Puree Raspberries
I recommend using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to puree your fresh raspberries. Take the time to push the puree through the fine mesh strainer very thoroughly, also scraping the underside of the strainer, for maximum raspberry flavor. If you lose too much of the raspberry puree, your bars won’t look as pretty and they won’t be as flavorful.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes! To make 32 cheesecake bars, double all ingredients and bake in a metal 9 by 13-inch baking pan, adding about 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
How to Store Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
Keep Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars inside an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. The longer the bars sit, the softer the crust will become.
Can You Freeze Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars?
Yes! These Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars freeze beautifully. Store the bars inside an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour or so before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 9 whole (138 grams) graham crackers
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the raspberry swirl:
- 6 ounces (170 grams) raspberries, fresh or thawed frozen
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
For the cheesecake:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) full-fat cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, from about 2 large lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch light-colored metal baking pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground. You should have about 1 cup crumbs.
- Add the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and fragrant. Let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the raspberry puree:
- In a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries until smooth. Use a spatula to press through a fine mesh strainer, discarding any seeds and pulp that remain. Scrape the underside of the strainer to get the maximum amount of puree. Stir in the sugar. Puree will have a thin consistency. Set aside.
Make the cheesecake:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy, for at least 1 minute. Add in the sugar and beat until totally combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. On medium-low speed, beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, and salt until just combined.
- Spread the mixture over the crust. Tap the cheesecake against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Dollop the batter with spoonfuls of the raspberry puree. Use a knife or skewer to make swirls.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until just set at the edges but ever so slightly jiggly in the middle, before turning off the oven and cracking open the oven door for 10 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Before serving, use the foil or parchment to remove the cheesecake from the pan and onto a work surface. Cut into 16 squares. Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
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Perfect! Love the refreshing combo of lemon and raspberry! These are so easy to make and absolutely delicious! Family and friend approved!!
Loved the recipe . Simple to make and the entire family loved it .
This was my first cheesecake to make, and it was much easier than I anticipated! My husband loves cheesecake and lemon, so I planned to make this for Father’s Day. He really enjoyed it and is ready for me to make another already! Lol.
My only issue was with the raspberries. I had a hard time pureeing them and could not properly separate the seeds. In the end, I used strawberry jelly that I had on hand instead.
Next time I am going to try this with blueberries. And my husband would like more lemon flavor. The lemon is noticeable, but faint. I will be doubling the lemon juice and adding zest on top.
I love cheescake, but it is a rich dessert! The raspberry and lemon flavors really brightened this up for summer! I cut it up into bit size pieces to take to a small group gathering. It didn’t last long! I even forgot to add the sugar to the raspberries (these things happen when a crying toddler is hanging on to your legs), and it still turned out wonderfully 🙂
Really good recipe!!! It´s so yummy.
Really great taste! I didn’t bother straining the seeds from the raspberries and I love the crunchy feel.
Not the best cheesecake I’ve made but it was very aesthetic, very simple to make, and others enjoyed it!
There use to be the most delicious pastry shop in where I live sadly it closed but they made blueberry and raspberry cheesecake bars that
my husband was in love with needless to say he was devastated when it closed.
When I saw this recipe I thought oh my I wonder if this recipe will be as wonderful as the pastry shop. Let me tell you they are just as good if not BETTER My husband loves them. Everyone I’ve shared these with rave about them. Thank you Tessa!
P.S. I’ve made them 3 times already!
Made his first or a few a celebration work. All my coworkers loved it!
Fantastic recipe. Brought it for a bunch of coworkers – all female – and they couldn’t a stop raving about them.
Fantastic recipe! So easy and tastes amazing! I took them to work and I think they were gone in less than 5 minutes. I’ll definitely be making them again!!
I love how these bars look. I loved how they turned out but just find the raspberry flavor is lacking. Might just need to add more raspberries the next time. They sliced beautifully and were very creamy. Would be great on any pastry tray.