Indulge in these creamy, rich blueberry cheesecake bars, perfect for parties and gatherings. They are a must-make for cheesecake lovers, with amazingly luscious filling and dollops of homemade sweet and tart blueberry topping. Plus, they are easier to make and serve!
★★★★★
Amazing recipe. Thank you. Made it for my mum's birthday. She rarely raves but she said I should start selling. 😊
- Krish
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Why This Recipe Works
Creamy cheesecake-This blueberry cheesecake recipe gives you a New York cheesecake style that's rich, dense, and creamy, like my double chocolate cheesecake. These fantastic bars are topped with tangy and sweet blueberry jam dollops, and each bite delivers an incredible taste of decadent dessert!
Foolproof recipe-This is an easy, straightforward recipe you can't get wrong even if you want to. It's like my no water bath New York cheesecake but even easier, just like my pecan pie cheesecake bars. Many have made it and were totally in love with it!
Versatile-Personalize these blueberry swirl cheesecake bars to your taste! Change the base, swap the fruits, and get creative. I've written variations of this recipe below!
Ingredients For This Recipe
Digestive biscuits-They give the base a sweet, buttery, and salty mix. Digestive biscuits are commonly used as a cheesecake base in Europe, as I've been using them in almost all of my cheesecake recipe.
Desiccated coconut-Blueberry pairs wonderfully with coconut and, of course, lemon. I love the coconut undertones in the base, combined with zesty lemon-it's incredibly delicious! If you're not into coconut, replace it with additional biscuit crumbs.
Cream cheese-For the best results in these blueberry cheesecake bars, use full-fat, plain cream cheese that comes in bricks or tubs, depending on where you are. Whipped or spreadable cream cheese is not suitable. Alternatively, you can use mascarpone.
Sour cream-It helps make this blueberry swirl cheesecake creamier while adding a touch of tanginess. Use full-fat. Alternatively, you can use full-fat plain Greek yogurt. It helps make cakes soft and moist, like my lemon almond cake.
All-purpose flour-It helps prevent cracks on cheesecakes, like we did in our amazing eggnog cheesecake. Just a bit goes a long way. Cornstarch works amazingly, also.
Blueberry-I love using fresh blueberries, like in my delicious lemon blueberry cake, but frozen ones also work well.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations For This Recipe
Get creative with the base-Use your favorite biscuits or crackers! I recommend finding mild-flavored ones so they don't compete with the delicate flavor of the filling. Oatmeal, lemon, or Marie biscuits, for example. Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds with the crumbs for a nuttier flavor!
Swap the blueberry-Use other berries like blackberry, raspberry, or strawberry! Although I haven't tried them, other fruits like apples, pears, pineapples, and peaches are also doable. The jam will have more noticeable fruit chunks, but the cheesecake will be fabulous!
A baker's best friend!
Kitchen scale
It gives accurate measurements for your ingredients! Better than measuring cups, it is highly recommended, as baking is a science!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the crumbs. Add biscuit crumbs, desiccated coconut, and butter to a bowl. Mix well using a spatula.
Step 2: Bake. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes at 350ºF (175ºC). Cool completely. Set the oven temperature to 285ºF (140ºC).
Step 3: Make the blueberry jam. Add blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small pot. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press the blueberries with the back of a spatula so you don't end up with big fruit pieces. Cool completely.
Step 4: Beat the cream cheese. Whisk cream cheese using a handled mixer at the lowest speed for one minute until it is just creamy.
Step 5: Add the rest of the ingredients. Add sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, all-purpose flour, and salt, and mix for 1-2 minutes until well combined.
Step 6: Add in the eggs. In another bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add them to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold everything using a spatula.
Step 7: Bake. Pour the filling into the pan and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Spoon dollops of blueberry jam on top and create swirls using a toothpick. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the edges are set, and the center slightly wiggles when shaken.
Step 8: Chill. Let it cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours. Then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving. Enjoy your blueberry cheesecake bars!
Recipe Expert Tips
If you're going to make this blueberry cheesecake bar recipe, make sure to follow these top tips!
- Use ingredients at room temperature. This is important so they mix better with each other.
- Don't overmix the eggs and filling mixture. This prevents air from being incorporated, reducing the likelihood of cracked cheesecakes. Use the mixer on the lowest speed, and remember to occasionally scrape the bowl's sides for better mixing.
- Bake at low temperature. This will bake our blueberry cheesecake bars more gently, even without using the water bath method, and prevent it from cracking. Make sure to use the accurate oven temperature. I use a portable oven thermometer every time I bake.
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How To Serve, Store, And Freeze
Serve-The blueberry cheesecake bars are easier to work with when they're cold from the fridge because they're sturdier. We prefer to remove them from the pan, place them on a serving plate, and slice them into portions 15-30 minutes before serving. Serving the cheesecake cold from the fridge may give the impression that it's not creamy, so allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving to fully enjoy its creaminess.
Store-This fantastic blueberry swirl cheesecake can last up to 5 days in an air-tight container in the fridge. As the days pass, the base will naturally absorb humidity from the filling and become soft. However, rest assured that the whole cheesecake will still taste amazing!
Freeze-It's a good idea to freeze them in portions so you can easily grab the amount you need. Here's how to do it: slice the cheesecake and place the slices on a parchment paper, making sure there's some space between them. Fast-freeze them for 1 hour. Then, wrap each slice with cling film and place them in an airtight container. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you want to enjoy a slice (or two!), just thaw it in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Why: The base is made of biscuits, which will absorb moisture from the filling over time, making it soggy. I've never experienced unbearable sogginess in our house, as the cheesecake either finishes within two days or I freeze the leftovers immediately.
How to fix it: I've improved this recipe by blind-baking the base for 10 minutes to remove moisture. You can also brush the cooled base with egg wash and bake for another 5 minutes. Adding ground nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the crumbs makes the base crispier.
Although I haven't tried it, I think it's doable. If the jam is too thick, loosen it up a bit with some water to the consistency of the jam in the video shown below.
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries for these blueberry cheesecake bars! You might need to cook them a few minutes longer, that's all.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Did you try these Blueberry Cheesecake Bars?
Please leave us ★★★★★ ratings and feedback below in the comment section. We'd love to know how it went, what you liked, or if there's anything we can improve. Share and tag us on Instagram; we'd like to see your creation.
Thank you! -Bea and Marco
Watch How To Make It
📖 Recipe
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Blueberry Jam
- 1 cup (150 g) blueberry
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice , add less if you prefer it milder
Base
- 1 ½ cup (150 g) digestive biscuits crumbs
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- zest of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup (80 g) unsalted butter , melted
Filling
- 16 oz (450 g) full fat cream cheese , room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (340 g) sour cream , room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 3 tablespoon (24 g) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) without the fan, and set the rack to the middle-lower position. Line a 9-inch (23cm) square pan with parchment paper.
The Base
- Add biscuit crumbs, desiccated coconut, and butter in a bowl. Mix well using a spatula. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before continuing. Meanwhile, set the oven temperature to 285ºF (140ºC).
Blueberry Jam
- While the base is cooling, make the jam. Add blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot. Bring it to a gentle boil, and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the blueberries start to break down, press them with the back of a spatula so you don't end up with big fruit pieces. Cool completely before using.
Filling
- Use the lowest speed on a mixer for this process and scrape the sides of the bowl now and then for better mixing. Add the cream cheese to a bowl and whisk for one minute until creamy. Add sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, all-purpose flour and mix for another 1-2 minutes.
- In another bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add them to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold everything together.
Bake
- Pour the filling into the pan and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Spoon dollops of blueberry jam on top and create swirls using a toothpick. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the edges are set, and the center wiggles when lightly shaking the pan.
- Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours to enhance flavor and achieve a creamier texture. Bring it to room temperature 15-30 minutes before serving. Enjoy your blueberry cheesecake!
Notes
- Use ingredients at room temperature. This is important so they mix better with each other.
- Don't overmix the eggs and filling mixture. This prevents air from being incorporated, reducing the likelihood of cracked cheesecakes. Use the mixer on the lowest speed, and remember to occasionally scrape the bowl's sides for better mixing.
- Bake at low temperature. This will bake our blueberry cheesecake bars more gently, even without using the water bath method, and prevent it from cracking. Make sure to use the accurate oven temperature. I use a portable oven thermometer every time I bake.
- Substitute desiccated coconut for an additional ½ cup (50g) of biscuit crumbs, if preferred.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
E says
Could I check if this can be made into mini cheesecake cups in cupcake liners instead of bars?
Bea & Marco says
Yes, that works great! Just bake them until the edges are set and the center still has a little wiggle. They’ll finish setting as they cool, just like the bar version.
Maeve says
I made it for the first time and it was a hit. I added lesser sugar to suit my family's taste but all in all it was really good- creamy, tangy (bec. I added more blueberry swirls) and just delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Bea & Marco says
Yay, we're so glad it was a hit! Your tweaks sound perfect! Extra blueberry swirl never hurts, right 😍? Thanks for sharing back with us!
Carol says
Hi, guys!
I wanted to thank for this recipe. It was easy and I've never baked a cheesecake before. LOL!
The kids loved it. We all did!!!
Bea & Marco says
We're happy to hear that, Carol! Yes, this cheesecake bars are so easy to make, as other cheesecake recipes we have here. Thank you for leaving your feedback!
Prem says
Hi Bea,
Would love to make this using raspberry...will it be too watery or do i change anything...
Love from
Prem
Bea & Marco says
Hi Prem! Yes, you can use raspberry, no problem. Hope it helps!
Tina Spence says
Super easy to make..absolutely delis ious. I used a 9 x 13 pan. For a thinner square. Worked awesome.
Bea says
Yay! I'm happy to know you liked them, thanks for stopping by 🙂
Sue Balshaw says
Thankyou for recipie made it delicious, hard to stop at one slice.
Joy says
I will try to bake this today and will let you know how it turns. It is look yummy so am sure this is very good recipe.
Bea says
Thank you, Joy! Hope you'll like it as much as we do!
Ashley says
They turned out great. I used extra biscuits for the base instead of coconut. My base was a little thinner than the bars pictured but, I think it was the size of my pan too. I agree with other comments about the strong lemon flavor. It slightly overpowers the blueberry flavor. Next time, I'll add it to either the coulis OR the cheesecake mix. Overall, very yummy and rich!
Bea says
Hi Ashley! Happy that you gave it a go and liked it. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Joyce says
Hi. I am not a fan of coconut of any kind. Can I omit this from the recipe.
Bea says
Hi Joyce! Yes, you can. Just add another 1/2 cup of biscuit crumbs (50 g) instead. Hope it helps!
Francine says
Hi! My cheesecake was a hit! Everyone loves it. It's velvety and I love the combination of digestive biscuit and coconut. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Francine says
What would be the baking time and temperature if my oven is fan assisted? Thank you.
Bea says
Reduce the temperature by 30 degree (using portable oven thermometer helps, I use it also). See step number 8 to look for the sign that it's cooked. Hope it helps!
Dan says
Hello! Can this recipe be made in a 9-icnh cake pan without any adjustments? Also, is there a reason why there's only 450 grams of cream cheese here? Most recipes I've seen suggest using around 900 grams with all the other ingredients being pretty much the same as they are in your recipe. But maybe that's because I've been making cakes instead of cheesecake bars.
Bea says
Hi Dan! 9 inch round cake pan has less volume than 9 inch square pan, so depending on the height of your pan, you might have extra filling. As for the amount of cream cheese, I can't say about other people's recipes but I love to combine the cream cheese with sour cream/greek yogurt for the texture and flavour. And also, bars tend to be shorter in height than cakes, so less ingredients in general. Hope it helps!
Dan says
Thanks for the quick reply! I'll check how your recipe works out with a cake pan and report back then.
Dan says
Alright, so I did make this recipe in a 9-inch cake pan with several adjustments. First, I used 800 grams of cream cheese instead of 450 purely because I had that much lying around in the fridge. I've added roughly the same amount of sour cream, so I imagine the texture of my cheesecake was different from the recipe. Though I still found it smooth and delicious.
I didn't change any of the other proportions, which turned out to be a problem when it came to the biscuit base. It was a bit too thick for my taste--probably because the cake pan doesn't have as much room as a square pan. I'd advice to cut down the amount of ingredients for the base by 30% or so if you're using a cake pan. The coconut/lemon zest didn't do much for me here, and I much prefer a regular biscuit base. However, another person loved the coconut addition, and another was indifferent, so I'll leave this up to personal taste.
Another personal taste thing is the lemon juice. I liked how it tasted in the blueberry coulis, but it was a bit of an overkill when I added 1,5 tbsp to the filling. Still, another person was satisfied with the lemony taste, so I'll chalk this up to a matter of personal preference.
Overall, I loved the recipe, and I found the blueberry coulis to be a great addition to the regular cheesecake formula. Hopefully, Bea will forgive me for straying away from the recipe and experimenting a bit!
Bea says
Hi Dan! Yeay you made it 🙌! Well for me cooking and baking is always an expression of personal art or creativity. That's the fun of it, right? I'm glad that you did it your own way with the guidance of this recipe (no apology needed!). I'm always encouraging my readers to adjust to their likings, where it makes sense, I mean. Thank you for giving this recipe a try and leaving your feedback. Do check around for more cheesecake recipes here. Have a nice day ahead!
Dan says
Just realized I forgot to rate the recipe, so hopefully commenting to add a rating won't be considered too too spammy. And thanks, Bea, will definitely check out other recipes on the site!
Bea says
Sorry for the late reply. And no, there's no such thing as spamming when rating a recipe. Thank you so much Dan! 😊