Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert Bars

 

These are a quick way to make small servings of a delicious cheesecake which I especially like to have on hand in the freezer during the holiday season. I either pre-cut them into bars and freeze them in airtight containers with each one nestled inside a paper muffin tin liner to easily pluck out as many as you need to thaw at a time. I also freeze an entire batch, uncut, in case I need larger servings to serve as a decadent dessert for unexpected dinner guests. Either way you will always be prepared to serve something utterly delicious to family or guests.

Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix together:

 

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

3 tbsp sugar

 

Press firmly into the bottom of the parchment lined baking pan. Set aside.

Beat together until smooth:

8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat in  for about a minute

1 egg

Then blend in until smooth,

1/3 cup whipping cream

Stir in:

 

zest of one lemon, finely minced

Pour over the prepared crust. Sprinkle:

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries evenly over the cheesecake layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 300 degrees F until the center sets.

To ensure even baking you can place the baking pan into a larger baking pan and fill half way up with boiling water. This may slow down the cooking process and require a  little extra baking time but the cheesecake will bake more evenly from the edges to the center.

Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving. Store in the refrigerator or freeze until needed.

I either pre-cut them into bars and freeze them in airtight containers with each one nestled inside a paper muffin tin liner to easily pluck out as many as you need to thaw at a time. I also freeze an entire batch, uncut, in case I need larger servings to serve as a decadent dessert for unexpected dinner guests.