Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These bars start with the base of a simple shortbread crust and it's topped with a lemon-y cheesecake layer with dollops of a fresh homemade strawberry sauce that are swirled around creating a pretty pattern of red and yellow! As far as baking goes, these cheesecake bars are easy to make so even if you don't do a lot of baking they will turn out great! The fresh summer-y strawberry and lemon flavour combination is absolutely amazing and these strawberry lemon cheesecake bars are the perfect way to celebrate summer!

Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Creamy lemon cheesecake bars with strawberry swirls!

ingredients

FOR THE LEMON SHORTBREAD LAYER:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SAUCE:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

FOR THE LEMON CHEESECAKE LAYER:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

directions

FOR THE LEMON SHORTBREAD LAYER:

1. Mix the flour, butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt and press into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven until lightly golden brown on top, about 15-20 minutes, before setting aside to cool.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SAUCE:

3. Simmer everything in a small sauce pan until until the sauce thickens a bit, about 10-15 minutes before pureeing in a food processor or blender.

FOR THE LEMON CHEESECAKE LAYER:

4. Beat the cream cheese until smooth before beating in the eggs followed by the sugar, lemon zest and vanilla.
5. Pour the cheesecake onto the shortbread layer in the baking pan, dollop on a few spoonfuls of the strawberry sauce and swirl it around with a knife to create a nice pattern.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until set (the centre should only wiggle a bit when you shake the pan a lightly), about 25-35 minutes, before removing from oven and letting cool. (Optionally let chill in the fridge overnight.)

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