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These lemon cheesecake bars are dense, rich, creamy, and full of bright and tangy fresh lemon flavor! They’re easy to make and the perfect sweet treat for spring and summer!
If you love cheesecake bars, then you have to try these strawberry Greek yogurt cheesecake bars!

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Why you’ll love them
Easy to make – Unlike traditional New York style cheesecake, these cheesecake bars are fuss-free. There’s no water bath to deal with and the dreaded cracks won’t be an issue.
Cottage cheese – Cottage cheese has made a huge comeback in the past year. It’s a great way to add protein to your diet, can be low in calories and contains nutrients such as calcium, vitamin A, and B vitamins.
If you’re looking for a way to boost the protein in cheesecake, add a container of cottage cheese in place of some of the cream cheese. After being puréed in the food processor it’s completely smooth and creamy, so the “curd” texture won’t be an issue.
Healthier dessert – If you’re looking for a healthier cheesecake recipe, then you’ve come to the right place. These healthier cheesecake bars have 10 grams of protein per serving, thanks to the cottage cheese and cream cheese filling. You can use low fat or full fat ingredients for the filling, but skip the fat-free. They also have a modest amount of sugar in them as far as desserts go.
Portable – Cheesecake bars are a great option if you need to take a dessert to a party, potluck or family gathering. It’s as easy as taking a pan of brownies.
Lemon cheesecake – Lemon is an exceptional flavor for cheesecake in my opinion. It’s bright, tart, fresh flavor balances out the sweetness of the cheesecake. Top the cheesecake bars with a drizzle of lemon curd to drive home the lemon flavor!
The ingredients
- Graham crackers – Regular or gluten-free honey graham crackers are best for this crust.
- Butter – Melted butter is used to bind the crust together and give it a buttery flavor.
- Granulated sugar – The sweetener for the crust and cheesecake filling.
- Cream cheese – Low fat (Neufchâtel) cream cheese or full fat can be used.
- Cottage cheese – Cottage cheese is fresh cheese with a mild flavor, available in a variety of curd sizes and milk fat percentages. For this recipe, you’ll want to use low fat or full fat.
- Eggs – Eggs help bind the cheesecake filling together and give it sturdiness.
- Lemon – Use both the zest and juice of a lemon for the best lemon flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Use vanilla bean paste for a richer vanilla flavor.
- Flour – Thickens the cheesecake filling.
- Lemon curd – Store-bought or homemade lemon curd drizzled on top of the bars drives home that sweet, tart lemon flavor. Optional, but highly recommend using it!
How to make lemon cheesecake bars
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×9 square baking pan with cooking oil.
Use a food processor to grind the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy.
Dump the crust mixture into the baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to firmly pack down the crust.
Bake for 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you make the filling.
Rinse the bowl of the food processor and wipe it dry. Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, eggs, and flour to the bowl. Purée until smooth scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the filling onto the crust and smooth it out into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center still slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
Cover the bars with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Before serving drizzle with lemon curd if desired.
Tips and tricks for the best cheesecake bars
- Don’t use fat-free ingredients. The filling will likely be rubbery and lacking in flavor. Also, the taste won’t be as rich, and the texture won’t be as creamy. Low fat or full fat yield the best results, depending on your preference.
- Make sure the cheesecake filling ingredients are at room temperature. This will ensure that they combine thoroughly and result in a smooth and creamy filling.
- Use a measuring cup or a glass to tamp down the crust into the pan. This will ensure that the crust doesn’t crumble and fall apart.
- Use a food processor for the most consistent and smooth crust and filling.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor to prevent lumps in the filling.
- Chill for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best.
- Don’t overbake the cheesecake bars or they may crack on top and be dry.
What brand of cottage cheese is best?
I’ve tried many brands of cottage cheese over the years and the best tasting, creamiest, and perfect curd size, I highly recommend Good Culture. It’s what I used in this cheesecake recipe and is what will give you the best results.
Leftovers and storage
Storage – Cheesecake bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing – Cheesecake bars can be frozen! Freeze the bars in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a couple hours.
If you plan to freeze the cheesecake, don’t drizzle with the lemon curd. Wait to add it when you’re ready to serve and eat the bars.
More lemon desserts
- Mini Lemon Cream Pies
- Lemon Pudding Cakes
- Lemon Curd and Vanilla Cheesecake Parfaits
- Lemon Yogurt Cake
- Berry Lemon Whipped Yogurt Parfaits
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 6 graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Lemon Cheesecake
- 8 ounces low fat cream cheese room temperature
- 16 ounces low fat cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×9 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Add the graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until they're fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter and sugar and pulse until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy.
- Dump the mixture into the baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to firmly pack down the crust. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
- Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and add all of the cheesecake ingredients. Purée until smooth scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pour the filling onto the crust and smooth it out into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center still slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Before serving drizzle with lemon curd, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe
My husband hates cottage cheese (texture, flavor, everything). Obviously the texture wouldnโt be an issue here, but the flavor might. Would I be able to just substitute 16 oz of cream cheese for the 16 oz of cottage cheese? I know this would change the nutritional info, but as far as the recipe, would it work with all cream cheese?
Yes it will work with all cream cheese, but I recommend trying the recipe the way it’s written. The texture and flavor of the cottage cheese is undetectable.