I absolutely love blueberry cheesecake and order this dessert whenever I see it on a menu. Today’s Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars are the easiest way to combine the two flavors because you use blueberry jam as the swirl! Just dollop the jam on the top of the filling and swirl it in with a knife. Great flavor all year long!
Cheesecake bars are also easier than a regular cheesecake because you don’t have to deal with a water bath and trying to keep the water out of your springform pan!
Using a measuring cup to compact the graham cracker crust
I baked mine in an 8-inch square pan and it wound up thicker and heavier than it would have been in a 9-inch square that I call for in the recipe directions. I had to cook it longer so be sure to use the right size pan!
While a food processor is the easiest way to make graham cracker crumbs for the crust, if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Break up the whole crackers with your hands and place them in a plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to crush the crackers by rolling over them repeatedly until finely ground. If you are not following a gluten-free diet, you can buy pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs in the same aisle you find the crackers.
Swirls of blueberry jam in the cheesecake filling before baking
If you’re like me and always forget to pull the eggs out early to warm up, you can easily remedy that. Fill a deep bowl with hot water and submerge the whole eggs (in their shells) in the water and leave them to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. They will be warm enough to easily blend with the cream cheese for the filling.
If your recipe calls for adding multiple eggs one at a time, the easiest way to do that is to crack the eggs into a measuring cup with a spout and pour in one yolk (and accompanying whites) to your mixing bowl one at a time. Be sure to mix just long enough for each egg to be fully incorporated before adding the next one.
You should use an electric mixer to make the filling to get the smoothest, creamiest texture. Just mix on low speed so you don’t beat too much air into the cheesecake mixture.
Make sure you plan ahead and leave enough time for these bars to fully chill in the refrigerator so they are easy to lift out of the baking dish and cut into squares for serving. Make them a day ahead and you can rest easy knowing that your delicious dessert is already done!
Make these Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars any time you want a special treat for your friends and family or if you have someone coming over for dinner. They are the perfect ending to any meal, rich and so satisfying.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars:
- Crust: Gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, butter
- Cheesecake: cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, eggs
- Lemon zest, blueberry jam, fresh blueberries (optional)
PRO Tip:
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer makes this recipe very easy to prepare, just use it on low speed so you don’t beat too much air in the filling.
PRO Tip:
Plan ahead because this dessert, like any cheesecake, takes hours to chill before it is ready to serve. Make it a day ahead and relax while you’re making dinner knowing dessert is ready to go!
How to make Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars:
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with a sheet of parchment and butter the parchment. Butter the exposed sides of the pan and set aside.
- The Crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Use a fork, stirring until all the crumbs are moistened. Transfer to the lined baking pan and press onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to easily compact the crumb crust.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 12 minutes, then set aside to cool while you make the filling.
- The Filling: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer, creaming on medium-low speed for 4 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing well on low speed.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Once fully incorporated mix in the lemon zest. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure everything is evenly blended and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour over the cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Add dollops of the jam all over the top and swirl it into the cheesecake filling with a knife or the tip of an offset spatula. Sprinkle the top with fresh blueberries if desired, or save and use them for decorating after baking.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until the edges are light brown and the center is set with just a little jiggle.
- Set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and place in the refrigerator and chill at least 6 hours. The cake will firm up as it chills. Bring out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Cut into squares and serve garnished with additional blueberries if desired.
- Store leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
PRO Tip:
The quickest and easiest way to add multiple eggs one at a time to a recipe is to crack them all into a cup and then pour out one yolk at a time.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Food processor
- Grater/zester
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- 9×9-inch square baking pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
Gluten-Free Tips:
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars (Gluten Free)
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars are the easiest way to combine fruit flavor with your cheesecake because you use jam to add the fruit! Just dollop the jam on the top of the filling and swirl it in with a knife, then bake and chill. You will have dessert ready ahead with very little effort!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1-1/2 cups (195g) gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp (24g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (leave out if using salted butter)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 3 (8-oz packages; 681g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large (150g) eggs, at room temperature *
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup (170g) blueberry jam **, well stirred (thin with a little water if needed for a thick pouring consistency)
- 1/4 cup (59ml) fresh blueberries, optional
Instructions
- For the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and butter and line a9x9-inch (23x23cm) square baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper and then butter the parchment. Leave the two ends of the parchment extended beyond the edges of the pan. This creates a sling you can use to lift the bars out of the pan. Be sure any exposed sides of the pan are well buttered. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using a fork, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, salt, and melted butter. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and pack it tightly into the bottom of the pan and going up the sides. It helps to use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crumbs.
- Bake the crust for 12 minutes and then set it aside to cool while you make the filling.
- For the Filling: Place the cream cheese and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand mixer. Cream them together on medium-low speed for 4 minutes. Next, add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix well on low speed to combine.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing fully on low speed after each one. Once all of the eggs have been incorporated, mix in the lemon zest. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and fold the batter a few times to make sure everything is evenly incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the mixture over the cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Then, after stirring well and adding a little water if needed to get a pouring consistency, add the blueberry jam in small dollops all over the top and swirl it into the cheesecake batter using an offset spatula or knife. Sprinkle the top with the 1/4 cup fresh blueberries or you can save them and use as decoration after baking.
- Bake the cheesecake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the edges are light brown and the center is set with just a little jiggle.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool on a wire rack until it is room temperature then cover and transfer it to the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours before slicing. Bring out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Cut into squares and serve garnished with fresh blueberries if desired.
- Store any leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
*To quickly warm the eggs for this recipe, place them (in their shells) in a bowl of hot water to cover. Leave to sit about 10 minutes to warm up. Remove from the water and pat dry with a towel. The eggs are now ready to add to the cream cheese filling.
**Any favorite jam flavor can be used in place of the blueberry jam; plum, cherry, apricot, etc. would all be delicious. Use fresh fruit for garnishing if available.
Adapted from a recipe on What the Fork food blog
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 66Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 93mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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