Skinny Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
These skinny lemon blueberry cheesecake bars are lightened up using greek yogurt and less sugar. Perfect for when you’re craving something sweet, but want something a little lighter!
One of the most popular recipes on my blog are these lemon raspberry cheesecake squares and for good reason! They’re insanely delicious and one of my favorite recipes as well. I think it’s safe to say that a lot of people love the combination of lemons and berries.
I’ve had a lemon blueberry cheesecake recipe on my mind for a while now, but I wanted to change it up a little. So, instead of the usual cheesecake recipe I decided to try to lighten it up a bit. You know, because summer is just around the corner and lighter desserts are always welcome in my home.
I have experience with making cheesecakes, but never a lighter version. After doing a quick search, I came across these Skinny Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars from Sally’s Baking Addiction and changed it up a little.
Now, these lemon blueberry bars aren’t exactly health food, but they are much better for you than your average cheesecake recipe. Although these bars are lighter, they are still incredibly rich and they taste delicious.
These would be great to bring as a lighter dessert option to a party. I can guarantee that no one will know they’re lighter either!
Ingredients in This Recipe
This healthy lemon dessert comes together with minimal ingredients. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Graham crackers: Are crushed and then mixed with melted coconut oil to make the crust.
- Coconut oil: I love to use coconut oil whenever possible, but if you don’t have any coconut oil on hand then butter will also work just fine.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to use reduced fat cream cheese, not fat free.
- Plain Greek yogurt: I used 2% plain Greek yogurt in these bars to make them a little richer, but 0% will also work as well.
- Granulated sugar: These bars still have sugar in them, but we’re cutting it down to only 1/3 cup for the entire batch!
- Lemon: Lemon juice and lemon zest flavor the cheesecake filling.
- Vanilla extract: I prefer using pure vanilla extract whenever possible.
- Flour: Just a few tablespoons is all that’s needed to help thicken and stabilize the filling.
- Egg whites: Save the yolks for your morning omelette!
- Fresh blueberries: I’ve only made this recipe using fresh berries and can’t speak to whether or not frozen berries would work.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
For this healthy summer dessert, you’ll first have to make the graham cracker crust. It’s a simple mixture of graham cracker crumbs and melted coconut oil that gets pressed into the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish.
Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, or until it’s just set. Meanwhile, make the filling.
For the cheesecake filling, beat together the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Add the sugar, followed by the lemon juice and zest, vanilla, flour, and egg whites. Gently fold the blueberries in last.
Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and return the bars to the oven. Once baked, let the bars cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate them for at least three hours before serving.
Can I Use Other Berries in the Filling?
Of course! Swap out the blueberries with any fresh berry you’d like. If using strawberries, dice them finely before mixing into the batter.
Baking Tips
- You can easily double this recipe by doubling the ingredients list and baking the bars in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Make sure to use brick-style cream cheese in this recipe, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
- These bars freeze well for up to 3 months, just thaw them overnight in the fridge for a sweet treat.
More Blueberry Desserts to Try!
- Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts
- Blueberry Lemon Bread with Lemon Glaze
- Mini Blueberry Lemon Cheesecakes
- Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
Skinny Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 5 full-sheet graham crackers (about 3/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or melted butter)
Filling:
- 1 8 ounce package reduced fat cream cheese , softened (do not use fat free)
- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I used 2%)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (OR all purpose flour)
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving some overhang on the sides, and set aside.
- Using a food processor, process the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs. Add in the melted coconut oil and pulse until well combined.
- Scoop the graham cracker mixture into the prepared baking pan and press down. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the filling:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and greek yogurt until smooth.
- Beat in the sugar and mix until well combined. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, flour, and egg whites one at a time and mix until fully combined.
- Gently fold the blueberries into the cheesecake mixture.
- Pour the filling over the crust and return to the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Transfer to the refrigerator and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before slicing.
I’m on a 1200 calorie a day diet and I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! The hardest part of dieting is going to someone’s house for dinner. I now have the perfect dessert to bring! Question… have you ever tried using Erythritol to replace the sugar? I use it in my coffee and it’s the only sugar-alternative I’ve found that tastes good and isn’t full of chemicals. I was going to try it in this recipe to eliminate the sugar calories.
Hi, Lyssa! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the bars! As for a sugar substitute in these bars, I haven’t personally tried it yet so I’m not quite sure how it would turn out. If you do give it a try, I’d love to hear how they turn out though!
Hi. Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Hi, Karissa! I haven’t tried frozen blueberries in these bars yet, but I think it would be okay.
I made these for my family’s memorial day picnic and they were a HUGE hit! I made one regular batch and a other batch gluten free, and they both were devoured! They are so delicious and definitely satisfying! I’m planning on making them again for 4th of July, but I want to try making them in mini cupcake pans. I’m also thinking of adding strawberries so they are red, white, and blue.
Thanks so much for the great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the bars, Ashley! I think these would be so cute in mini form! I definitely need to give that a try next time I make a batch 🙂
I’m making these for 4th of July this year, yayyyy!! 🙂 Can this recipe be doubled in a 9×13 pan?
I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it will work! You will need to increase the baking time for the cheesecake, I’m just unsure of how long. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you give it a try! 🙂
This recipe looks great! I love the combo of lemon and blueberry. Do you know how these bars freeze? I would love to make some and then save them in the freezer!
Hi Michelle! Yes, I froze these and they do freeze really well. You can thaw them out in the refrigerator. I’ll get the recipe updated to include that as well 🙂
Would using a cream cheese alternative like Neufchatel work okay? Tastes the same.
Hi Rochelle, that will work just fine! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
I used the neufchatel cheese and it tastes amazing.
Family favorite.
So glad to hear your family loves the cheesecake bars, Rochelle!
I didn’t notice the servicing size or calorie count. Could you advise what they are? Sorry if I missed it. Thank you much.
Hi Sheryl, I usually cut these into 12 bars. I also don’t calculate calorie count for recipes on my blog anymore, but there are plenty of websites that you can plug the ingredients into and get that information. MyFitnessPal is a great one! Hope that helps 🙂
These were actually quite nice and went over really well. The cheesecake was nice and light because of the greek yogurt and most people seemed to prefer that in the summer over the typical rich and heavy cheesecake. I did add extra lemon zest since I love a lemon taste. I also used pre-crumbed gram crackers (1 1/4 cup to 1/4 cup butter).
I’m already planning on making these again.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Brittany! I love lemon too, so adding extra is always a great idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These look amazing!
Do you have an equivalent measurement of graham cracker crumbs instead of whole crackers?
Hi Mary Ellen! It comes out to about 3/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs.
These cheescake bars look amazing! I love that you lightened them up. Now I won’t feel as guilty for eating two!
My stomach seriously just growled. These look amazing! Love that they are lightened up with my favorite ingredient ever (greek yogurt, that stuff is just magical), and the blueberries + lemon is a match made in heaven!
Greek yogurt is definitely magical and awesome when it comes to baking. Thanks, Denise!
These are beautiful and look so delicious! Pinned!
These look gorgeous! Love the combination of lemons and berries, yum! Pinning!
These look so good and beautiful! I love the blueberries. Yum! I wish I could have some of these right now. Of course with some coffee. 😉
You must have read my mind! I’ve been wanting to make something exactly like this! I guess I better get on that now!
You should definitely give them a try if you get a chance, Amber!
These are so gorgeous! I love those fat, juicy fresh blueberries. And of course I love that they are skinny because that just means I can eat more 😉
Blueberries are my favorite fruit to bake with! These bars look so good and I love that they are lightened up!
Cheesecake is seriously one of my favorite desserts, but I never eat it because I can never just have one piece and I know I will want to! So, I really love this lightened up version you made, Danielle! I’m also in the majority that loves lemon and fruit together, so these are awesome!
Same here, Izzy! Cheesecake is kind of my weakness 😉
These bars look heavenly! And love how healthy they are. I can eat these guilt free. Just beautiful Danielle!
Could these be any prettier!! Man, I’ve had cheesecake on the brain forever. This isn’t helping, lol!!
Skinny cheesecake is my favorite thing. Love a good no-guilt treat!
For me, lightened up means I get to eat 3 or 4 squares. That’s totally normal, right? Ha ha. These look FAB! XO
It definitely means you can eat more, at least for me haha! Thanks, Liz!
These bars look like they hit the spot! I love that you cut down on the sugar too! I’m sure no one could ever tell. And good advice on not using fat free cream cheese, it sounds like a good idea but never works! Low-fat works great though. Happy Friday 🙂
Thanks, Katie! And yes, fat free cream cheese = no good. Reduced fat is so much better!
These bars are gorgeous, Danielle! Blueberry and lemon is one of my favorite combos. Love that you lightened them up too, they sound perfect!
Okay, when I saw these on Instagram earlier I had to stop myself from licking my phone. True story!
These look heavenly Danielle! I want to eat the entire batch…does that mean they are still considered skinny? 😉
Pinned!
This made me laugh, Mariah! Thanks so much 🙂
Oh I am loving these bars!! They look so good and so perfect for Spring!
I love Sally’s skinny chocolate chip bars, so I’m sure to be a fan of these. They look absolutely delicious. And I’m a huge fan of lemon!
Thanks, Mir! Her chocolate chip bars are on my list to make next!
I love that you can freeze these! And cutting down the sugar and using greek yogurt with reduced fat cream cheese is a great idea for making these “skinny”. I can definitely see how they will still be full of flavor. I just adore greek yogurt, too. This sounds delicious (and perfect for Mother’s day!). Great recipe!
I have a HUGE obsession with blueberry cheesecake and I love that you put it in an easy, fuss-free bar form! These look so decadent and I’m loving the fact that they’re on the lighter side! Pretty photos too, Danielle! Pinned. 🙂
Thanks for the compliments on the pictures, Sarah! I really appreciate that 🙂
Oh I love the looks of these bars, Danielle! And I love the Greek yogurt in here. I always try to sneak it in whenever I can, so it sounds perfect in this cheesecake. And the lemon and blueberry combo sounds so delicious for spring! Now I want this for breakfast! 🙂
These are totally acceptable for breakfast, Gayle! 😉