Blueberry Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars
With a flaky cinnamon crust, creamy cheesecake filling and loaded with fresh blueberries, these cheesecake bars are simply delightful.
The arrival of spring brings new blossoms and bountiful fresh fruit—stone fruit and berries line the shelves at our local grocery stores, and trucks cart our favorite fruit into our local farmers markets. With this in mind, I wanted to create the perfect nod to spring—in dessert form. Enter these incredibly creamy and delicious Blueberry Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars. They are simple to make, and even better, the perfect way to up ones baking game this Spring season.
What Makes These Cheesecake Bars Special?
A few things, starting with the crust, which calls for Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening. By using shortening, the crust is exceptionally light, which is the perfect companion to the fresh fruit. Further, the blueberry and cinnamon combination is an undervalued and often underrated pairing, but one that will be enjoyed time and time again once eaten together.
The crust is easily made, pressed into an 8X8 inch pan before blind baking for 10-15 minutes. Baking the crust before adding the cheesecake batter allows for an exceptionally light and flaky crust. The cheesecake filling is luscious, creamy and difficult to resist eating with a spoon, so be warned. Once the bars are baked and cooled, they can be cut into squares and topped with fresh whipped cream, additional blueberries and a dusting of Spice Islands Ground Saigon Cinnamon, making them not only delicious, but beautiful too.
Tips For Making Cheesecake Bars
1.) Lightly dust hands in flour before pressing the prepared crust into the baking pan. This will prevent the crust from sticking when moving it about the pan. Take care to evenly place the crust, reaching the four corners of the pan.
2.) Wash, and more importantly, thoroughly dry the blueberries before folding them into the cheesecake. Wet blueberries will give a stodgy consistency to the cheesecake.
3.) Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature before mixing with the granulated sugar. If the cream cheese is cold, it will make the cheesecake batter lumpy.
4.) Don’t rush the chilling process. Once the cheesecake is baked, it’s important to let the cheesecake bars set fully (in the fridge) before cutting into squares. If cut too soon the bars will be mushy and unappealing.
5.) If time permits, allow the eggs to come to room temperature before beating into the cheesecake. Using room temperature eggs allows them to emulsify into the batter properly, giving a nice airy lift to the cheesecake.
Is An Electric Mixer Required?
This recipe can be made by hand, but be prepared to get a workout while whisking. The cream cheese and sugar should be beaten well, as should the eggs and vanilla. Although it can be made my hand, for time sake, I would recommend using a handheld or stand mixer for this recipe.
Final Tip
As mentioned previously, these cheesecake bars can be finished with fresh whipped cream, fresh blueberries and a dusting of cinnamon. If making fresh whipped cream, I recommend not adding any additional sugar before whipping the cream. The plain whipped cream pairs beautifully with the cheesecake, which has an ample amount of sweetness. The crust has a bit of sugar as well, so the unsweetened cream provides a lovely balance. Topping the bars with a dusting of cinnamon rounds the whole dessert, making it a perfect spring treat.
Blueberry Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Spice Islands® Sea Salt
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8X8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a handheld electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt, and mix by hand until the crust just comes together. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges have begun to brown and the crust has begun to set. Once baked, set aside to cool. Immediately adjust oven to 300 degrees F.
- For the cheesecake, using a handheld electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and the sugar until light and fluffy. No lumps should remain. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat well, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Fold in the blueberries, reserving a few to put on the top before baking. Pour cheesecake batter over the crust. Top with remaining blueberries. Bake cheesecake for 40 minutes. Center should rise with little to no jiggle.
- Once baked, allow cheesecake to sit on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Place a piece of saran wrap directly on the cheesecake and place in the fridge for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. Once properly chilled, remove from pan and cut into squares. Top with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, if desired.
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