Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
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A sweet and creamy cheesecake filling swirled with raspberry reduction and whole juicy berries, sandwiched between a buttery shortbread crust and crumbles on top.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bushel and Berry®.
A NEW TAKE ON AN OLD FAVORITE
If you’ve been around Fresh April Flours for a while, you already know my blueberry lemon cheesecake bars. They were one of the very first recipes I ever published back in 2014, and thanks to a viral Pinterest moment just a month after I started this site, they’ve been finding their way into new kitchens ever since– millions of views, well over 100 five-star reviews, and a permanent spot as my best friend’s favorite recipe from my entire recipe index.
Ever since those bars took off, one question has landed in my inbox frequently: can I make these with raspberries instead? The answer has always been yes, but I never got around to writing up a proper version until Bushel & Berry asked me to build a cheesecake bar recipe around their raspberries, and I knew exactly which recipe to build upon.
WHY THESE AREN’T JUST “THE BLUEBERRY BARS, BUT WITH RASPBERRIES”
I want to be upfront: the base recipe here is barely changed. The shortbread crust, the crumble topping, the cheesecake-but-thicker filling has all stayed the same, because it already works. What did change is how much I leaned on lemon and the addition of another raspberry component.
In the original bars, lemon zest and juice are just as much the point as the blueberries are. For this version, I pulled the lemon way back. There’s still a touch of lemon juice in the filling, but it’s there to do a job and not necessarily meant to be tasted. It helps the filling set up properly, keeps the texture smooth and creamy, and balances out the richness of the cream cheese.
The raspberries needed to be the star, and dialing the lemon back to a supporting flavor and adding in the additional raspberry component with the reduction are what gets them there. The result is a bar that stands on its own, not just an ingredient-swapped copy of the original.
RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS: KEY INGREDIENTS
FRESH OR FROZEN RASPBERRIES: you’ll need about 12 ounces of raspberries. Fresh are preferred, but frozen will work, too. Thanks to Bushel and Berry®, I always have fresh raspberries available to me because I have my own plant. This Raspberry Shortcake® plant stays small enough to grow in a patio container and doesn’t have any pesky thorns.
FRESH LEMON JUICE: while you can use bottled lemon juice here, there’s nothing like fresh, especially when it comes to flavor. Bottled can tend to taste a little flat and sometimes metallic, but if it’s all you have, it will work just fine for this recipe.
GREEK YOGURT OR SOUR CREAM: I’ll be honest and say that most of the time, I use sour cream for my cheesecake bars. It’s creamier and lends a velvety texture that yogurt just doesn’t have. That said, yogurt is a completely acceptable ingredient to use. In fact, the first half of the blueberry lemon’s life was made exclusively with yogurt. Sour cream entered the chat once I became a cheesecake enthusiast.
HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
STEP #1: MAKE THE CRUST
Because this shortbread crust uses melted butter, everything comes together in one bowl. Once it’s mixed, pull out ¾ cup of the crust and set it aside in the fridge. This will become your crumble topping later, so double-check you’re measuring ¾ cup and not taking ¾ of the whole batch.
Press the rest into the bottom of an 8″ or 9″ square baking dish and let it pre-bake while you move on to the swirl and filling.
STEP #2: MAKE THE RASPBERRY SWIRL
This is a very simple raspberry reduction and only takes about 10 minutes to make. You’ll cook the mixture while stirring frequently and mashing the raspberries as you stir, stopping when the mixture has thickened and is no longer slightly cloudy. You can just let it cool while you make the rest of the filling.
STEP #3: MAKE THE FILLING
Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth, then add in the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, that touch of lemon juice, and salt, mixing until everything is lump-free. A little flour goes in too, which is what separates this from a traditional cheesecake filling. This will help hold everything together once the raspberries go in.
Fold in the raspberries last. Fresh or frozen both work here, so you can make these any time of year.
STEP #4: ADD THE SWIRL, CRUMBLE TOPPING, THEN BAKE
Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust, then swirl in the raspberry reduction. Pull your reserved crust out of the fridge (it will have firmed back up) and break it into crumbles with a fork or your hands (a fork keeps things smaller and keeps your warm hands out of the butter). Scatter the crumbles over the filling, add a few extra raspberries on top if you like, and bake.
SUCCESS TIPS FOR MAKING RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
Measure that reserved crust: remember, it’s ¾ cup, not ¾ of the batch (this is a very common mistake).
Let the bars chill fully before cutting: the filling firms up as it cools, and it’s too soft to slice warm. You’ll have yourself a goopy mess!
Double the recipe: this recipe doubles well in a 9×13″ dish, you just need to add extra time in the oven.
Fresh or frozen raspberries both work well: if frozen raspberries are all you’ve got, that’s completely fine. There’s no need to thaw them first.
HOW DO I KNOW THE BARS ARE DONE?
Same rule as the original bars: they will set up if you give them enough time in the oven. Use the toothpick test and bake until it comes out clean, and make sure the pan is on the middle rack, not the top or bottom.
These bars turned out exactly the way I wanted them to– a nod to the original with their own twist, heavy on the spotlight for raspberries. You get the juice, flavor, and texture of raspberry in every bite in lots of different ways, and that buttery shortbread crust is the perfect complement to the creaminess, sweetness, and slightly tart notes of the bulk of the bars.
If raspberries are part of your dessert love language, you’ve got to add these to your baking list ASAP.
Raspberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
RASPBERRY SWIRL
- 1 cup fresh raspberries1
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) granulated sugar
FILLING
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5 ounces (150g) yogurt or sour cream2
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 1 and ½ cups (150g) raspberries fresh or frozen; if using frozen, do not thaw
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Line an 8″ x 8″ (or 9" x 9") baking pan with foil. Leave an overhang on the sides. Set aside.
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and the lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until combined.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- Reserve ¾ cup3 of the shortbread crust and place in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
- Press remaining crust evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes while you prepare the filling.
RASPBERRY SWIRL
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the raspberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar.1 cup fresh raspberries1, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon (15mL) fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon (8g) granulated sugar
- Cook the mixture while stirring frequently and mashing the raspberries as you stir. Continue cooking until the mixture is starts to thicken and is no longer slightly cloudy (about 10 minutes).
- Remove the raspberry mixture from the heat and let it cool while you make the filling.
FILLING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a medium sized bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese on high until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, and continue beating until completely incorporated. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt and beat again. Finally, add the flour and beat one more time until just combined. Scrape down the sides as necessary before adding the raspberries, then gently fold in them in with a large spatula.2 large eggs, 5 ounces (150g) yogurt or sour cream2, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour, 1 and ½ cups (150g) raspberries
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust, the dollop the raspberry swirl evenly over the filling. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the raspberry mixture into the filling, then scatter the fresh raspberries around the top of the filling/raspberry swirl.
- Remove reserved crust from refrigerator and crumble over top of the filling (you may need to separate into crumbs with a knife or fork). Sprinkle with additional sugar or course sugar, if desired.
- Bake the bars for 55-60 minutes minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool at room temperature on a wire rack. When completely cool, chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- When bars are completely chilled, lift out of the pan using foil overhang and cut into squares. Bars can be stored covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Bars freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Notes
- Raspberries: you may use frozen. No need to thaw before using.
- Yogurt or sour cream: you can use any kind of yogurt you like. I have used lemon, plain, and vanilla. I have no preference. Sour cream works great as well.
- Reserved crust: be sure to reserve a measured ¾ cup and not ¾ of the whole crust.
- Dairy free version: a reader reports that in the original blueberry lemon version, she used Earth Balance buttery sticks, Tofutti vegan cream cheese, and an oat milk yogurt with fantastic results. I have not personally tested this version.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.