This is a super easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars recipe, with no special pans or water bath required. It’s a simple stunner of a summer dessert, featuring a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a tangy white chocolate cheesecake filling that’s stuffed with fresh blueberries!
This Blueberry Cheesecake Bars recipe, with its irresistible buttery graham cracker crust and pops of juicy, sweet-tart blueberries, is a family favorite. I like to serve this summertime dessert with fresh blueberry sauce when we’re entertaining, but this beautiful cheesecake can definitely stand all on its own (or add simple dollops of freshly whipped cream!). Plus – this is such an easy cheesecake recipe, with no special pans or water baths required!
Why We ❤️ These Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Simple, delicious, pretty, seasonal, and easy to make ahead. Yep. That sums up why this recipe is a family favorite!
- Simple cheesecake recipe. I adore a quick & easy cheesecake recipe, without the need for special equipment or a water bath. This recipe requires minimal time and energy. Also check out my Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries!
- Yummy & pretty. My husband and daughters are big fans of both cheesecake and white chocolate, so this recipe is a HUGE win with them. Plus, it’s SO PRETTY, stuffed with fresh, juicy blueberries!
- Perfect summer dessert. This dessert recipe not only features seasonal fresh blueberries, but it’s also served chilled so it’s very refreshing. Perfect for summertime!
- Easy to make ahead. When we’re entertaining, my goal is to prep as much as possible beforehand. This dessert is perfect because I bake it the day before and let it chill in the fridge. I even cut it into bars in advance, then place it back in the fridge until guests arrive.
What You’ll Need
I’ve outlined the ingredients needed to make this blueberry cheesecake bars. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
FOR THE CRUST
- Graham crackers – Buy a package of graham cracker crumbs or crush whole crackers yourself.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the crust.
- Salt – For a little contrast to the sweetness.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds a bit of spiced warmth to the crust.
- Butter – Melted, unsalted butter holds the crust together and adds rich, delicious flavor.
FOR THE FILLING
- White chocolate – Use a good quality white chocolate baking bar such as Ghirardelli or Baker’s.
- Cream cheese – I always use full-fat cream cheese, for the richest flavor and texture.
- Eggs – This not only binds the filling together, but also contributes to the flavor and texture.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the tangy cheesecake filling.
- Vanilla – Use only pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Blueberries – Use the freshest, sweet-tart blueberries for the best flavor.
Can I Use Frozen Berries?
Fresh blueberries are ideal in this recipe as they are packed with the juicy sweetness and texture that only comes from fresh berries. However, if you’re in a pinch, you can use frozen blueberries. Fold them into the cheesecake filling straight from the freezer; do not defrost them first.
How To Make Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Here’s a look at how to make these blueberry cheesecake bars. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Make crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon with melted butter.
- Press into pan. Press the crust mixture into the pan.
- Bake. Then bake the crust for 12 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.
- Make cream cheese filling. Beat cream cheese, then beat in sugar and eggs.
- Add white chocolate & vanilla. Add the cooled, melted white chocolate and vanilla, and beat again just to combine.
- Fold in blueberries. Add blueberries to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Add filling to pan. Spread the blueberry cream cheese filling mixture evenly over the baked crust.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips + a Variation
Here are a few easy tips plus a favorite variation idea to help you make these blueberry cheesecake bars:
- Line the pan. Lining the pan with parchment paper or foil means that you will be able to handily remove the whole baked cheesecake from the pan. This allows for clean-cut pieces. If you’re not all that concerned, just lightly spray your pan and skip the liner!
- Do NOT use white chocolate chips! I never have good results with melting white chocolate chips…they always seem to melt in funky way or scorch. So pleeeeeease just trust me – pick up a good quality white chocolate baking bar such as Ghirardelli or Baker’s brand white chocolate.
- Chill thoroughly. Cheesecake always has a better texture and flavor after it’s had the chance to fully chill. So plan to let the cheesecake rest and chill in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight.
- Get clean cuts: For the cleanest cuts, use a sharp, non-serrated knife and wipe it clean on a paper towel in between each cut.
- Make ahead. As already noted, it’s always a good idea to fully chill a cheesecake – which is perfect for making ahead of time. You can make these bars up to 24 hours in advance of when you plan to serve them.
- Add lemon. Lemon and blueberries were meant for each other, and I often add some fresh lemon zest to the filling.
Serving Suggestions
These bars are perfect on their own, or you can pair them with other desserts or toppings. A few ideas:
- Add blueberry sauce. My homemade blueberry sauce plays up the juicy blueberry flavor in these bars to perfection.
- Whipped cream. For some fluffy fun, add dollops of lightly sweetened whipped cream to each cheesecake bar.
- With coffee. Whip up a decadent espresso drink to balance the richness of these bars. I recommend a cortadito, lavender latte, or a dirty chai latte. Or daughters will always vote for an iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso!
- Blueberry drinks. Go ALL IN on blueberries and serve these bars with tall glasses of iced blueberry lemonade or blueberry basil lemonade, or make a blueberry margarita!
How To Store Cheesecake Bars
Here are the best ways to keep leftover cheesecake bars:
- Fridge – Place the bars in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – Freeze the bars in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Yummy Blueberry Recipes
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Yield: 16 bars
This is a super easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars recipe, with no special pans or water bath required. It's a simple stunner of a summer dessert, featuring a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a tangy white chocolate cheesecake filling that's stuffed with fresh blueberries!
Print
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 8 ounces good quality white chocolate baking bar (do not use white chips), roughly chopped (such as Ghirardelli brand or Baker's brand)
- 16 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the chilled bars out as a whole. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Crust
- In a medium bowl, whisk together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir to completely combine. Press evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Set on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Filling
- While crust is in the oven, melt the white chocolate. In a small microwave-safe bowl, gently melt the white chocolate in the microwave, in 10-20 second intervals – take care to not let it scorch. You can also do this over low heat in a saucepan on the stovetop. Set aside to cool completely.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and sugar, and beat on medium speed until just combined. Add the cooled white chocolate (you can place in the refrigerator for a bit if it's still warm) and vanilla, and beat again just to combine. Then gently fold in blueberries.
- Spread blueberry cream cheese mixture evenly over the baked crust.
- Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until cheesecake wobbles just slightly in the center, and the edges are just a bit golden. (If the edges are browning more than you like, and the center is still wobbly, place a loose foil tent over the pan while it continues to bake.) Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Then place pan in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to chill thoroughly, or chill overnight.
- Remove cheesecake from the pan by gently pulling up on the parchment paper. Cut into squares/bars. For the cleanest cuts, wipe the knife clean after every cut. Serve with fresh blueberry sauce and/or dollops of freshly whipped cream.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 327kcal Carbohydrates: 34g Protein: 4g Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 12g Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 66mg Sodium: 187mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 28g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was originally published in 2012, after our family went blueberry picking. I just updated this post in 2024, but wanted to keep these old family photos for the memory book!
Hi! Wow im making these. Can I use Bakers brand (baking) white chocolate? Its available in a rectangle box with 8, one ounce bars.
Also is the white chocolate taste prominant in the bars? Thank u!
Made this today, AMAZING! The filling was smooth & creamy. Love the white chocolate idea Yum!
YAY!! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. I’m so glad you liked it!
Nice recipe :)
When you say “white chocolate” are you referring to white chocolate chips or baking chocolate. I am afraid that the chips when cooled will revert back to solid form again. I know the chocolate wafers do that. I want to make it by tomorrow but I am not sure about the chocolate
Hello Linda, I would use a baking chocolate in bar form – I used Ghiradelli brand. I don’t have good luck melting the chips, either! Hope you like it!! :) Brenda
Your cheesecake bars look wonderful. It’s incredible that even without a waterbath, the cheesecake filling looks beautifully creamy and perfectly cooked. Thanks for sharing the great recipe
Thanks, Fiona. It really is a super easy (and yummy!) recipe. :)
Marvelous flavours! These cheesecake bars must be heavenly.
Thank you, Angie – they disappeared very quickly here!! :)
I was so eager to make this recipe, but the white chocolate melting did not work. I don’t know what I did wrong, but all I got was what amounted to was sand. No melting occurred in the microwave and it scorched so quickly I was caught off guard. I went ahead and made the cheesecake without the chocolate. It will be cut tomorrow and I have no doubt it will be good, but I sure would have liked that white chocolate flavor in there. Any suggestions?
I’m sorry to hear your white chocolate was fickle, Norma. Things I can think of…the microwave could have been set at too high of a power, causing the white chocolate to seize up. I use a lower setting on my microwave when melting any chocolate, and stir it frequently to get it completely melted. If you don’t have the ability to lower your microwave power, set up a double boiler on the stove top. If there was any bit of liquid in your bowl, that can cause white chocolate to seize. And once I tried to melt some white chocolate that I had in the pantry for a very long time…it was just too old…and it wouldn’t melt. I hope this helps!
I love cheesecake AND white chocolate! I swoon over your bars! Love how the blueberries sit on top without sinking. The pics of your girls are precious!
Thank you so much, Anna! :)
This is an amazing recipe! I love blueberries, I am addicted to blueberries, I’m even thinking of growing a blueberry bush at me balcony – if this possible!!!!
I like all your recipes very much. They are easy to follow and innovative! Great job!!!
So jealous that you live somewhere that you can pick blueberries. Those look gorgeous! You did a great job on the cheesecake bars, too.
Oh, it is such a treat. I became a fast believer in the goodness of picking blueberries! Thanks, Terri – always so nice to hear from you – have a great weekend!
oh these look so delicious. I loved blueberry picking as a kid, such fun. That is until the bees came and I ran and hid in the car :) Blueberries are still my favorite! These cheesecake bars are so pretty!