Blueberry Cheesecake Crumble Bars

Sweet and slightly tart berries, creamy filling, and a buttery-crumble cookie crust-- this dessert has it all!! These bars remind me of cheesecake, a cookie, and a cheese danish all wrapped into one! These have been a repeated crowd-pleaser at family gatherings, parties, and when baking them for friends.

Around mid-late July, blueberries are in season, which is the perfect time to make this recipe with fresh berries! Fun fact- My grandparents have a small blueberry farm in Northern Wisconsin, so I am very fortunate to have access to the very best fresh blueberries! The best berries are grown local, and hand-picked-- nothing can change my mind! But, using frozen berries any time of year works just as well and tastes ALMOST just as good!

Before starting, here’s a few tips!

- Don't over mix the crust batter. Mix just until all the dry ingredients are wet and there are little to no lumps in the batter.

- When using frozen berries, you can use wild or farm-grown... either works fine, but farm-grown berries are sweeter.

- Do not over-bake! If you do, the cream cheese filling portion will be rock-hard and not very pleasant.

-Line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy clean-up!

- If you don't have greek yogurt, you can use sour cream, buttermilk, or cream cheese as a replacement!

-Any berries will work wonderfully for this recipe, but blueberries are my personal favorite!

This recipe is pretty simple and straightforward. It doesn't require any crazy ingredients either!

1. Make the crust

2. Make the filling

3. Lay down half the crust, pour filling over it.

4. Sprinkle berries on top

5. Top with crumbled bits of the remaining crust dough

6. Bake

7. Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the cake/cookie crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup softened butter

• 1 egg and 1 egg yolk

• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

For the filling:

• 8oz cream cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 egg white

• 1.5 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

For the crumble topping:

• 2 tbsp cold butter

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 pinch salt

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 8x8 inch square pan or 9 inch springform (or cake pan) with parchment paper.

2. Make the cake/cookie crumble crust. cream together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and greek yogurt, mix until well combined. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Do not over mix! Once combined, spread batter evenly in your lined baking dish. Set aside

3. Make the cream cheese filling. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg white and vanilla, mix on medium-high until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork and/or pastry cutter until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.

5. Assemble! Pour cream cheese filling over cake/cookie crumble batter. Evenly sprinkle blueberries on top and press into filling with the spatula. Top with crumble topping mixture.

6. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then refrigerate if desired. Serve, then enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Subscribe via email down below to be notified when more recipes are posted and important updates! For more content, recipes, and more, follow my Instagram page @graces_messy_kitchen!! Please don't hesitate to leave a comment, or DM me on Instagram for any additional questions/comments/concerns! For the time being, happy baking!