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A sheet of blueberry lemon bars with one cut out, laying on a piece of parchment paper.
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4.75 / 4 votes

Blueberry Lemon Bars

Blueberry lemon bars have a creamy filling of fresh berries and tangy lemon, layered in between pie crust and a crumb topping. Made to slice and share, they’re like little pieces of pie that you can eat out-of-hand. Both hands, if you like.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 129

Ingredients

For the crust

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling

  • 2 blocks (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup sour cream, preferably full fat
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3 cups fresh blueberries*

For the crumb topping

  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly spray a 9-by 13–inch (23-by 33–cm) pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
  • Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake until lightly golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool while you prepare the filling and topping.

Make the filling

  • To a large bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together until smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice, beat until the filling is smooth. Fold in the blueberries by hand.

Make the crumb topping

  • In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, flour, and lemon zest until it forms a thick, wet dough.
  • Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and top with an even layer of crumb topping. Bake until the topping is golden and the center is just set, 45 to 55 minutes.
  • Allow to cool for 20 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Cut into squares and devour.

Notes

*Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe?

Frozen blueberries can be a lifesaver in lots of baking recipes. In this case, if you're a little short, frozen blueberries can make up part of your berries but we'd caution against using a full 3 cups. You'll end up with a really wet and watery filling. Use at least 2 cups of fresh berries (no more than 1 cup of frozen) to maintain a firm interior. And don't thaw your frozen berries before using—pop them into the batter right out of the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g