Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Bars

To me citrus is one of the best flavors of summer and these lemon cheesecake cookie bars have the perfect amount of bright lemony goodness that will have your tastebuds singing. These cookie bars are layered with a cookie crumb base, a creamy layer of my cream cheese filling, a bright, sweet layer of lemon curd and topped with cookie crumble. Perfect for a summer barbecue or whenever your little heart desires.

Ingredients you will need for lemon cheesecake cookie bars:

For the cookie base and crumble topping:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 1 batch of my cream cheese filling (omit the lemon zest)
• 12 oz lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)

Directions:

• 1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment allowing overhang on the edges for lifting the cookie bars out of the pan.

• 2.) Make a batch of my cream cheese filling and set aside.
• 3.) In a large mixing bowl add the flour, almond four, sugar and salt. Whisk together until well combined.
• 4.) Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Add the vanilla to the melted butter and whisk together.
• 5.) Add the melted butter and vanilla mixture to the dry mixture and start mixing together with a spoon. Once the mixture starts to come together finish mixing with your hands, pressing and breaking into crumbs as you go.

• 6.) Take 2/3 of the cookie crumb mixture and press evenly into the bottom of the lined baking dish. Set the last 1/3 aside for topping later.

• 7.) Spoon the cream cheese filling over the top of the cookie crumb layer and spread out evenly.

• 8.) Spoon the lemon curd gently over the top of the cream cheese filling layer and carefully spread evenly over the cream cheese filling layer being careful not to mix the two layers together.

• 9.) Sprinkle the last 1/3 of the cookie crumb evenly over the top of the lemon curd layer.
• 10.) Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes keeping an eye on it. You will know it’s done when the cookie crumb topping starts to just turn a light golden brown.
• 11.) Place the pan on a wire rack to start the cooling process. After 30-45 minutes remove the cookie bars from the pan using the overhang of parchment paper. Place directly on the wire rack to finish the cooling process. Let the bars cook COMPLETELY before cutting! If you cut them when the are still warm the layers will not have set properly.
• 12.) Once the bars have cooled cut to your desired size. Enjoy!

Notes:

• My cream cheese filling recipe calls for lemon zest. Make sure to omit it for this recipe. The lemon curd provides enough lemon flavor so the lemon zest in the filling is not needed.
• It’s very important to make sure to let the bars cool COMPLETELY before cutting. This allows the cream cheese filling and lemon curd to set so you have those nice layers.

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