These no-bake blueberry lime cheesecake bars are perfect for hot summer days. That golden graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling are perfection!
This dessert is made with fresh blueberries, vibrant limes, and it takes hardly any time at all! As a trained pastry chef who loves to bake over at Baker Street Society, I’m always looking for fun flavors to mix together. Blueberry and lime are a great combination, and they really celebrate the vibrancy of summer.
What is a No-Bake Bar?
No-bake bars aren’t 100% no bake when it comes to cheesecake. The crust still needs to be baked, but the bake time is less than 10 minutes. Other than that, we still use cream cheese with the addition of heavy cream, which is what gives the cheesecake a lighter texture than traditional cheesecake.
Egg Free Dessert
Also, these no-bake bars don’t require any eggs, making it perfect for those who need a dessert without eggs.
No-Bake Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Bars
These bars consist of a simple graham cracker crust, cheesecake filling, and blueberry compote. Each component is very simple but has great flavor. Isn’t that what a summer dessert should be about? Easy, fun, and non-fussy. I’ve got lots of incredible desserts over at Baker Street Society along with my Instagram which is full of step by step videos!
How to Make Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Bars
- First, make the blueberry lime compote so that it has time to cool. Combine the ingredients in a pot, simmer, and let cool.
- Next, stir together the simple graham cracker crust. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 baking pan, and flatten the mixture out. Bake and let cool.
- Cream the cheesecake ingredients (excluding the whipped cream). Once smooth and creamy, add whipped cream that’s been whipped to stiff peaks. Gently fold together and pour over the graham cracker crust.
- Top with the blueberry compote and swirl it into the cheesecake. Give the pan a gently shake to even out the top, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours so the bars have time to set up.
Can You Use Frozen Blueberries?
Yes, you most definitely can if fresh blueberries aren’t available. I would recommend using frozen fruit in the off season when blueberries aren’t at their peak. The nice thing about frozen berries is that they are frozen at the peak of ripeness, so you can be certain that they will taste great.
The only downside to frozen fruit is that they aren’t firm like fresh blueberries, so you won’t get quite the same texture in the bars since the blueberries will disintegrate more when they cook. They will still taste great either way though!
3 Tips for Making Delicious Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Use fresh lime juice and fresh lime zest for the bars. While you can buy bottled lime juice, it never seems to taste quite the same as juice fresh from the real deal. Using zest and lime juice gives these bars a real pop of fresh flavor.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks. We want stiff peaks to give the cheesecake bars that “set up” feel of normal cheesecake. If you whip the cream to soft peaks, note that the cheesecake will be a bit softer but still tasty.
- Lastly, give the bars enough time to set up. Because we don’t bake these bars, the only way they will set up is by chilling for several hours. You can even pop the pan into the freezer for 20 minutes right before cutting the bars so that they are easy to cut cleanly.
No-Bake Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
- 5 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 Tbs granulated sugar
Blueberry Compote
- 4 oz blueberries
- 6 Tbs granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp water
Cheesecake Bars
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbs Vanilla Greek yogurt
- 4 Tbs lime juice
- 1 lime, zested
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
To Make the Blueberry Compote
- Combine blueberry compote ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to cool.
- Once cool, pour 2/3 of the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. If you want more blueberries versus puree in the bars, then puree only half of the compote.
To Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper to make a sling.
- Combine the graham cracker crust ingredients in a bowl and stir until all of the graham cracker crumbs are moist.
- Pour the crust mixture into the pan and press the crust down with the back of a measuring cup until smooth and even. Bake for 8-9 minutes, and let cool completely (approx. 30 minutes).
To Make the Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Filling
- Cream the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, lime juice, zest, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Next, add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Then fold the heavy cream into the cream cheese.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the pan and smooth out. Add half of the blueberry mixture to the cheesecake and gently mix into the cheesecake.
- Pour the remaining cheesecake filling on top and gently smooth out until even. Add the remaining blueberry compote on top and spread until covering the entire surface. Alternately, spoon small amounts of the blueberry mixture on top and swirl into the cheesecake.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours so that it sets up properly. For easier cutting, chill the cheesecake for 30 minutes in the freezer, and you will get really clean slices every time.
- After slicing, store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
