Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Name: Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 (8 ounce) tubes crescent rolls; 2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese ((softened to room temperature)); 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 Tablespoon lemon zest; ¾ cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ((or lemon extract)); 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted; 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

Jump to Recipe

These easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars are made with a creamy, citrusy filling sandwiched between sweetened crescent roll dough! Ready to eat in about 45 minutes!

EASY LEMON DESSERT RECIPE

These Lemon Cheesecake Bars were inspired by the Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars recipe. It’s the exact same concept but with a lemon twist because I absolutely love lemon flavored anything! These Lemon Cheesecake Bars are the perfect blend of tart and sweet in one delicious bite. A creamy lemon cheesecake mixture is spread over a buttery crescent roll crust then topped with more sweetened crescent roll – mmmm, so good! So simple to make! These might just become your new favorite lemon bars!

Looking down on a few homemade lemon cheesecake bars one with a bite taken out.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: (FAQ’S)

What other crust can I use?

If you don’t want to use store-bought dough, you can make your own crescent roll dough for the crust (you’d need to double the batch). I have never made these with pie crust or puff pastry dough. This is the only way I have ever made them so I cannot tell you how to make or bake the other crusts.

Are lemon cheesecake bars served cold or warm?

These delectable lemon bars are irresistible, but I usually eat them chilled or at room temperature (not warm).

Can I make these ahead of time?

Definitely! Once you cool and slice your creation into bars, arrange them in one layer in an airtight container, adding a layer of parchment paper between any extra layers. Doing this keeps your bars fresh for longer! You can store these in the fridge for a day or two before serving.

Can I freeze these bars?

Prep, cut and store your lemon cream cheese bars in an airtight container with parchment paper in between layers. To keep your lemon bars fresh for a long time, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to indulge, thaw them in the refrigerator. Enjoy straight from the fridge, or let them come to room temperature for an even more luscious treat!

Do I have to use brown sugar?

No, you can leave out the brown sugar if you prefer and just use all granulated sugar.

How to store leftovers?

These lemon bars make for delectable treats that can be enjoyed throughout the week. For best results, let the easy lemon cheesecake bars cool down to room temperature prior to slicing them into bars. Use parchment paper to separate layers in an airtight container. The bars will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Note that the crescent dough will become soggy over time, so it’s best to enjoy them while they’re at their freshest.

A plate piled with three lemon cheesecake bars.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

crescent rolls – if you can find the crescent roll sheets, I would use those so you don’t have to pinch any seams together. Sometimes I have good luck finding them, other times I can’t seem to find them anywhere.
cream cheese – it is super important that the cream cheese be at room temperature. If it isn’t, you will end up with lumps in the filling that you won’t be able to get out no matter how much you mix it. I usually just put it out on my counter the night before I need it.
vanilla extract – note: if you really want to “up” the lemon flavor, you could substitute it with lemon extract.
lemon juice and lemon zest – this needs to be from a fresh lemon, not the bottled stuff.
powdered sugar – if you don’t have powdered sugar for the filling, you can substitute it for about 1 cup of granulated sugar. Just mix well until smooth.
salted butter – you can use unsalted butter as well.
light brown sugar – if you want a deeper molasses flavor, you can use dark brown sugar.

Crescent roll dough, melted butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, white sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. You can also spray the bottom of the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray if you don’t have parchment paper. Stretch one pack of the crescent rolls over the parchment paper so that it covers the whole surface area of the baking pan. Press all the seams of the crescent rolls together so it creates one large sheet. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with a handheld electric mixer. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent roll dough in the baking dish.

collage of three photos: a white baking dish with crescent roll dough on the bottom, a clear bowl with cream cheese, lemon zest, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and the cream cheese mixture spread over top of the crescent rolls out in the baking dish.

Stretch the other pack of crescent roll dough over the filling, taking care to press the seams together to create one large sheet. Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the dough is nice and golden brown. Please note, oven times can vary so just keep an eye on the dough so it doesn’t burn.