Strawberry Lemoncello Cheesecake Bars
Picture this. A classic lemon bar and a cheesecake bar had a baby, and they dressed it up in strawberries. Wild! Right? Strawberry Lemoncello Cheesecake bars are tart, tangy, creamy, and sweet. There is a balance that the Hotel Tango Lemoncello lends to this recipe that using only lemon juice could not do. It creates a better balance with the sweetness of sugar that results in a more composed dessert. Freshly pureed strawberries offer freshness brightness and allow me to be over the top and extra, and I am here for it!
Lemon bars and cheesecakes were the most popular items sold when I offered holiday desserts for sale. The spring would bring on the request for the lemon bars we know and love with a shortbread crust, tangy lemon filling dusted with powdered sugar. I would get requests for cheesecakes any time of year. The last cheesecake flavor I played around with was lemon meringue.
Lemon is one of my favorite dessert flavors, so making a dessert recipe with Hotel Tango Distillery's Lemoncello was a no-brainer. The decision to turn it into a strawberry lemoncello cheesecake bar was a wild and crazy goal to merge two of my favorite desserts, and it was a fantastic idea that paid off. You can thank me later.
Before you start thanking me, I have to fill you in on the truth. This recipe is a labor of love, and it takes a bit of time and care, but I promise it is worth it. Each layer requires special attention, and none of them can be neglected.
Starting with the shortbread crust, it is essential to allow the butter to become room temperature before using it. Otherwise, you'll end up with a sticky, buttery, floury mess, which will lead you to start over or give up. Don't give up! Get it right the first time with room temperature butter, and be sure to allow it to cool ever so slightly.
Great use of time, while the crust is baking, is to prepare the cheesecake filling. I always use a stand mixer when preparing any cheesecake batter, and it allows for even mixing and better attention to incorporating all ingredients. Don't even try this if you haven't allowed the cream cheese to sit at room temperature. It would help if you let your eggs sit at room temperature, too. Trust me on this.
The strawberry lemoncello filling is relatively simple, and just make sure not to pour it over the cheesecake layer until you've given the cheesecake layer time to cool. The first time I tested this recipe, the strawberry lemon bar filling went straight through the only slightly cooled cheesecake filling. While it was still delicious, it did not give the visible layers I finally accomplished once I gained more patience.
The combination of fresh lemon juice, zest, and Hotel Tango Lemoncello packs a lot of lemon flavor. There is a good amount of Lemoncello in these strawberry lemoncello cheesecake bars. Still, I promise you'll have enough to make a cocktail too, or switch things up with Hotel Tango Bourbon and make my Bourbon Vanilla Lemonade!
Looking for a different kind of bar recipe? Check out my Sweet Potato Pie Bar Recipe in my cookbook, Staples +5
Strawberry Lemoncello Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup Hotel Tango Lemoncello
- 1 lemon, juiced, and zested
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 16 oz fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
- 3 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Hotel Tango Lemoncello
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper coming up on each side.
- Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour ½ cup at a time until thoroughly combined. Mix in the salt. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the baking pan in an even layer—Bake for 20 minutes. Once lightly browned, remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the cheesecake filling by beating the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until thoroughly combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined. Continuing mixing and add Hotel Tango Lemoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix until just combined, then turn off the mixer. Pour over slightly cooled crust and return the pan to the 350° oven to bake just until set—about 40 minutes. The cheesecake layer will be firm but slightly jiggly in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight.
- Prepare the strawberry lemoncello layer by pureeing strawberries in a food processor or blender. Whisk together flour and sugar in a separate bowl. Strain the pureed mixer over the flour and sugar mixture and whisk until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended. Pour onto chilled cheesecake layer and bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. Remove the strawberry lemoncello cheesecake bars from the oven and allow them to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Continue cooling the bars in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.
- To serve, gently pull up on the parchment paper to raise the bars out of the pan. Cut into bar and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Store strawberry lemoncello cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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