Light & Easy Cheesecake Bars

Name: Light & Easy Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.
Ingredients: 1/3 cup butter, softened; 1 cup sugar, divided; 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided; 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese; 1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel; 18 fresh raspberries, halved

Fresh hints of lemon in the tender crust and creamy filling of these berry-topped treats. —Patricia Nieh, Portola Valley, California

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
1 large egg
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
18 fresh raspberries, halved

Directions

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; coat with cooking spray and set aside.
In a small bowl, beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add flour and salt; mix well. Press into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cream cheeses and remaining sugar until smooth. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in lemon peel and remaining lemon juice. Pour over crust.
Bake 14-18 minutes longer or until filling is set.
Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Using foil, lift bars out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut into squares, then triangles. Garnish with raspberries.

Editor's Note

This recipe was tested with Land O'Lakes light stick butter.

Nutrition Facts

1 bar: 153 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 216mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch.

Originally published as Light & Easy Cheesecake Bars in Healthy Cooking April/May 2012

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qwm

May 16, 2013

Finally made this, and it is great. Thanks, Kaffaroni, for the info. I'm a guy who is very much into details as to how things are done. :>)
Kaffaroni

May 7, 2013

Ah! Now I've got some stars I can click on.
Kaffaroni

May 7, 2013

No stars appearing for me to click on! I made this once, some time ago, and everybody in the family liked it. Easy, fast and light. qwm...it says "cut into bars" so use a square pan.
qwm

May 7, 2013

Is this a 9" square, or round, pan?It requires two (2) 8oz. pkgs. of cream cheese?Looks/sounds good, but I want to do it correctly the first time. Thanks!