Lemon Cheesecake Bars

With a buttery shortbread crust and luscious lemon cream cheese filling, these easy lemon cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert recipe that tastes like sunny afternoons spent lounging on a blanket on the grass.

Warm weather cries out for refreshing lemon, and these lemon cream cheese bars are here to answer. They are: Easy-breezy and light, but still have a touch of specialness and decadence. Transportable to summer gatherings. Easy to pick up and polish off with nothing more than your fingers. Scrumptiously seasonal.

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread Crust:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or substitute all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

For the Lemon Cheesecake:

• 16 ounces light cream cheese, (two 8-ounce blocks) softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt at room temperature
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract