Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars are a nice twist on the traditional lemon bar.  Meyer Lemons are a cross between a lemon and an orange.  Slightly sweeter than a regular lemon with a much softer skin. You can only find them in the market for a short period of time. (At least that's true for around here!)  This recipe adds reduced fat cottage cheese to the filling layer of a traditional lemon bar, giving it the feeling of a creamy lemon cheesecake bar.  It's a nice change up from the ordinary.

The original recipe I found uses ricotta.  I'm am sure they would be spectacular with that cheese, but since I only had reduced fat cottage cheese on hand that I wanted to use up, I subbed that for ricotta with excellent results.

This would be a great bar cookie to make for Easter or any Spring event.  Lemon SCREAMS spring to me and I love all things LEMON!

Go ahead, take a bite!  I promise if you are a lemon lover, you will love this bar! :)

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures
Published 04/10/2014

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 TBS. all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup cold, cubed unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/3 cup Meyer Lemon juice
• zest of two Meyer lemons
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup 1% milkfat cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8"x 8" baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment to form a sling and then spray sides that are exposed with cooking spray
2. In a food processor, with the blade attached, add 1 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Pulse to combine. Add in the cold butter cubes and process until the butter is the size of small peas.
3. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press down. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until starting to brown. Take out and turn oven down to 325 degrees F.
4. While crust is cooking, in the same food processor used to make crust (no need to wash) Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, cottage cheese, eggs and 2 TBS all purpose flour. Process until nice and smooth.
5. Once crust is done, pour the lemon mixture onto the hot crust and bake in the 325 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the filling is set.
6. Let the bars cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.  Refrigerate leftovers.  

Yield: 16 bars
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 45 mins.
Total time: 60 mins.

Slightly Adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen

Printable Recipe

Servings - 16  Serving Size - 1/16 of recipe   Points Plus per Serving - 5 Points+
Calories - 174.2,   Total Fat - 9.5g,   Carb. - 15.9g,   Protein - 6.5g,   Fiber - 0.3g

Lemons really do make me think of spring, and I am happy to say, spring is finally beginning to emerge.  The grass is greening up and the bulbs are starting to pop out of the ground everywhere.  I spotted crocus on my walk with the dog today and I didn't even need to wear a jacket!  Yay!  Much overdue!  

I hope spring is finally springing all around you too.  If not, try these bars!  They will have you thinking of spring in no time!

Easter is right around the corner!  wow!  so fast!  For some amazing ideas for your Easter table check out and follow my Pinterest board:  EASTER IDEAS