Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Studded with sweet blackberries and a swirl of tangy cheesecake, these soft and chewy Blackberry Cheesecake Bars will be your go-to end of summer treat.

We’re nearing the end of summer 2018, and I have to say – I am not mad about it. I’m actually pumped for the cooler weather, the autumnal colours, and (most importantly) the onslaught of pumpkin baking. I wait all year for Starbucks to bring back the PSL and for the trees to shed their leaves. And in case you were concerned, yes, I am happy being basic.

However, I know everyone isn’t quite ready for pumpkin everything yet, so I thought I’d serve up a few fall transitional recipes for those of you who still want to cling to the last little bit of summer. Not going to lie, I will miss the sweet bounty of summer fruit. This week: Blackberry Cheesecake Bars.

These bars are the perfect bake to begin your transition into fall. We’re using fresh blackberries, which are ripening beautifully this time of year. They’re tangy, they’re juicy, and they’re oh so delicious; I just had to make use of them! This recipe combines my favourite chewy blondie recipe with a swirl of creamy cheesecake and a scattering of succulent blackberries.

Now, don’t be alarmed. When you bake the bars, the blackberries will sink a bit. They will also leave behind a gorgeous violet ring that I think makes the bars even prettier – a kind of rustic elegance if you will. Besides, anyone who bites down into one of these Blackberry Cheesecake Bars will forget all about aesthetics and just focus on how incredibly delicious they are. So don’t worry too much about looks, okay?

I hope these bars help you move happily through the last little bit of summer and indulge in what’s shaping up to be an insane blackberry season. I guess all the heat was good for something!

One more thing! I have a very special announcement coming next week, so if you haven’t signed up for the NSK Crew, please do! You’ll be the first to hear what’s going down in my kitchen (as well as gain access to a bunch of other exclusive goodies). Suffice to say that I am SO EXCITED to share this news with you. I really hope you’re going to love it!

That’s all for now, friends. Now go eat some Blackberry Cheesecake Bars and soak up the last few rays of summer holidays.

5 from 1 vote

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Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Studded with sweet blackberries and a swirl of tangy cheesecake, these soft and chewy Blackberry Cheesecake Bars will be your go-to end of summer treat.

Category Bars

Keyword Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Serves 12 bars

Author Amanda | Naturally Sweet Kitchen

Ingredients

Blondie Layer

• 113 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 150 g coconut sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 130 g unbleached plain flour

Cheesecake Swirl

• 150 g cream cheese room temperature
• 1 ½ tbsp unpasteurised honey or agave nectar
• 100 g fresh blackberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line an 8 x 8 baking tray with non-stick paper. You’ll find the bars easier to remove if the paper hangs over the tray by a couple inches.
2. Tip the butter and coconut sugar into a bowl and cream together until pale and slightly fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
3. Sift in the salt and flour and fold into the wet ingredients.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and smooth out the top.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and honey until smooth.

6. Drop 9 equal dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top of the blondie batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the cream cheese into the blondie batter in a continual ‘S’ formation, starting in the upper left hand corner and ending in the bottom right corner. Repeat the swirling from the top right corner, ending in the bottom left corner.
7. Scatter the blackberries evenly over the bar and press them slightly into the batter.
8. Bake the bar for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and they begin to pull away from the sides of the tray. Set the tray on a wire rack and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Once slightly cooled, gently lift the bars out of the tray using the overhanging paper and rest them on the wire rack to finish cooling, about 30 minutes.
9. Once the bars are completely cooled, slice into 12 equal squares and serve.

Notes

These bars will keep sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.