Description
These Lavender and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars combine a delicate floral blueberry lavender syrup with a smooth cream cheese filling atop a graham cracker crust, finished with a crunchy oat and almond crumb topping. Perfectly balanced between sweet and aromatic, these bars are a delightful dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Blueberry Lavender Syrup
- 2 cups blueberries, divided
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Crust
- 1 cup crushed graham crackers
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- Pinch of salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Crumb Topping
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons cold butter
Instructions
- Make the Blueberry Lavender Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1.5 cups of blueberries, water, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Remove from heat, add the dried culinary lavender using a tea strainer, and steep for 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. In a bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers, sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, continuing to beat until you have a creamy, uniform batter. Pour this filling over the cooled crust. Drizzle the previously made blueberry lavender syrup over the cheesecake filling and scatter the remaining 0.5 cup of blueberries on top.
- Make the Crumb Topping: In a separate bowl, combine flour, old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, sliced almonds, and cold butter. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse crumb mixture forms. Evenly sprinkle this crumb topping over the cheesecake layer with syrup and berries.
- Bake the Bars: Bake everything in the oven for 35-40 minutes. The cheesecake filling should be mostly set but retain a slight jiggle in the center, indicating it is perfectly baked. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 3 hours to fully set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese for a smoother batter.
- Steeping lavender with a tea strainer prevents bits of lavender from falling into the syrup.
- Let the bars chill thoroughly in the fridge to achieve clean slices.
- Store bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a nuttier flavor, try substituting sliced almonds with chopped pecans or walnuts.
