These Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars are the ultimate spring and summer dessert! They’re easy to make, soft and chewy, sweet and delicious, and absolutely gorgeous featuring fresh, in-season berries. They make a great dessert for summer barbecues and they’re a stunning party dessert! Watch the video below to see how I make them, and stay tuned to the end of this post for the FULL WRITTEN RECIPE!
I have to be honest with you all, I feel a little funny writing this post today about a delicious spring and summer dessert. If you follow me on Instagram and have checked out my Instagram stories recently, you’ll know why. The weather where I live has been especially gorgeous lately, save for the odd rainy and foggy day, but this morning we woke up to this:
Quite frankly, I don’t know why I’m surprised. We live in the mountains and it’s been snowing up past the tree line for the last few weeks, which is normal for this time of year. It’s been so nice and mild in the valley and I was just getting used to wearing my Toms again and breaking out some of those summer skirts.
Alas, I’ll just have to be content with imagining that it’s spring outside while enjoying the warmth of my kitchen and creating all kinds of spring-inspired recipes for you!
I don’t know about you, but to me fresh berries always signal spring. As a food photographer there’s nothing I love to shoot more than fresh fruits and vegetables, especially berries, because of their vibrant colors and their gorgeous textures. These Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars were not only a joy to make (and, let’s be honest, eat), they were truly a joy to photograph. Don’t they look DELICIOUS??
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I recently shared my go-to recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars with you and you all went CRAZY for it on Pinterest! It’s a recipe I go back to again and again and I’ve made it in so many ways and with so many flavours! Since you guys like it so much I knew I had to share a few of my favourite variations of it with you, and I’m starting today with these Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars!
These Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars are truly stunning, and even though they’re embarrassingly simple to make they make the perfect show-stopping dessert for any spring party, Easter celebration, Mother’s Day, or even bridal or baby showers. The sugar cookie base is perfectly soft and chewy, and the cheesecake topping is so pillowy smooth and creamy.
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I love these Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars topped with all the fresh berries, but they’re also delicious with other assorted fruits – kiwi slices, mandarin orange slices, peaches, and even grapes would be delicious! Feel free to experiment and make these according to your tastes. The more colorful fruit you use, the prettier they’ll be!
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I really hope you enjoy this recipe for Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars! Let me know in the comments below, what other delicious spring or summer recipes would YOU like to see on thebusybaker.ca this year? I’d love to hear from you!
Looking for even more fruit-inspired desserts? Check out these favourites below!
These Honey Glazed Fruit Tarts with Vanilla Custard Filling are surprisingly easy to make and they’re the perfect recipe for a spring or summer brunch!
This Fruit Salad with Honey and Lime Dressing is the perfect healthy dessert recipe for warm days!
This Perfect Pavlova recipe is a detailed tutorial on how to create the perfect pavlova with fresh cream and berries – a stunning summer dessert!
Kitchen Products I Recommend:
Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons full fat sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the cheesecake frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese (225 grams)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (optional, only if necessary to thin out the cheesecake frosting)
For the topping:
- assorted fresh berries (blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
Instructions
For the sugar cookie base:
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Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch by 13-inch glass baking dis, lining it with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer (or in the bowl of your stand mixer) cream the butter and sugar for at least 4-5 minutes.
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Add the egg, vanilla and sour cream and beat very well until well blended.
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Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix with the hand mixer on low speed until the mixture reaches a wet, crumbly texture.
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Press this mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 17-20 minutes or until just before the edges start to brown.
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Let the base cool completely while you prepare the cheesecake frosting.
For the cheesecake frosting:
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Whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed until fluffy and smooth.
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Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue whipping on high speed until the frosting becomes soft and spreadable.
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Drizzle in the whipping cream while whipping, only if necessary, until the frosting is soft and spreadable.
Assembly:
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Spread the frosting over the completely cooled base and chill for 2 hours.
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Remove from the pan using the parchment paper, arrange the berries on top, slice and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
To make these bars ahead of time, simply add the cheesecake topping and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, topping with berries right before serving.
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