This week, we’re launching a new blog series emphasizing the little things that go a long way: Host’s Small Things. Small Things will highlight our team’s favorite stuff—from food to travel recommendations to entertainment options and everything in between—to share with readers a bit about who we are, what we’re obsessed with and how we’re always looking for new ways to live life to the fullest.
For the inaugural Small Things post, we’re kicking off with a beloved dessert recipe. This amazing recipe for cheesecake lemon bars was shared by Alyssa Kawasaki, Regional Manager for Community Operations at Host, and comes with rave reviews. Whip these up to wow your dinner guests or if you’re looking for a sweet, rich and delicious addition to your week.
Happy eating!
Alyssa's Cheesecake Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread layer
1 ½ cups (213g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (68g) powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, cold and diced into small cubes
Lemon layer
1 ½ cups (330g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ Tbsp lemon zest
½ cup (4.6 oz) lemon juice
4 large eggs
Cheesecake layer
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened well but not melted
¾ cup (165g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (2 oz) sour cream
Sour cream layer
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
4 Tbsp (34g) powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (~180 degrees Celsius). Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside.
For the shortbread layer:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spread and pat into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven until set, about 15 to 18 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing fillings.
For the lemon layer:
In a mixing bowl, whisk sugar and flour, then add lemon zest, lemon juice and eggs. Whisk until well-blended. Set aside (don’t pour into crust yet—you don’t want it to soak into the shortbread layer while you’re preparing the cheesecake filling).
For the cheesecake layer:
In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on low, combine cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. Mix in eggs one at a time, adding vanilla with the second egg. Mix in ¼ cup sour cream. Tap bowl against countertop about 10 times to release any large air bubbles.
Pour lemon filling over crust, then evenly pour cheesecake filling over lemon layer. Skim off any air bubbles. Gently spread cheesecake filling into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven until filling jiggles only slightly, about 29 to 33 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature 45 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
For the sour cream layer:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream and powdered sugar. Spread into an even layer over chilled bars. Cut into squares, store in an airtight container in refrigerator.
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