Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Crust and Streusel
- 375 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 4 g baking powder
- 3 g kosher salt
- 225 g unsalted butter, cold, diced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 450 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Wild Blueberry Filling
- 400 g wild blueberries, frozen or fresh
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 15 g cornstarch
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lemon zest
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 383 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 20 g
- Sodium
- 199 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 82 mg
- Potassium
- 77 mg
- Calcium
- 57 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 77 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 193 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 48 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 150g of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold diced butter and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Stir the lightly beaten egg and 5ml of vanilla extract into the flour mixture until a crumbly dough begins to form.
Press slightly more than half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Reserve the remaining dough.
In a separate bowl, gently toss the wild blueberries with 50g of sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the berries are completely coated.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese and 100g of sugar on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the egg and 5ml of vanilla extract, beating on low speed until just combined.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the unbaked shortbread crust, spreading it into an even layer with an offset spatula.
Spoon the blueberry mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer. Take the reserved dough and crumble it over the top of the blueberries to form the streusel topping.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the streusel topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling is bubbling gently around the edges.
Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and let the bars cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, transfer the pan to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before lifting them out using the parchment overhang and slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Using wild blueberries is highly recommended over cultivated ones; they contain less water, which helps prevent a runny filling, and they provide a much deeper, sharper flavor.
- For the cleanest slices, ensure the bars are completely chilled. Use a sharp, non-serrated chef's knife, wiping the blade clean with a warm, damp towel between every cut.
- Do not overmix the cream cheese after adding the egg. Overbeating eggs into cheesecake-style batters introduces excess air, which can cause the layer to puff up in the oven and then aggressively deflate.
- If you want a slightly crispier streusel topping, gently squeeze small handfuls of the reserved dough together before crumbling it over the blueberries to create varied, distinct clumps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to prevent the crust from softening.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
Troubleshooting
Cream cheese filling is lumpy.
Cause: Cream cheese was too cold when beaten.
Fix: Before adding the egg, microwave the cream cheese and sugar mixture for 10 seconds and beat again until smooth.
Prevention: Ensure cream cheese is fully at room temperature before mixing.
Bars fall apart when cut.
Cause: Bars were sliced while still warm or not chilled sufficiently.
Fix: Return the bars to the refrigerator for an additional hour to firm up the butter and cream cheese.
Prevention: Cool completely to room temperature and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before slicing.
Cultural Context
Bar cookies are a beloved staple of American potlucks, picnics, and holiday gatherings. They offer the layered, intricate flavors and textures of a traditional pie or cheesecake but are baked in a single pan for effortless slicing and sharing. Wild blueberries, native to North America, have a long-standing history in regional baking, valued for their vibrant color and concentrated sweetness. This specific dessert elegantly bridges home-style comfort baking with celebratory richness.
