Lemon Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 22 lemon oreos, finely crushed (for the crust)
• 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted (for the crust)
• 16 oz (454g) cream cheese, softened (block-style, not spreadable) (for the filling)
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (for the filling)
• 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, room temp (for the filling)
• 2 tbsp (30g) fresh lemon juice (for the filling)
• 2 tbsp lemon zest (for the filling)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the filling)
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (for the filling)
• 2 eggs, room temp (for the filling)
• + lemon curd to swirl (I used store-bought, but you can make a homemade one if you want) (for the filling)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. To make the crust, crush 22 lemon oreos with a food processor or by hand and mix with melted butter.
3. Press into a parchment lined 8x8 pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Let it cool.
4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch.
5. Add the eggs and mix on low speed or by hand until just combined.
6. Spread this filling over the cooled crust.
7. Drop spoonfuls of lemon curd on top then gently swirl with a knife or chopstick.
8. Bake at 325°F for 30-40 minutes until the edges are set and the center has just a slight jiggle.
9. Cool for at least 30 minutes at room temp, then chill for 3 hours before slicing.