Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake bites are a delicious and convenient twist on the classic cheesecake dessert. These bite-sized treats are the perfect combination of a zesty cheesecake filling made of heat-treated lemon cake mix, cream cheese, and dried blueberries, then coated in yellow candy melts and almond bark drizzle!
The bright, zesty flavor of lemon pairs perfectly with the sweet blueberries, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. These no-bake bites are easy to make with just a handful of ingredients and can be enjoyed as a quick sweet treat, a fun dessert for the family, or special occasions like high tea and baby showers.
If you love no-bake little bites, try these Golden Oreo truffles, Deep Fried Peanut Butter Balls, or Orange Creamsicle Truffles!
What do I Need for this Recipe?
🍋 Ingredients:
- Lemon cake mix – Yellow cake mix can be used, but it’s best to add some lemon extract or lemon juice to the cheesecake bites.
- Cream cheese – Soften at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Dried blueberries – I don’t recommend using fresh blueberries as they hold a lot of moisture which can affect the consistency of these cheesecake bites. Other dried fruit like raspberries could be used instead of blueberries.
- Yellow candy melts
- White almond bark – White candy melts can be substituted for almond bark.
Optional Garnish:
I’ve drizzled melted almond bark over the coated lemon blueberry energy bites, but you could also add sanding sugar or sprinkles for added effect!
Equipment Needed:
You’ll just need a microwave, a medium bowl for the cheesecake mixture, a small bowl for the candy melts and almond bark, a cookie scoop, and a few basic kitchen utensils.
Variations and Substitutions:
- White or yellow cake mix can be used instead of lemon cake mix, but then I recommend adding some lemon extract to the cheesecake bite mixture for a lemon flavor.
- Add some lemon zest to the cheesecake bite mixture for added texture and zesty flavor.
- You could alternate between the chocolate coating and some almond bark coating with a yellow candy melt drizzle.
- While the almond bark drizzle is still slightly wet, sprinkle on some decorative sanding sugar or sprinkles.
- Use gluten-free cake mix to cater to gluten sensitivities.
- White candy melts can be substituted for almond bark.
- Dried raspberries can be used instead of blueberries.
- While I haven’t tried it in this recipe, dairy-free cream cheese could be an option when making these cheesecake energy balls.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Place the cake mix in a heat-proof bowl and microwave in two 30-second increments, stirring between, to heat treat the cake mix and make it safe to eat without cooking. Cool.
Step 2: With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese in a separate bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sprinkle the cake mix over the cream cheese and beat until combined.
Step 3: Sprinkle the dried blueberries over the cake mix and cream cheese mixture and fold together or beat quickly, until the blueberries are spread throughout the mixture.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. This will help thicken the mixture to make it easier for rolling into balls and also allow time for the mixture to expand some.
Pro Tip: If you know you may be in a rush when assembling these lemon blueberry bites, make the cheesecake balls the day before and store them in the fridge. This will prevent any cracking on the candy melt coating.
Step 5: Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop balls of the lemon blueberry mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to roll them into smooth balls.
Step 6: Place the baking sheet with cake mix balls into the refrigerator to harden.
Step 7: Using a heat-safe medium-sized mixing bowl, heat the candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted.
Step 8: Roll the cheesecake bites in the melted candy wafers. Place the coated cheesecake bites on a fork and gently tap any excess coating off.
Step 9: Return the coated cheesecake bites to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow candy melt coating to set (this takes 5-10 minutes.)
Step 10: Using a small heat-safe mixing bowl, microwave the white almond bark in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each interval.
Use a spoon to drizzle the white coating over the lemon blueberry bites. You can also fill a small plastic baggie with the melted candy, snip it off the corner, and use that to squeeze an even drizzle back and forth over the cheesecake bites.
SERVE: Serve as soon as the drizzle has set.
- Using parchment paper simplifies the process of dipping the cheesecake balls into the candy melts. Once the candy coating hardens, it can be easily removed from the parchment paper.
- The cake mix mixture will expand as it’s combined with the moisture from the cream cheese. If the cheesecake bites are coated immediately after rolling, the expansion of the mixture can cause the coating to crack. To avoid cracking, it’s best to chill the mixture or the formed balls for as long as possible before dipping them into the melted candy coating. If cracks occur, they can be easily sealed by drizzling additional melted candy coating over the crack.
- Be careful that no water mixes with the candy melts – any exposure to water will cause them to seize and become unusable.
- Stir the cake mix flour mixture in 30-second increments while heating in the oven to ensure all of the mixture is heated through.
- Vanilla extract can be added to the cheesecake mixture for added flavor.
- Melted candy melts don’t require oil for a smooth consistency although some still do add coconut oil or other oil to ensure a smooth consistency.
Fun Fact
Cheesecake is one of the oldest desserts in the world, with roots that date back to ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks made cheesecake using simple ingredients, such as cheese, honey, and wheat. Over time, the recipe for cheesecake evolved, and by the 19th century, cream cheese had become a staple ingredient in cheesecake recipes.
Today, there are many variations of cheesecake, including traditional baked cheesecake, no-bake cheesecake, and these little beauties in the form of cheesecake bites!
Store these cheesecake bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The cake mix can contain bacteria and other microorganisms, and heating the cake mix to a high temperature can help to kill these organisms and make it safer to use in no-bake treats like these lemon blueberry cheesecake bites.
Absolutely! The cake mix can be heat treated in the oven by spreading it evenly on a baking sheet and baking it at 180F for about 15-30 minutes, stirring the cake mix every 5-10 minutes. The candy melts and almond bark can be melted on the stovetop in a double boiler.
more Bite-Sized Cheesecake Treats
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
- 1 package lemon cake mix 15.25 oz. pkg
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 3.5 oz. package dried blueberries
- 12 oz. yellow candy melts
- 4 oz. white almond bark
Instructions
- Place cake mix in a heat-proof bowl and microwave in two 30-second increments, stirring between, to heat treat the cake mix and make it safe to eat without cooking. Cool.
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until fluffy.
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the cream cheese and continue beating with a hand mixer until combined.
- Mix the dried blueberries into the cheesecake mixture by beating quickly or folding in with a spatula.
- Chill the mixture in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours. This helps to thicken the mixture to make it easier for rolling into balls and also allow time for the mixture to expand some.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop balls of the lemon blueberry mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to roll them into smooth balls.
- Place the baking sheet with cake mix balls into the refrigerator to harden.
- Using a heat-safe medium-sized mixing bowl, heat the candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted.
- Roll the cheesecake bites in the melted candy wafers. Place the coated cheesecake bites on a fork and gently tap any excess coating off.
- Return the coated cheesecake bites to parchment lined baking sheet. Allow candy melt coating to set (this takes 5-10 minutes.)
- Using a small heat safe mixing bowl, microwave the white almond bark in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each interval.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the white coating over the lemon blueberry bites. You can also fill a small plastic baggie with the melted candy, snip off the corner, and use that to squeeze an even drizzle back and forth over the cheesecake bites.
- Serve as soon as the drizzle has set.
Notes
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