Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F /177°C, and prepare a 9×9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying with nonstick cooking spray. If you make sure to allow extra parchment paper to rise above the pan, you can easily lift the bars out of the pan after it is baked.
2. Mix vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter until fully incorporated. Press the crumb mixture into an even layer in the pan
3.  Once the crust has finished baking, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool while you prepare the creamy cheesecake filling (Keep the oven set at 350 degrees.)
4. In a large bowl, place cream cheese and granulated sugar together. Use an electric mixer and cream together on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
5. Next, add the vanilla extract, and large eggs, and mix well. After that’s combined, add the marshmallow fluff and keep mixing until it is well incorporated.
6. Finally, add in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, and mix until it’s evenly blended.
7. Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust and evenly distribute it into an even layer. Place it in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
8. After the first 20 minutes are up, turn the temperature down to 200°F/93°C and then bake for another 30 minutes or until the center is set. (During this step, don’t open the oven!) Once the baking is complete, turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake in the oven for a final 10 minutes.
9. Finally, take the baked cheesecake out of the oven and place it on a wire rack. Leave it there to come to room temperature.

For the Glaze

1. While the cheesecake layer is cooling, prepare the glaze. Start by placing the sugar, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and mint leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk everything together, until combined, and then add the melted butter. Make sure when you cook the glaze to be constantly stirring it.
3. The glaze will thicken over time and should come to a thicker, custard consistency. Once the glaze is thick, remove it from the heat and transfer it into a small bowl.
4. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool off while the cheesecake returns to room temperature.
5. After the cheesecake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the surface of the cheesecake, being sure to spread it out evenly over the entire surface.
6. Finally, place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least three hours to fully set. Once chilled, cut into 12 squares, serve cold, and enjoy!
7. If you want to make these creamy lemon cheesecake bars stand out, you can decorate the bars with thin lemon slices on top and garnish them with mint leaves.