These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars have a buttery graham cracker crust and a rich, fluffy vanilla cream cheese filling. Before baking, I swirl in a homemade strawberry sauce, then after baking, I top the bars with even more strawberry sauce, extra graham cracker crumbles, and fresh strawberry slices.
Strawberry Cheese Cake Bars - the ultimate Summer dessert of your dreams!
- Perfect for summer! I love making these bars when strawberries are at their sweetest — they’re perfect for warm-weather parties, BBQs, and picnics, just like this fruit pizza and my lemon raspberry bundt cake.
- Homemade strawberry sauce gets swirled right into the cheesecake, so every bite bursts with fresh, vibrant berry flavor you just can't get from store-bought.
- Double strawberry action! I swirl my homemade strawberry sauce into the cheesecake before baking, then spoon even more sauce on top after baking, and top my dessert bars with fresh strawberry slices! Love strawberries as much as I do? Try my strawberry peach cake and strawberry blueberry cake next!
- Easy to slice and serve. I love that you can cut them into neat squares, making them perfect for sharing at gatherings — no forks required! Another favorite crowd-pleaser of mine are these strawberry muffins.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Step-by-Step Photos)
- This is just a quick overview (with photos)—find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below. I’m so excited for you to try them!
- First up: gather all your ingredients. Here’s a photo with everything you’ll need:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Prep the strawberry sauce: simmer sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a saucepan until thickened, then set it aside to cool.
- Make the crust: While the sauce is cooling, make the graham cracker crust by blending graham crackers, sugar, salt, and melted butter, then press it into the bottom of a baking dish, reserving ¼ cup for topping.
- For the cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Bake: Pour the filling over the crust, then swirl in half of the strawberry sauce. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until lightly browned.
- Chill: Then, let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Before serving, top the bars with the rest of the strawberry sauce, graham cracker crumbles, and fresh strawberries.
Other Strawberry Desserts
- No-Bake Ricotta Cheesecake with Berries
- White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Strawberry Blueberry Banana Bread
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars have a buttery graham cracker crust and a rich, fluffy vanilla cream cheese filling. Before baking, I swirl in a homemade strawberry sauce, then after baking, I top the bars with even more strawberry sauce, extra graham cracker crumbles, and fresh strawberry slices.
Ingredients
Strawberry sauce:
- 3 cups strawberries sliced, plus some for garnish
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbles about 12 crackers
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Add the sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a small saucepan, cook on medium/low heat stirring occasionally until the strawberries have softened and a syrup has formed. Use a fork to break up some of the strawberries and create a smoother sauce. Set aside to cool.
- While the sauce is cooling, begin preparing the graham cracker crust. Combine the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a food processor, blend until the graham crackers turn to dust. Add in the melted butter and blend until a coarse mixture forms.
- Set aside ¼ cup of the graham cracker mixture for topping, transfer the remaining mixture to the lined baking dish, use a spatula to press the crumbles into the bottom of the pan to form a crust. Set aside.
- To make the cheesecake filling, cream the softened cream cheese in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add in the two whole eggs and vanilla extract, whisk until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time, once the powdered sugar is combined, turn the mixer up to medium/high to fluff the cheesecake filling until it is smooth with no clumps.
- Carefully pour the cheesecake filling to the baking dish over the graham cracker crust, use a spatula to smooth and level the filling if necessary.
- Set aside half of the strawberry sauce for later. Transfer the other half of the strawberry sauce to the baking dish over the cheesecake filling. Use a spatula to gently mix the strawberry sauce with the cheesecake filling to create a swirled pattern.
- Cook the cheesecake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and only the center is slightly jiggly.
- Let the cheesecake cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Top the cooled cheesecake with the remainder of the strawberry sauce, then the remainder of the graham cracker crumbles and fresh strawberry slices. Cut into 9 even slices.
Notes
- Parchment: The best method to line the baking pan with parchment paper is to cut a square the size of the bottom of the pan and grease the sides with butter or oil.
- To cool the strawberry sauce quickly, spread it out on a tray or pan to increase the surface area and set in the fridge or freezer.
- Storage: You can store strawberry cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and serve them chilled.
- Serve: Serve the cheesecake bars chilled with crumbled graham crackers, fresh strawberries, lemon, or powdered sugar.
- Can I use frozen strawberries? While fresh always work best, you can use frozen, just make sure they are completely thawed and be sure to thoroughly drain excess liquid.
- Supplies: You will need a stand or handheld mixer, a small saucepan, a food processor, and a 9 by 9-inch baking dish.
- I provide helpful step-by-step photos above the recipe card (scroll up).
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Amount per Serving
Calories
425
% Daily Value*
Fat
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
14
g
88
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Cholesterol
106
mg
35
%
Sodium
333
mg
14
%
Potassium
200
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
46
g
15
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
33
g
37
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
903
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
35
mg
42
%
Calcium
79
mg
8
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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