Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Total Time Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 30 min. + cooling
Yield 2 dozen
These strawberry cheesecake bars mimic a classic cheesecake with a vibrant strawberry topping. Make them ahead of time for potlucks or parties.

Ingredients

  • 2-1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • FILLING:
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • TOPPING:
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 pound chopped fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with parchment, letting ends extend up sides. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until edges just begin to brown, 13-15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust.
  3. Bake until filling is set, 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
  4. For topping, in a small saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberries and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until mixture begins to thicken, 6-8 minutes. Cool completely; spread over filling. Cover; refrigerate until set, 8 hours or overnight. Using parchment, carefully remove cheesecake from baking pan. Cut into bars for serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 bar: 230 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 48mg cholesterol, 141mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (20g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.

If you love strawberries as a topping for cheesecake, you'll love these strawberry cheesecake bars. Our recipe has a typical graham cracker crust, a vanilla cheesecake middle and a sweet and spreadable strawberry top layer. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
Recipe Creator