Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are an easy make-ahead dessert for a summer gathering. Fresh strawberries are folded into a creamy cheesecake mixture and baked on top of a cookie-like crust.
Cheesecake fans will also love my Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars – another easy summer dessert!
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These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are wonderfully unique and so easy to make. It’s summer and we don’t want to work hard in the kitchen. Am I right?
Instead of a typical graham cracker crust, the fresh strawberry cheesecake layer bakes on top of a sturdy shortbread cookie crust. This adds a delicious and satisfying element and makes them easy to slice and serve.
The creamy cheesecake is dotted with fresh strawberries that make them so pretty on a serving platter.
Table of contents
Do you have an end of the school year potluck in the near future? Or maybe a cookout with friends or family?
These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are an easy, make-ahead dessert that is irresistibly delicious.
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese – I use one package of regular cream cheese and one package of Neufchatel (1/3 less fat) cream cheese with a fabulous result. Yes, they are still indulgent. And, no, they are not a low guilt snack but hey, every little bit helps, right?
- Sour cream – Either regular or light sour cream will work.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Milk – A small amount of milk is added to loosen the cheesecake just a bit.
- Pure vanilla extract
- Lemon – You’ll use the zest and juice from a lemon. I always use super sweet Meyer lemons when I can get them.
- All-purpose flour – To help the cheesecake layer set up properly.
- Fresh strawberries – Rinsed, dried and chopped.
- Shortbread cookie crust – The super simple crust consists of butter, all-purpose flour, and granulated sugar.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Shortbread Cookie Crust
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to blend together the softened butter, flour and granulated sugar. Mix for about 3 or 4 minutes until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Working the crust mixture with your hands for a minute or two can help speed up the process
- Pour the mixture out into a greased baking pan and pat it down evenly with your hands. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until just lightly golden brown at the edges. While the crust is baking, get started on the cheesecake mixture.
Pro Tip
Coat the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray before patting the crust down. This crust creates sturdy bars that are easy to remove from the pan, eliminating the need to line the baking dish with parchment paper.
Strawberry Cheesecake Mixture
- Add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar to a large mixing bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to mix the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Next, add the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix again until combined and creamy.
- Finally, use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold in the flour and then the strawberries.
Bake and Cool
- Bake: Remove the crust from the oven and pour the cream cheese mixture over the top. Smooth it out evenly. Return to the oven for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until just lightly golden brown around the edges and the center doesn’t jiggle when you shake the pan.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for an hour. Then, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Use fresh strawberries: Look for bright red, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and texture. Avoid using frozen or overly watery strawberries as they can affect the texture of the cheesecake.
- Allow cream cheese to soften: To ensure your cheesecake will be smooth and creamy, it’s very important to allow your cream cheese to soften at room temperature before starting the recipe.
- Cool completely: Allow the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars to cool for an hour before refrigerating. This will help them firm up and set properly, making them easier to cut into clean, neat bars.
- Refrigerate before serving: Cover and refrigerate the bars for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Storage Tips
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and they will hold up perfectly for several days. I actually think they are even better after a day or two in the fridge. The crust softens ever so slightly and they taste fresh and wonderful. That is, if they last that long!
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Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
For the Strawberry Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, regular or light
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping cup chopped fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Generously coat the bottom and sides of a glass 13- x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to blend together the softened butter, 2 cups flour and ½ cup granulated sugar. Mix for about 3 or 4 minutes until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (Tip – after mixing for a minute or two, working the crust mixture with your hands for a minute or two can help speed up the process). Pour the mixture out into the prepared baking dish and pat it down evenly with your hands. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until just lightly golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven.
- While the crust is baking, use an electric mixer to cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, and remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix again for 2 to 3 minutes until combined and creamy. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold in the flour and then the strawberries.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the warm crust and smooth out evenly. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until just lightly golden brown around the edges and the center doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for an hour. Then, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on May 15, 2015. It has been updated with new text and images.
Hi Valerie! Two things…1. I don’t mean to nit-pick, but In Step 2 of Instructions, you might want to change the last word to read “filling” instead of “crust”.
2. Instead of making the shortbread crust, could this be made using a 17.5 oz. pouch of sugar cookie dough prepared according to the directions on the pouch? If so, would one pouch do, or would I need two?
Thanks for the catch! I’m afraid I have no experience at all with store-bought cookie mixes but if you try it, let me know how it works out for you.
Wous raspberries work as well?
Hi Holly. I haven’t tried it with raspberries but I think it would be delicious!
can I use cherry pie filling?
Valerie, I was hesitant to make these only because at this time of year, the grocers carry berries that aren’ t ripe yet. But I found some that smelled really nice, so I gave this a try. Wow! They are spot on. The crust doesn’t fall to pieces and the flavor is so refreshing with the lemon juice and zest. Thank you for the great recipe! Will be watching for more of them.
I’m so glad you liked them, Chris! I really love that shortbread crust too. It is a great base layer for bars like this.
Yummm! There’s nothing better than combination desserts like these !!!!
I love your blog and recipes. Do you want to talk about becoming a Chicory Recipe Partner?
Feel free to contact me directly at valerieskitchen@att.net if you’d like to discuss partnership opportunities. Thanks!
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Strawberry + cheesecake is a wonderful combination, and you turned it into cookie bars!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 Looks very tempting and I wish I have some with me right now for my late night snack… =P
These look so yummy! Do you think they would freeze well?
Hello Kenna 🙂 A basic cheesecake with no fruit topping will freeze very well if wrapped carefully but I’m not sure I could recommend it with this recipe. My concern is the strawberries. When fruit is frozen and thawed, the texture can change. You could definitely give it a try but for the best result I recommend baking it a day before needed and refrigerating it overnight.
These strawberry cheesecake bars look amazing, pinned!
Thanks, Jenna!
So pretty. And what a treat with fresh strawberries just hitting local farmers markets.
Wow Valerie, this looks so luscious and perfect to make at this time as it’s nearly strawberry season! Pinned. 🙂
Thanks, Abby!
I’d love one of these aptly named Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Bars with my cup of coffee this morning. Just sayin’! My mouth is watering….
Believe me, I’d love to share. Need to remove the temptation 🙂