Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printer-friendly)

Creamy cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries and buttery cinnamon streusel. Perfect for sharing at any gathering.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Layer

05 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 cup sour cream

→ Strawberry Topping

10 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Cinnamon Streusel

14 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until incorporated. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan base. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and sour cream until fully combined. Pour mixture over baked crust and smooth the surface.
04 - In a small bowl, toss diced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Distribute evenly over the cheesecake layer.
05 - In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingertips until texture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the strawberry layer.
06 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is just set and streusel is golden brown. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.
07 - Lift bars from pan using parchment paper overhang. Cut into 16 equal squares and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The bars slice cleanly and hold their shape beautifully, making them ideal for serving a crowd without the fuss of plating individual desserts.
  • Every layer brings its own texture and flavor, so each bite feels like a little celebration in your mouth.
  • You can prep them a day ahead and pull them straight from the fridge when guests arrive, which has saved me more than once.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't fully softened, you'll end up with lumps that won't blend out no matter how long you beat the mixture.
  • Don't skip chilling the bars for the full 3 hours or they'll be too soft to slice neatly and the layers won't hold together.
  • Cold butter is essential for the streusel, if it's too warm it will blend into a paste instead of forming those perfect crumbly bits.
03 -
  • Press the crust firmly into the corners and edges of the pan so it doesn't crumble apart when you slice the bars.
  • Use a light hand when mixing the cheesecake layer after adding the eggs to avoid incorporating air that leads to cracks.
  • Chill a sharp knife in the freezer for a few minutes before slicing, it glides through the layers like butter and keeps everything tidy.
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