Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

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

# What You 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 ounces 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until combined. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and sour cream until fully incorporated. Pour mixture over the baked crust and smooth the top.
03 - In a small bowl, toss strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Spoon evenly over the cheesecake layer.
04 - In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the strawberry layer.
05 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is just set and the streusel is golden brown. Cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing.
06 - Lift bars out using the parchment paper overhang, cut into 16 equal squares, and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • All the richness of cheesecake without the fuss of a water bath or worrying about cracks.
  • The cinnamon streusel adds a unexpected crunch that makes every bite interesting.
  • They slice cleanly and travel well, so you can actually bring them to a potluck without disaster.
  • Fresh strawberries keep it bright and not too heavy, even with all that cream cheese.
02 -
  • Softening the cream cheese is non-negotiable, I once tried to speed it up in the microwave and ended up with a grainy filling that no amount of mixing could save.
  • Chilling for the full 3 hours makes the bars slice cleanly instead of squishing under the knife.
  • Pressing the crust firmly prevents it from crumbling apart when you cut the bars later.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each cut for bakery-perfect slices.
  • If your cream cheese is still cold, cut it into chunks and let it sit out for 30 minutes, it'll soften evenly without melting.
  • Taste your strawberries first, if they're really sweet, cut the sugar in the topping by half.
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