Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake layers with fresh strawberries and buttery cinnamon streusel topping for any celebration.

# 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 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - 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.
03 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until set. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
04 - 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 extract and sour cream until fully incorporated.
05 - Pour cheesecake mixture over the baked crust and smooth the top evenly.
06 - In a small bowl, toss strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Spoon evenly over the cheesecake layer.
07 - 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.
08 - 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.
09 - Lift bars out using the parchment paper, cut into 16 equal squares, and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The streusel adds a warm, spiced crunch that balances the creamy cheesecake beautifully.
  • You can slice them into neat squares and stack them on a plate without any fuss.
  • Fresh strawberries make every bite taste like summer, even in the middle of winter if you use good berries.
  • They chill overnight, so you can bake today and serve tomorrow with zero stress.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft, the filling will have lumps no amount of beating will fix.
  • Don't skip the cornstarch with the strawberries or the bars will be wet and hard to cut cleanly.
  • Cold butter is key for the streusel, warm butter turns it into a paste instead of crumbs.
  • Letting them chill overnight makes slicing easier and the flavors settle beautifully.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it clean between cuts for perfectly neat squares.
  • If the streusel starts browning too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
  • Let the bars come to room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the cheesecake softens just enough.
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