Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake layered with fresh strawberries and cinnamon streusel. A crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.

# 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides for easy removal.
02 - Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in melted butter until combined. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.
03 - Beat softened cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl 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. Pour mixture over baked crust and smooth the top.
04 - Toss diced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Spoon mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer.
05 - Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the strawberry layer.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the center is just set and the streusel is golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting. Lift bars out using the parchment paper overhang, cut into 16 even squares, and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust stays crisp even under all that creamy cheesecake, and the streusel adds a warm, spiced crunch.
  • These bars slice cleanly and travel well, so you can bring them anywhere without worrying about a messy cake stand.
  • Fresh strawberries tucked into every bite make it taste like summer, no matter the season.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese all the way, or you'll end up with lumps no amount of mixing can fix.
  • Chilling these bars for the full three hours makes all the difference in getting clean slices that hold their shape.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each cut for bakery-clean edges.
  • If the streusel starts browning too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
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