Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake meets fresh strawberries and buttery cinnamon streusel in these delightful shareable bars.

# 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 fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Cinnamon Streusel

14 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
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, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until mixture is cohesive. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
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. Fold in vanilla extract and sour cream until fully incorporated. Pour filling over baked crust and smooth the surface.
04 - In a small bowl, gently toss diced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Distribute evenly over the cheesecake layer.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut cold butter into small pieces and work into the dry mixture using a fork or fingertips until texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over strawberry layer.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the center is just set and the streusel reaches a golden brown color. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting.
07 - Using parchment paper overhang, lift the entire baked sheet from the pan. Cut into 16 equal squares and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Every bite has crust, cream, fruit, and crumble in one forkful, so you never have to choose your favorite layer.
  • They travel beautifully to potlucks and picnics because they hold their shape even after hours in a cooler.
  • The streusel topping adds a cinnamon warmth that makes these feel like cheesecake met coffee cake and decided to be friends.
  • You can make them a full day ahead and they taste even better cold from the fridge the next morning.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese is cold, the filling will be lumpy no matter how long you beat it, so leave it on the counter for at least an hour before you start.
  • Do not skip the chilling time or the bars will fall apart when you cut them, trust me, I tried once and ended up with cheesecake soup in a pan.
  • Press the crust down hard or it will crumble instead of holding together as a base layer.
03 -
  • Line your pan with enough parchment overhang that you can grab both sides and lift the whole thing out in one piece, it makes cutting so much cleaner.
  • Use a hot, dry knife to slice the bars, wiping it clean between each cut, and you will get bakery-perfect edges every time.
  • If the streusel is browning too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
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