Description
These Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth cream cheese filling, and a sweet strawberry topping. They’re perfect for easy serving and offer all the classic cheesecake flavor in a fun, handheld format.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 16 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia), softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream or heavy cream (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking pan (8×8 or 9×13) with parchment paper.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into pan and bake for 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and sour cream if using.
- Pour filling over crust and smooth top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly. Cool completely in pan.
- In a saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Simmer over medium heat until thickened. Let cool slightly.
- Spread strawberry mixture over cooled cheesecake. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Slice into bars and serve chilled.
Notes
- Use a 9×13 pan for thinner bars, or 8×8 for thicker slices.
- Frozen strawberries can be used—thaw and drain before cooking.
- Bars freeze well without topping; add fresh topping after thawing.
- Let bars sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving if very firm from the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
