The Best Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
These strawberry cheesecake bars are always a good idea. Buttery graham cracker crust, lemony cheesecake filling, and spiked strawberry topping.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 10 full graham cracker sheets (1 1/2 cups of crumbs)
- 1/4 c sugar
- 6 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of Kosher salt
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c sugar
- 2 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 c sour cream, room temperature
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
Spiked Strawberries
- 1/2 lb strawberries, cored and sliced
- 1 1/2 Tbs sugar
- 1 Tbs Grand Marnier (or Triple Sec or limoncello), optional
Equipment
- Food processor (optional)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8x8'' square baking pan with butter or neutral cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving wings on each side.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham cracker sheets, in batches if necessary, until you have semi-fine crumbs. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Add the sugar, melted butter, and salt and pulse until the graham crackers are finely ground and the mixture comes together.
- Tip the graham mixture into the prepared pan and press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool to room temperature while you prepare the filling.
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- Fill a cake pan (or other oven-safe pan) with a few inches of water. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is sandy. Add the cream cheese and beat until light and creamy.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix until incorporated. Then, add the eggs and beat just until they are blended into the filling.
- Pour the filling over the crust. Place the bars on the middle rack of the oven, and then set the pan of water under the bars. Bake at 325°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the filling is still a bit jiggly.
- Turn off the oven, and crack the oven door. Let the bars cool for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour in the oven. Then, cover the bars and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours or until the filling is completely set.
- Once cooled, slice the bars into 16 squares.
Spiked Strawberry Topping
- Place the sliced strawberries in a small bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with the Grand Marnier (if using). Stir and let macerate in the fridge for about 30 minutes while the bars cool.
- Spoon the macerated berries over the cooled cheesecake bars. Enjoy!
Notes
If you don't have a food processor, just place the graham crackers into a bowl and use the handle of a wooden spoon to crush into crumbs. Add the sugar, butter, and salt, and stir well until the crust comes together.
To double the recipe, bake in a 9x13'' pan. The bars will take closer to 45-50 minutes to bake.
When baked, the filling will still be quite jiggly. As long as the edges are set after 40-45 minutes, you should be good to go! The rest will set in the fridge.
To prevent the strawberries from making the crust soggy, just spoon the berries over the bars right before serving.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 22.3g, Protein: 3.9g, Fat: 19.4g, Saturated Fat: 11.6g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 284mg, Potassium: 93mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 17.5g, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg
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