These strawberry cheesecake bars combine a baked cheesecake with fresh strawberries. They have a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake. After it is done baking, it has a fresh strawberry sauce with golden Oreos. These cheesecake bars are packed with fresh strawberry flavor!
Post updated 5/11/2021
Buttery Graham Cracker Crust
This graham cracker crust is so easy to make!
The easiest way to make it, is to use a food processor to get the crumbs very fine. It will use about 1 ½ packs of graham crackers.
Then, blend the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter together using a fork. It should be slightly wet from the butter. Pour the crumbs into the pan. Use your fingers to press it along the bottom of the pan. Then, use a measuring cup to compact the crust down.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes to make sure there won't be a soggy crust.
How To Easily Remove Cheesecake
First, use an 8X8 inch pan. Spray the pan very well with a baking non-stick spray. Then, place parchment paper on the bottom and up 2 sides of the pan. Then, spray again.
Once the cheesecake is completely cooled, use the parchment paper sticking out the sides to pull the cheesecake out. Then, you can throw away the parchment paper.
Tips To Make A Crack Free Cheesecake
If you want a cheesecake, that doesn't crack, then follow these tips. There is no water bath in this recipe!
- Room temperature ingredients- Pull the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs out 2 hours before baking. To get a smooth cheesecake you need room temperature ingredients.
- Use a mixer- Use either a stand mixer or hand mixer. Either will work, but the cream cheese needs a strong a power to beat until smooth.
- Beat cream cheese- Beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Set a timer and let it beat. Then, add in the sugar and beat again for 1 minute.
- Scrape the bowl- Scrape the bowl after every single step. This will make sure everything will be mixed in.
- Add sour cream and heavy cream- Add these in and the vanilla and beat until smooth. It should be creamy, with no lumps remaining. If there are any lumps, mix until it is completely smooth.
- Add in eggs- Add the eggs in one at a time. Mix them in on low. This part is important. The more air that gets into the eggs, the more it can rise in the oven and fall rapidly, which causes cracks. That is why we do as little mixing with the eggs as possible!
Pour the batter into the pan on top of the crust. Then, bake! Bake until the middle has a slight jiggle while the edges are set.
Cooling The Cheesecake
If you brought the cheesecake onto the counter from the oven immediately after it is done baking, it will crack. The temperature difference is what causes that cheesecake to crack. Instead, turn off the oven and crack open the door. This will let the cheesecake slowly cool down.
Strawberry Sauce
Make this strawberry sauce once the cheesecake is cooking. Cut the fresh strawberries into quarters and then, cut those quarters into small pieces.
Add the strawberries and the rest of the ingredients and cook in a sauce pan. The goal is to cook it until it is thick. It will also thicken more as it cools.
Once you pull the cheesecake from the oven, pour the sauce right on top. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the sauce. This will drain any extra sauce.
Then, once the cheesecake is completely cool, chill it in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
Decorating The Bars
Before you top with Vanilla Oreos, cut the cheesecake bars into squares first. It will be a lot easier to cut the bars without the Oreos on top.
Then, separate each Oreo into 4 pieces and top the bars. The vanilla Oreos are optional, but they really upgrade these strawberry cheesecake bars!
Storing The Bars
These strawberry cheesecake bars should be stored in the fridge in an air tight container. They will last up to 5 days.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try
- Peanut butter and jelly cheesecake bars
- Tiramisu cheesecake
- Chocolate cheesecake
- Cookie dough cheesecake bars
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me review below if you made these cheesecake bars. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups Graham cracker crumbs about 1 ½ packets of graham crackers.
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 8 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
Strawberry Sauce
- 3 cups Fresh strawberries washed, and cut into pieces.
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Water
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Cheesecake
- 16 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Sour cream room temperature
- ⅛ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- Vanilla Oreos for decoration
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven at 325F. Spray an 8x8 inch pan with a baking non-stick spray. Line it with parchment paper and spray again.
- Using a food processor, crumble up graham crackers until they are a fine crumb. Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl using a fork. Pour crumbs into pan. Use your hands to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Use a measuring cup to compact the crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Strawberry Sauce
- Cut strawberries into quarters and cut into medium sized pieces. Pour strawberries into a saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch. Mix.
- Heat until the liquid starts boiling. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the strawberry sauce is thick. Take off heat.
Cheesecake Batter
- Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high. Add the sugar and beat again for another 1 minute on high. Scrape the bowl. Mix for 20 seconds.
- Add in sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat on medium until creamy with no lumps remaining. Scrape the bowl. Mix for 10-15 seconds. Add in eggs one at a time on low. Scrape the bowl when the last egg is almost mixed. Make sure not to over mix.
- Pour the batter over the crust. Then, bake for 40-45 minutes. The cheesecake is done baking when the edges are set but the middle has a slight jiggle.
- Turn off the oven, prop open the door and the cheesecake sit for 20 minutes. This allows the cheesecake to slowly cool. Place cheesecake bars on a cooling rack. Pour strawberry sauce over the cheesecake. Use a slotted spoon to drain the sauce. Spread until smooth.
- Let the cheesecake get to room temperature. Wrap and chill for 6 hours or overnight. Take bars out of the pan and remove the parchment paper. Cut into squares. Top with Oreo pieces. Keep cold.
David Ettner says
THE BEST CAKE I VE EVER EATEN!!!
That’s only the truth! I tried this recipe for the first time and I can’t believe how it works…the cheesecake was so smooth, soft without a water bath or anything else! I live in Germany and for the cracker crust I used „Butterkekse“ and it was insane! Best recipes in the word by Stephanie 💝
Amara says
Hi! My strawberries from the sauce turned into a very dark color, I cooked them for more than 10 minutes because it wasn’t getting thick. Any recommendations? Or any reasons that they didn’t stay in a good looking red?
Thanks
Stephanie Rutherford says
Here are my thoughts:
It sounds like you over cooked the strawberries. Did you use frozen strawberries?
If it didn't thicken, that could be that the heat wasn't high enough. Also, the sauce thickens dramatically as it cools. So you have may have over cooked it when it would have thickened as it cools. I hope this helps!