If you love
cheesecake, but hate worrying about water baths and cracked tops, cheesecake bars are THE dessert for you. Where your average cheesecake can be a real labor of love worthy of special occasions only, cheesecake bars are relatively straightforward to make. Take this strawberry version—to make them, we topped a simple graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake layer, a sweet pink fruit layer, and then crumbled a cinnamon-spiced streusel on top. The result is a cute, springy dessert that’s remarkable enough to share for holidays and potlucks, but also easy enough to make anytime you’re craving cheesecake. Honestly, the hardest part of these is waiting for them to set up in the fridge, so do your future self a favor and start making a batch now.
Ingredients
Crust
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 c.finely ground graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 crackers)
- 6 tbsp.unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 c.granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp.kosher salt
Strawberry Topping
- 3 c.trimmed and chopped strawberries (from about 1 qt.)
- 1/4 c.granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp.fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp.cornstarch
Cream Cheese Filling
- 2(8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 2large eggs
- 1/3 c.granulated sugar
- 1 tsp.vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp.kosher salt
Crumble Topping & Assembly
- 3/4 c.all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c.packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp.ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp.kosher salt
- 5 tbsp.unsalted butter, melted
- Halved strawberries, for serving
Directions
-
Crust
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 9″-by-9″ baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment, leaving a 2″ overhang on 2 opposite sides. Lightly coat parchment with cooking spray.
- Step 2In a medium bowl, mix crushed crackers, butter, granulated sugar, butter, and salt until mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.
- Step 3Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Press into an even layer on bottom of up sides of pan with the back of a spoon or measuring cup.
- Step 4Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool.
- Step 1
-
Strawberry Topping
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch, smashing berries with a potato masher or side of a wooden spoon to release juices, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool slightly while preparing cream cheese filling and crumble topping.
-
Cream Cheese Filling
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
-
Crumble Topping & Assembly
- Step 1In a medium bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and stir until a crumbly dough forms. Spread cream cheese filling over crust. Carefully dollop strawberry topping over cream cheese filling. Using your hands, crumble topping over.
- Step 2Bake bar until puffed and just set in the center, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour more.
- Step 3Using parchment overhang, lift up bar and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into squares and top each slice with a halved strawberry.