Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake layered with fresh strawberries and buttery cinnamon streusel, perfect for sharing and entertaining.

# 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 lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Cinnamon Streusel

14 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until mixture is thoroughly combined. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly set.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and sour cream until fully incorporated. Pour mixture over the baked crust and smooth the top.
04 - In a small bowl, toss diced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Spoon the mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer.
05 - In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the strawberry layer.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is just set and the streusel is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing. Lift bars from pan using parchment paper overhang, cut into 16 equal squares, and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The streusel adds a buttery crunch that makes every bite feel like youre eating something fancy from a bakery window.
  • You can make these the night before and pull them straight from the fridge when guests show up.
  • The balance between creamy, tart, and sweet means no one ever stops at just one square.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese is even a little cold, you'll end up with lumps that no amount of mixing will fix, so plan ahead and let it soften fully.
  • Don't skip chilling the bars, cutting them warm turns them into a messy pile instead of neat squares with clean edges.
  • The cornstarch in the strawberries is not optional, without it the juices will bleed into the cheesecake and make everything soggy.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each cut to get those picture-perfect square edges without dragging the layers.
  • If the streusel browns too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking so the cheesecake can finish setting without burning the top.
  • Let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature together, it helps everything blend faster and creates a smoother filling with less air beaten in.
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