Go Back
–+ servings
Two strawberry cheesecake bars stacked next to two fresh strawberries and little white flours on a white plate.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Creamy and delicious with a strawberry topping, these cheesecake bars are versatile and super easy to make.
Prep Time25 minutes
Chilling Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Fourth of July
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Salt, Vegetarian
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 196kcal
Author: Alicia
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 8 inch square baking pan
  • 1 sifter or mesh strainer

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • 1¼ cups crushed shortbread cookies or vanilla wafer cookies
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

  • 2 8 oz packages block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • ¼ cup smooth ricotta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream.

Strawberry Topping

  • 16 oz fresh strawberries, trimmed and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For the crust - lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan with the inside of the butter package or a little bit of oil on a paper towel. Stir together the crushed cookies (can crush them in a bag with a mallet or food processor) and melted butter until evenly incorporated. Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan tightly, using a cup to push down to pack in. 
  • For the cream cheese filling - In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar till well combined. This can be done with an electric mixer or by hand with a wood spoon. Stir in the eggs, ricotta, and vanilla till well combined. Sift in the flour and salt and stir together with the cream cheese mixture. Add in the heavy cream and stir well. Pour the mixture over prepared crust. Bake until just golden and set, about 30-35 minutes. 
  • For the strawberry topping -  In a saucepan, stir together the strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened. About 5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the baked cheesecake bars while still warm. Allow it to sit at room temperature so it's not super hot before placing into the fridge.
  • Once cooled, cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before removing from the pan. Cut into squares with a large chefs knife, wiping it clean in between cuts for pretty slices, and serve. 

Notes

  • Shortbread, graham crackers, Biscoff or vanilla cookies can all be used for the crust, I just highly recommend shortbread with the strawberries!
  • For migraine-friendly, use a cream cheese without carrageenan like Philadelphia or Publix Greenwise.
  • For low histamine, use blueberries or blackberries instead of strawberries. 
  • For gluten free, Walker's makes gluten free shortbread, and use all purpose gluten free flour. 
  • Fully chill the mixture before cutting. This may take longer than 3 hours depending on your fridge, but I find it cools pretty quickly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg