Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars have a layer of creamy cheesecake with strawberry sauce swirled on top and an Oreo crust. Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used for the sauce so this recipe can be enjoyed all year round!

These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are super delicious and an easy way to get your cheesecake fix! When you’re craving cheesecake but don’t want to go through the trouble of making it, these bars are your answer!

These bars are a favorite of mine for Valentine’s Day, during spring and summer. Chocolate and strawberry is always a great combo for Valentine’s Day. Let’s be honest though, when is chocolate and strawberry not a good combo?

If you love cheesecake desserts then check out my Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars, The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Berry Cheesecake Galette!

If strawberry desserts are your thing then try my Easy Strawberry Crumble, Strawberry Crunch Crumble Recipe, Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, Strawberry Galette and The Best Strawberry Jam Recipe

I think it’s safe to say I love a good strawberry dessert!

Next time you’re looking for a dessert the whole family will love, try this recipe! This easy recipe is one of my family favorites. It’s always a huge hit!

Why this recipe works

• The creaminess of the cheesecake goes so well with the fruity strawberry and chocolate Oreo
• Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are perfect for when you’re craving cheesecake but don’t want to do all the work. These hand held desserts are much quicker and easier than a traditional cheesecake
• Instead of mixing strawberries into the cheesecake and ruining the creamy texture, I make a quick strawberry sauce to swirl on top. This gives amazing flavor. It doesn’t ruin the cheesecake texture
• These bars can be made a day or two ahead of time. If you’re taking them to a party or family gathering this is a huge plus
• Strawberry Cheesecake Bars can be made year round! If fresh strawberries aren’t in season then you can use frozen

Do Cheesecake Bars need to be refrigerated?

Yes and no. Strawberry Cheesecake Bars can be left out on the counter for 24 hours. After that, they need to be in the fridge. In my opinion, they taste better chilled anyway.

I would however recommend waiting at least 2-3 hours after they come out of the oven to be put into the refrigerator. It’s best to let them cool on the counter so it’s not such a rapid temperature change.

If you move the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars straight into the fridge they can be more likely to crack and separate.

Are Strawberry Cheesecake Bars gluten free?

Make the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars gluten free by using gluten free Oreos! Oreo now has gluten free Oreos, woohoo!

The whole reason I made these was actually to serve a gluten free dessert to my brother. So I have tested them with the gluten free Oreos and they’re perfect. It’s a 1:1 ratio so don’t worry about changing anything besides the kind of Oreo you buy!

Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

• Oreos – Delicious Oreos for the crust
• Butter – I use unsalted butter
• Kosher Salt – Sweets are always a little better with some salt
• Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is the base of the cheesecake bars
• Egg – Egg will help the cheesecake portion set up when baking
• Sugar – A little sugar to sweeten the cream cheese
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is a great base flavor for many baked goods
• Sour Cream – Using sour cream makes the bars EXTRA creamy
• Strawberries – I used frozen strawberries but fresh are fine also
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch will help thicken the strawberry sauce slightly so it’s not runny

Equipment needed

• 8×8 Pan – The Strawberry Cheesecake Bars should be baked in an 8×8 pan to come out the right way. Otherwise baking time would need to be adjusted
• Electric Hand Mixer – I use an electric mixer to beat the cheesecake mixture. You could also use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
• Food Processor or Blender – The strawberry sauce will need to be blended in either a food processor or blender
• Large Mixing Bowl – You will need a large bowl when mixing the cream cheese mixture
• Oven – Bake the crust and the bars
• Cooling Rack – Rest the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars on a cooling rack for 2-3 hours before chilling them in the fridge to avoid cracking
• Butter Knife – My tool of choice to do the swirling of the strawberry sauce into the cheesecake mixture
• Parchment Paper – Lining the baking pan with parchment paper is a great way to make sure the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars come out of the pan easily. Parchment paper is a baker/cooks best friend

Tips to make the best Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

• For best results, don’t over beat the cheesecake mixture
• Make the strawberry sauce with either fresh or frozen strawberries. I use frozen unless it’s peak strawberry season
• Make the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars gluten free! Just sub gluten free Oreos for the regular Oreos
• Let the Cheesecake Bars cool for 2-3 hours on a cooling rack on the counter before chilling them in the fridge to help avoid cracking
• Chill the bars completely before removing them and cutting into them. They will hold together when fully chilled
• Cool the strawberry sauce to room temp or slightly warmer before adding it to the cheesecake mixture to bake
• Use a butter knife to swirl the strawberry into the cheesecake mix. Just swirl back and forth in the pan going up and down then side to side then a few hearts or half circles. It doesn’t need to be perfect
• Make this easy dessert ahead of time! These dessert bars can be made 1-2 days ahead of serving time

How to store Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Storing in the fridge

You can store Strawberry Cheesecake Bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make sure the bars are fully cooled first.

You can also wrap them tightly with plastic wrap in the pan they were baked in. Just make sure the plastic is wrapped tightly so extra air does not get in.

Can I freeze cheesecake bars?

Yes! You can freeze the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars too. Make sure to cool the bars completely first.

I prefer to freeze them wrapped individually. This helps keep the texture of the creamy filling.

Cut the bars and place them on a plate in the freezer for about 1 hour. Remove them, individually wrap them in plastic wrap.

Wrap them 2-3 times and make sure it’s tight. From here you can either place them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag.

Store the cheesecake bars for up to 4 weeks in the freezer.

How to make Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are fairly simple to make and a good way to get your cheesecake fix! Preheat the oven to 350°F then line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.

Spray the pan with non stick cooking spray before adding the parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray as well.

Making the strawberry sauce

Blend the strawberries, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the strawberry mixture into a small sauce pot then bring to a low boil, stirring frequently.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the strawberry sauce cool. You can pour the mixture into a bowl and let it chill in the fridge to speed up the process.

Making the Oreo crust

Blend the Oreos, butter and salt in a food processor until you have a fine crumb. Press mixture into the bottom of the 8×8 pan then press down firmly.

Bake the Oreo crust for 10 minutes then set aside to cool. Turn the oven temp down to 325°F.

Making the cheesecake filling

Beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on low for 1 minute. Add the sour cream, sugar, vanilla and salt then beat for 30 seconds on low. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides in between each addition.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cooled Oreo crust then dollop the cooled strawberry sauce on top of the cheesecake. Using a butter knife, swirl the strawberry sauce through the cheesecake mixtures making a design.

Baking the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes. The edges will be slightly puffed but not brown. The middle will still be a bit jiggly but will continue to cook and set after removing the bars from the oven.

Let the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars cool on a cooling rack for 2-3 hours then transfer the pan to the fridge to cool the rest of the way.

Remove the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars from the pan. Lift two sides of the parchment paper to pull them out. Then cut and serve.

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