Happy Mother’s Day! What a perfect time to celebrate the remarkable women who shaped us.
Thinking about how I want to raise my daughter makes me grateful for the lessons my mother taught me. She instilled strong values—integrity even when it’s unpopular, faith and hope, hard work and honesty, love and service for others, the habit of repentance and forgiveness, and the pursuit of true joy and lifelong learning. She taught by example as much as by words. I hope to pass these same principles on to my daughter and any future children.
My mom also taught me how to make delicious food. These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are one of those comforting, fruity desserts that remind me of home.
They were inspired by a caramel-apple cheesecake bar recipe that I adore. I love the combination of fruit and sauce with cheesecake—the buttery crust and crumbly topping make these bars sing. They’re excellent with strawberries, and I can’t wait to try blueberries or raspberries next time.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
25 mins
1 hr
1 hr 25 mins
35
Garnish and Glaze
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup butter, softened
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
For the Strawberry Layer:
- 2½ cups strawberries, hulled and diced
For the Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, softened
For the Garnish:
- 35 strawberries, fanned (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil for easy removal.
For the Crust:
- Mix flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake 15 minutes. While it bakes, prepare the cream cheese layer.
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour over the warm crust.
For the Strawberry Layer:
- Spread the diced strawberries evenly over the cream cheese layer.
For the Topping:
- Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly, then sprinkle evenly over the strawberries.
- Bake 45–55 minutes, until the center is set. Cool for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Lift the bars from the pan using the foil and cut into 35 squares.
- Drizzle with the strawberry sauce (recipe below) and garnish with fanned strawberries if desired.
Notes
(Nutrition facts assume the entire strawberry puree is used and do not include the optional strawberry on top. A medium strawberry would add about 4 calories and 1 g carbohydrate per bar.)
Strawberry Sauce
5 mins
16 mins
21 mins
Garnish and Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons cold water, divided
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and vinegar. Heat to a simmer, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Mix the remaining water with cornstarch and whisk into the strawberry mixture. Cook about 1 more minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and puree until smooth using an immersion blender or a standard blender.
Notes
Enjoy these bars chilled, drizzled with fresh strawberry sauce, and shared with the people you love.