Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

4.50 from 8 votes

Creamy, refreshing, and lightly sweet with an intense strawberry flavor making these perfect for all your summer get-togethers!

Prep Time1

Cook Time18

Total Time1 18

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake, dessert, strawberry

Servings:

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the crust:

12 sheets of chocolate graham crackers (180g or 1 1/2 cups of crumbs)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the strawberry filling:

2 pounds fresh strawberries plus more for topping
¾ cup granulated sugar divided (170g)
pinch of salt
1 ¾ teaspoons unflavored gelatin (1-ounce package)
20 ounces cream cheese room temperature

For the topping:

½ cup heavy whipping cream (4oz)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
16 whole strawberries
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips

Instructions

To make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a length of parchment paper to fit a 9-inch square baking pan allowing the paper to come up to the top on two opposite sides. Cut another sheet to fix in the opposite direction. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar and process until finely crushed. Add the melted butter and pulse until well mixed. Firmly press the mixture onto the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan to create a lip. Bake for 8 minutes at 350°F. Remove from the oven and cool. Once cool, put the pan in the refrigerator will preparing the filling.

To prepare the filling:

Clean 2 pounds of strawberries and remove the hulls. Cut each in half or quarters. Process half of the strawberries in a food processor until pieces are ¼ to ½ inch thick – about 10 short pulses. Repeat with the remaining strawberries. Be careful not to over-process the strawberries.
Place the processed strawberries in a medium mixing bowl and toss with ½ cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and allow the strawberries to rest for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t wash the food processor yet – you’ll need it again in a few minutes.
Strain the now macerated strawberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl. You should have about ⅔ to ¾ cup of juice. Remove 4 tablespoons of the juice to a small shallow bowl. Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin evenly on top of the juice and set aside. Place the remaining strawberry juice in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the juice is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes (watch the syrup carefully!). The syrup is done when it becomes a little darker and thicker. Watch the strawberry sauce carefully as it will bubble up and may overflow the pan if boiling too fast. Place a wooden spoon across the top of the pan to help prevent a mess.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, until dissolved. Add the softened gelatin and stir gently until combined. Set aside.
While the syrup is cooking down, take the strained strawberries back to the food processor and pulse until very smooth. Strain through the fine mesh sieve again using a large spoon or rubber spatula to press the solids through and extract all the juice. Once all the pulp and juice is extracted, discard the seeds and any remaining solids. Add the cream cheese to the strawberry puree and using an electric mixer, blend on low until smooth. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture and whisk (do not beat) until fully blended.
Pour the strawberry filling over the cooled chocolate graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To cut pretty pieces, place the pan in the freezer for about an hour before slicing. Carefully remove the lightly frozen cheesecake to a cutting board using the parchment paper for handles. Using a large thin knife, slice the cheesecake into 16 equal pieces wiping the knife clean between cuts. Garnish with whipped cream, sliced strawberries or chocolate dipped strawberries as desired. Serve.
Once cut, the bars can be stored in the freezer for up to a week. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before serving.

To prepare the whipped cream and garnish:

Pour the whipping cream in a small bowl. Beat on medium with an electric mixer until foamy. Add the sugar and beat on high until lightly stiff peaks form. Pipe onto sliced cheesecake bars using a large star tip if desired.
To make chocolate dipped strawberries: wash strawberries making sure they are completely dry before dipping. Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over hot, but not boiling water. Stir frequently until smooth. Turn the heating element off, but keep the bowl set over the hot water. Dip the strawberries and shake off any excess chocolate. Place on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Refrigerate until needed.

Notes

Kitchen Tools needed for this recipe to make it easy to prepare: Food processor, large mesh strainer/sieve, 9x9-inch baking pan, whisk, and an electric mixer
Tip: Spread any leftover melted chocolate onto graham crackers or wafer cookies. Refrigerate to keep fresh for up to 1 week. Makes great ready-made s’mores!
Use regular graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies in place of the chocolate grahams if preferred.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition