Creamy No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
A quick and easy no-bake dessert featuring a crunchy graham cracker crust, light and airy cream cheese filling, and a sweet-tart strawberry topping. Perfect for any occasion and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 16 ounces (450g) cream cheese, softened
- ⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 cups (300g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour in melted butter and stir until evenly coated. Press firmly into the bottom of a lined 9×9-inch pan. Optionally bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or chill in the fridge if not baking.
- Make the strawberry topping: In a small saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and strawberries soften, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: Beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in sour cream. In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in batches.
- Assemble the bars: Spread cheesecake filling evenly over the cooled crust. Spoon cooled strawberry topping over the filling, spreading gently. Optionally swirl topping lightly for a marbled effect.
- Chill and set: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to firm up and meld flavors.
- Serve: Lift bars out using parchment paper edges, cut into squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water, and serve chilled.
Notes
Softening cream cheese before mixing is essential to avoid lumps. Use cold heavy cream and chilled bowls for best whipping results. Fold whipped cream gently to maintain airy texture. Chill bars thoroughly before slicing for clean cuts. Warm strawberry topping can ruin cheesecake texture, so cool completely before assembling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/12th of rec
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Protein: 4
Keywords: no-bake cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake bars, easy dessert, summer dessert, creamy cheesecake, no oven dessert