No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars
No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars…aka the best of BOTH worlds! Crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust, with a sweet and creamy cheesecake filling, topped with homemade strawberry jam to create the ultimate no bake summer dessert. The best part is that these sweet treats take almost no effort to make. They’re the best way to celebrate the start of summer. I mean, does it really get better than a no bake cheesecake that lets you enjoy fresh summer strawberries? I definitely don’t think so. Especially when every last bite of one of these bars is truly delicious!
→ This post is also available as a Web Story: No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars
About The Recipe
It’s finally that time of year where we can start sharing delicious no bake recipes again! I, for one, couldn’t be more excited than to get an early start. I mean, summer is just around the corner! And, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the oven running all summer long. So, we’re kicking off the season with these strawberries and cream cheesecake bars!
If you read our Strawberry Rolls post or follow us on Instagram, then you know that we have a serious abundance of strawberries right now! Our little strawberry garden is producing more fruit than we can actually eat! So, we’re trying to find fun and unique ways to use them.
And, after a poll on instagram, a few of you asked for some no bake desserts to help keep things cool in the kitchen this summer… Well, no bake cheesecake seemed the perfect way to go ahead.
But how could we make it special? Something just for the summer?
Abundance of strawberries + no bake cheesecake… It only makes sense!
But, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. My mom and I had never made a no bake cheesecake before! So, it was something new and exciting for the both of us…and I couldn’t be happier with the results!
A rich and creamy filling, that’s sweet and tangy, topped with a fruity and sweet, lightly acidic jam. Oh, and that super simple graham cracker crust just gives these bars that little bit of buttery crunch it needs.
Seriously, I think these might just be one of the best recipes on our blog! SO. GOOD.
Equipment Needed
- 9 Inch Springform Pan
- A Mixer
- Small Pot
- Blender
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
- Salted Butter
- Sugar
For The Filling:
- Heavy Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Juice
For The Jam:
- Strawberries
- Lemon Juice
- Sugar
Instructions
Combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour the mixture into a blender, blend until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Mix.
Transfer the mixture into a springform pan and press down with the bottom of a measuring cup to ensure the crust if firmly packed. Set aside.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. About 3 minutes. Set in the fridge until needed.
In a clean mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
Beat in the sugar.
Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
Fold in the whipped cream.
Transfer the cheesecake filling onto the graham cracker crust. Spread evenly across. Refrigerate overnight.
Top with strawberry jam.
Slice and serve!
How To Store
After you’ve made this cheesecake, you can actually just keep it in the fridge! That’s right. Just place it in a lidded container and put back in the fridge until you want it again. It should last about 3-5 days.
Cheesecake Bars Troubleshooting
- Lumpy Cheesecake Filling: Your cream cheese was probably too cold! You need to start with room temperature cream cheese to ensure a smooth and creamy filling.
- My Cheesecake Didn’t Set: This is probably because it wasn’t chilled long enough. In this recipe, we don’t use any thickeners or enhancers to make this cheesecake set, so you really need to make sure that cheesecake is cold!
- How To Have A Light and Airy Cheesecake: Make sure you beat the whipped cream to stiff peaks, but not anymore! This is a super important part of the recipe. Don’t over whip or under whip the cream. Be sure to check the post above for photos on what it should look like!
Expert Tips
- Be sure that your graham cracker crust is level and firmly packed! If it’s not, it may crack.
- Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature and your heavy cream is cold!
- Don’t beat/mix in the whipped cream! Gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- If you don’t have a blender for the jam, just cook the mixture down until slightly thickened. Then, use a fork to break down the larger pieces of strawberries.
- The crust does not need to be baked.
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for the jam.
- You can also use store-bought jam.
- The jam will run off the top of the cheesecake bars.
- If you use gluten-free graham crackers, this recipe will be 100% gluten-free!
When you make these No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Strawberry Jam
- 4 cups strawberries
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup sugar
- 9 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 3 cups cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
Strawberry Jam
- Combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a 2 quart saucepan.
- Cook over medium low heat until sugar dissolves and strawberries start to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and carefully transfer to blender.
- Purée.
- Carefully return to saucepan.
- Continue to cook over medium low heat until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
Graham Cracker Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter.
- Stir until completely mixed.
- Turn out into a 9-inch square pan.
- Press evenly across the bottom. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
- Beat in sugar.
- Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
- Fold in beaten cream.
- Spoon on top of crust and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Top with strawberry jam.
Notes
- Be sure that your graham cracker crust is level and firmly packed! If it’s not, it may crack.
- Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature and your heavy cream is cold!
- Don’t beat/mix in the whipped cream! Gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- If you don’t have a blender for the jam, just cook the mixture down until slightly thickened. Then, use a fork to break down the larger pieces of strawberries.
- The crust does not need to be baked.
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for the jam.
- You can also use store-bought jam.
- The jam will run off the top of the cheesecake bars.
- If you use gluten-free graham crackers, this recipe will be 100% gluten free!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Please give pan sizes to use when 2x or 3x recipe.
Hi Kris! If you would like to double this recipe, we highly recommend using this article on Food52 to help with pan conversions! We hope this helps and we hope you love this recipe just as much as we do. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! x, Caylie
Wow, a real winner. I added, the grated rind of 1 lemon and threes balls of stem ginger (well chopped) to the creamy mixture. A tablespoonful of the stem ginger syrup to the crushed biscuits. Topped with fresh wild raspberry jam.
Definitely will become my party piece. Thank you.
It sounds delicious! I’m allergic to strawberries though so I will try it with cherries.
Hi Kathy! I hope you enjoy it! You could really try it with any fruit you like, so be sure to let us know what you think! Xo, Caylie
So good! I will be saving this recipe to make again!
Hi Ashlyn! We’re so glad to hear you loved this recipe just as much as we do. It’s the perfect summertime treat!
it was a good recipe
Hi! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Xo, Caylie