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!

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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.

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In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Mix.

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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.

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With a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. About 3 minutes. Set in the fridge until needed.

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In a clean mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.

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Beat in the sugar.

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Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.

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Fold in the whipped cream.

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Transfer the cheesecake filling onto the graham cracker crust. Spread evenly across. Refrigerate overnight.

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Top with strawberry jam.

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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.