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Do you ever find yourself with too many frozen strawberries in the freezer and you need more space? You think what can we do with them? The answer is make cheesecake bars! These are very creamy with just the right amount of strawberry flavor. Cut them in small bars for a snack or bigger squares for dessert. They will be gone in no time, everyone seems to love them in our house.
Ingredients for graham cracker crust
Graham crackers, sugar, and butter!
We used a graham cracker crust for this recipe, they go well with a cheesecake. Just dump the graham crackers into a pan that has been lined with parchment paper with an overhang of paper to pull it out of the pan when it is done. Pop the pan into the refrigerator while you make the cheesecake filling.
Making the strawberry sauce
You need frozen strawberries, sugar, salt, and water.
Put the strawberries, sugar, salt and water into a saucepan and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are all soft and the sugar is dissolved.
The mixture will be nice, bubbly and hot. Let the mixture sit until it has cooled, about 30 minutes, or put in refrigerator for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. You just don't want to put red hot mix into the cheesecake filling.
Ingredients for Cheesecake
Meanwhile, make the cheesecake batter with cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cornstarch, sour cream, cream, vanilla, and the strawberry sauce you made.
Put 4 softened packages of cream cheese into the mixing bowl and beat just till softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about 1 more minute. Next, add the sour cream and cornstarch, followed by the eggs and cream and mix until combined. Now, add the cream and vanilla and again mix until all combined.
Now, add the cooled strawberry sauce to the cheesecake filling and mix till everything is combined and pink!
Pour the strawberry cheesecake mixture into the cooled graham cracker crust.
Set the pan of cheesecake filling into a larger pan and fill that pan ⅓ to ½ full with hot water before baking. It is best to add the water when the pans are sitting in the oven so the hot water won't dump.
Once done baking, put the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to cool or overnight (if you can).
It is pretty easy to lift the cheesecake out with the overhanging parchment paper. Enjoy!
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
A creamy little dessert the whole family will enjoy with tons of strawberry flavor!
- Prep Time: 20-25 mins.
- Cook Time: 35-40 mins.
- Total Time: 5 hrs.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs (about 12 graham crackers)
- pinch of salt
- 4 Tbsp. sugar
- 7 Tbsp. melted butter
Strawberry Sauce:
- 3 cups frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. water
Cheesecake Filling:
- 4 (8 oz.) packs cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make a graham cracker crust by putting the graham crackers, salt, and sugar in the Cuisinart until it forms a powder. Then, while the Cuisinart is on, drizzle in the butter and blend until it forms together.
- Line your 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper, then spray or grease the paper. Leave overhanging paper on the short ends of the pan so you can lift the cheesecake out when it is cooled.
- Add the graham cracker mix to the pan and push down with a small measuring cup (you can use ½ cup measurer) until the graham crackers are pressed evenly into the pan.
- Chill the pan of graham crackers in the refrigerator.
- Put the frozen strawberries in a pan with sugar, salt, and water. Put on a lid and let them cook on low until they are not frozen any more. Mix everything together and let sit to cool.
- In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft.
- Add the sugar and mix till combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the sour cream and the cornstarch and mix just till all incorporated.
- Add the eggs and mix until all combined.
- Now, add the cream and vanilla and give it another mix, just till combined.
- Add the cooled strawberry sauce to the cheesecake filling and mix until combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Put the cheesecake filling into the graham cracker crust pan.
- Put the pan into a larger pan and put into the oven. Add some warm water to the larger pan, about ⅓- ½ up the cheesecake pan, then bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes. A knife will come out clean when inserted into the cheesecake.
- Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, cut into squares and dollop with whipped cream and a fresh strawberry.
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