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strawberry no bake cheesecake bars

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups  graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup  unsalted butter, melted
  • 16 ounces  cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup  powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups  heavy whipping cream
  • 1 pound  fresh strawberries
  • 1/4 cup  strawberry jam  optional for the topping

Method
 

  1. You want to mix your graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until the texture looks like wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×9 inch square baking pan.
  2. I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper first, leaving a little overhang on the sides. This acts as a handle so you can lift the entire block of bars out later for clean slicing.
  3. Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to pack the crumbs down into a tight, even layer. Put the pan in the freezer for fifteen minutes to set while you work on the filling.
  4. In a cold bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.
  5. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and looks like a thick frosting.
  6. Now you need to combine the two mixtures without losing the air you just whipped into the cream. Add about a third of the whipped cream to the cream cheese bowl and stir it in to lighten the base. Then, gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. Use a slow, circular motion, lifting from the bottom to the top.
  7. Do not use an electric mixer for this part. If you are too aggressive, you will deflate the cream and your cheesecake bars
  8. Take your chilled crust out of the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling over the top. Use an offset spatula or the back of a large spoon to spread the cream into every corner. 
  9. To give the bars a glossy, top-notch look, warm up the strawberry jam in a small bowl until it is liquid. Use a pastry brush or a spoon to lightly glaze the tops of the strawberries.

Notes

The biggest mistake is using cream cheese that is still cold. Cold cheese will never blend smoothly, and you will end up with a grainy texture.
Another issue is not whipping the heavy cream enough. If the peaks are soft or runny, the bars will never set properly and will stay more like a pudding. Always check for those stiff peaks before you stop the mixer.
Finally, avoid using frozen strawberries for the topping.