Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars Recipe (2024)

Here’s a homemade recipe for a beloved treat- Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars Recipe are creamy, easy and absolutely delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here’s a throwback to the old Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars recipe that were in grocery stores everywhere, and then poof! gone away in the early 2000’s. While this isn’t an exact copycat recipe for those divine treats, this original recipe for delicious cheesecake dessert bars taste just as great!

Here’s a few good reasons to make them:

• These are an indulgent treat with a cinnamon-y graham cracker crust, fresh strawberry topping (made easy) and a drizzle of white chocolate. Great for parties!
• This is an easy recipe that doesn’t actually take long to prepare, but there is significant cooling and chilling time needed, so plan accordingly
• If you like cheesecake recipes, bookmark these too! Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar (so much fun to eat!) and these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are thick, soft and amazingly good.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the full recipe and list of ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.

• Cream Cheese: Full fat, regular Philly cream cheese
• Eggs: Large, room temperature
• Sugar: Regular granulated or Bakers (superfine) sugar
• White Chocolate: Just a little for that signature drizzle
• Graham Crackers: Get the cinnamon grahams. So much better.
• Butter: Just a little unsalted & melted to make the crumb base
• Sour Cream: For richness
• Vanilla: For that flavor you can’t get anywhere else
• Strawberries: Fresh and chopped small

Step-By Step Instructions

For the full recipe, please scroll to the recipe card below

First, make the crumb base for the cheesecake:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Crush the graham cracker crumbs by using a rolling pin (put the graham crackers inside a plastic bag and pound until they are powdery) or just use a food processor.
3. Add the crumbs to a medium bowl with the melted butter, crumbs and sugar, mix to combine.

To prepare the graham cracker crust, here’s all you do:

1. Line a square 8″ square pan with a piece of parchment paper as in the photo above. If your pan isn’t non-stick, you can sling two pieces of parchment paper – one in each direction – to cover the bottom and all four inside walls of the pan
2. Spray the entire bottom of pan with baking spray, then add the graham crumbs and gently pat them into place with a flat-bottomed glass or jar, going up an inch or so on the sides

Note: I used a pan that was non-stick with a removable bottom, with one sheet of parchment paper cut high enough to go up an inch or so on two sides of the pan. I then sprayed the entire inside with non-stick baking spray.

Next, prepare the cheese filling one of two ways:

• With an electric mixer: Start by mixing the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy (important for the final texture). Then add the sugar, sour cream, eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until completely smooth.
• OR
• Use a food processor: Just add all of the cheese mixture ingredients in and process until smooth. Super easy!

Tips for Cutting the Bars

Note that these bars need to cool for a full two hours after baking, and then chill for 4 hours (or overnight) before attempting to slice them, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Here’s the best technique for making clean slices:

• Use a sharp knife and have a tall heatproof glass or jar with boiling or very hot water nearby and ready
• Dip the knife in the hot water, then dry it off with a thick, clean kitchen towel
• Cut the cheesecake bars in half horizontally first
• Dip and clean your knife again, then slice into 12 pieces, dipping your knife in the hot water and wiping if off with the kitchen towel after each slice.
• FYI: The hot water sort of melts through the cake, giving you a super clean cut every time. Wiping off the blade between slices makes a big difference too, because if crumbs are still on your knife, you definitely won’t get a clean cut.

Tips for Filling the Bars

• To prep the slices for that signature Philly cheesecake bar look, simply take a small spoon or melon ball scoop and drag it down the middle (carefully) to pull a little of the cheesecake mixture out
• The “well” that’s left in the middle is where the strawberry sauce will go
• Alternatively, you can simply cut the bars and spoon the strawberry sauce over the top

Tips for the Strawberry Topping

To make the fresh strawberry topping, here’s all you do:

• Wash, dry and trim the strawberries, then cut them into small pieces (1/2″chunks)
• Add a good quality strawberry jam (I used an organic strawberry fruit spread)
• Toss together to mix, then cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use

Tips for Preparing Melted Chocolate

This recipe calls for a little drizzle of white chocolate over the top of each bar. It’s a delicious little extra touch (and optional!) and here’s all you do:

• Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl that’s set over a saucepan of simmering water on medium heat.
• Once it starts to melt, pull it off of the heat – it will continue to melt as you stir.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag, which is easier to fill if you set the plastic bag inside a glass or canning jar like in the photo above
• Remove the bag, twist to close it, forcing the chocolate to one of the two corners. Snip the end of one corner and drizzle the chocolate over the filled bars.

Tips and Possible Variations

• For best results, don’t use non-fat or low fat cream cheese in this recipe
• It’s best to start this recipe the day before you plan to eat it due to the chilling time that’s needed
• Try using fresh raspberries instead of strawberries
• Fill the bars with the strawberry sauce the day you plan to serve them
• Keep the sauce and bars separate and chilled if there are leftovers or making in advance- they don’t hold more than a day if they are already filled with the strawberry topping

Serving Ideas

• There are so many occasions where a good dessert is order, like Mother’s or Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, graduation celebrations and long holiday weekends.
• Looking for dinner ideas before dessert? Start with this tasty Taco Pie, or this light & fresh Tin Foil Baked Chicken and Vegetables or these outstanding, easy and quick Meatballs in Marinara Sauce.
• You can always serve a salad too, either on the side or with a simple chicken breast. Try this Lemon Shrimp Salad, a Blackberry Goat Cheese Salad, or this clean-tasting & simple Simple Celery Salad for starters.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try:

• Decorated Chocolate Covered Strawberries: These are really fun to make, and everyone just loves them
• Chocolate Covered Popcorn: Great for eating and gifting!
• Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Treats: A classic, made as good as it can be!
• Rhubarb Crisp Without Oats: Homey, warm & delicious!
• Mini Strawberry Pies Recipe: So cute!
• Iced Lemon Shortbread Cookies: Thick & soft with a lot of fresh lemon flavor
• Jam Pies: Cute little pies filled with fruity jam
• Jelly Filled Peanut Butter Cookies: Some of the best peanut butter cookies you’ll eat!
• Hawaiian Shortbread Cookies: Just a great, buttery cookie!
• Rhubarb Crisp Without Oats: A homey, wonderful, warm dessert

If you’ve tried this Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars recipe, or any other recipe on Studio Delicious, please rate the recipe 5 stars and tell me how you liked it in comments below!

Looking for more tips and fresh, homemade recipes? Join my email list, tag and follow me on Instagram using #studiodeliciouseats, follow my boards on Pinterest, and see what I’m up to on Facebook and Twitter!