No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

No bake strawberry cheesecake bars are full of creamy strawberry goodness and topped with crumbled graham crackers for the ultimate indulgence.

Why this recipe works

A creamy cheesecake center filled with fresh strawberries and a topping of graham cracker crumbs, cool whip, and freeze dried strawberries, this no-bake summer dessert is a force to be reckoned with! Strawberry cheesecake bars are a tempting dessert, one that’s great for all sorts of parties especially in the heat of summer when you don’t want to turn the oven on.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

ingredients for No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CRUST & TOPPING – You can find graham cracker crumbs at the store, but you can make your own as well. To make 2.5 cups – place about 16 graham cracker rectangles into the food processor and pulsate until they are small crumbs. You may also substitute the graham cracker crumbs for vanilla wafers, pretzels, or any type of cookie you’d like to use.

CREAM CHEESE – Your cream cheese should be well softened at room temperature. This will make it a lot easier to combine with the other ingredients. Slice it into cubes and allow it to rest on the counter for 30-45 minutes to soften. Do not microwave cream cheese to help it come to room temperature.

STRAWBERRIES – You can typically find freeze-dried strawberries in most grocery stores or on Amazon. To crush them, you can add them to a Ziploc bag and crush by hand or pulse them in a food processor. You will also need fresh strawberries for this recipe, so if you’d prefer to skip the freeze-dried strawberries for the topping, you can top with extra fresh chopped strawberries instead like we did in our strawberry dream dessert. If doing so, wait to top the dessert with the strawberries until you are ready to serve.

How to Make No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

In a large bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and water. Mix well.
Line an 11×9 baking dish with parchment paper. You can use a 13×9 dish instead, just know that the bars will not be as tall when doing so.
Take about 1 Cup of the graham cracker mixture out and set it aside in a bowl for topping the bars later.
Then take the remaining graham cracker mixture and place it into the lined dish in one even layer, pressing it down so it’s firm.
Place the dish in the freezer while you make the filling.
To make the filling you can use a hand mixer or a large food processor. Add heavy whipping cream to a bowl and beat until medium peaks form, set aside.
Whip the cream cheese and sugar in a separate bowl. Fold in the whipped cream.
Add 1 Cup strawberries. Mix well, then add lemon juice.
Remove the crust from the freezer. Spread out the remaining sliced strawberries on top of the crust.
Use a rubber spatula to pour the filling on top of the strawberries. Gently spread it out into an even layer.
Next, place it back in the freezer for about 8 minutes. Remove it and top with cool whip (spreading it carefully with a spatula). Then pour the remaining graham cracker crumbs on top of the cool whip.
Crush the freeze dried strawberries by hand or in a food processor, and place them on top of the graham cracker crumbs.
Serve immediately or place the bars in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store strawberry cheesecake bars?

You can store no bake strawberry cheesecake bars in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 weeks, making them a great dessert to make ahead of time.

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with a bite out of it

Serving Suggestions

We like to cut the strawberry cheesecake bars into squares for serving. These taste amazing frozen, similar to an ice cream bar but are equally as delicious when chilled in the refrigerator. You can top the bars with fresh strawberries in place of the freeze-dried berries as desired. Strawberry cheesecake bars are a treat that can be served for summer get-togethers, backyard parties, potlucks, or Valentine’s Day!

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Amanda Davis

President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.

Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!