Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

One of my favorite childhood breakfasts was a toasted bagel with cream cheese and strawberry jam.

I took that same concept and made bars. And these bars definitely beat my bagel memories. Sorry bagels.

I called upon my trusty blondie base for these very soft, slightly chewy, buttery bars that are topped with tangy cream cheese and sweet strawberry jam.

It’s an easy, fuss-free, one-bowl, no-mixer base and with 25+ versions and counting, it never lets me down. Over the years I’ve customized it with anything from Oreos to M&Ms to Pumpkin and here there’s cream cheese and jam.

The bars are dense, ultra soft, and the taste contrast of the buttery bars, a cheesecake-inspired topping, and strawberry jam swirled throughout is just incredible.

An entire slice of cheesecake is generally too rich for me but bars topped with just a thin layer of it, minus the work of having to make a cheesecake, a total win-win.

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Yield: one 8x8 pan, 9 to 12 generous squares

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

One of my favorite childhood breakfasts was a toasted bagel with cream cheese and strawberry jam. I took that same concept and made bars. I called upon my trusty blondie base for these very soft, slightly chewy, buttery bars that are topped with tangy cream cheese and sweet strawberry jam. The bars are dense, ultra soft, and the taste contrast of the buttery bars, a cheesecake-inspired topping, and strawberry jam swirled throughout is just incredible. An entire slice of cheesecake is generally too rich for me but bars topped with just a thin layer of it, minus the work of having to make a cheesecake, a total win-win.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) brick-style cream cheese, very well-softened (lite okay)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam or preserves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
5. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula; set aside.
6. To a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and beat on high-speed with a handheld electric mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
7. Turn the cream cheese mixture out into the prepared pan and using a knife or spatula, form an even, smooth, flat layer.
8. Add the jam in small dollops distributed evenly over the pan (just eyeball 1/3 cup) and then using a spatula or knife, spread and swirl the jam into the cream cheese.
9. Bake for about 30 minutes or until done. The edges should be set and while the center will be glossy and a bit loose, it should still be set to an extent and not overly jiggly. The toothpick test is unreliable because the bars will be done but the moist cream cheese layer will make the toothpick look wet. Bars firm up as they cool. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I’m comfortable storing desserts baked with cream cheese at room temp but if you’re not, store in the fridge, noting the fridge has a tendency to dry things out.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 2g

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