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Philadelphia strawberry cheesecake snack bars stacked on top of each other on a small white snack plate
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4.43 from 7 votes

Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars (Philadelphia Copy Cat)

Copycat Philadelphia strawberry cheesecake snack bars are the homemade version of the popular discontinued treat. A graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake and strawberry topping making these cheesecake bars a sweet you'll love.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time5 hours
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 bars
Calories: 444kcal

Ingredients

For The Crust

  • 2 cups graham crumbs
  • ¼ cup melted butter

For The Cheesecake

  • 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream room temperature
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Strawberry Topping

  • 2 cups sliced strawberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup white chocolate melting wafers melted (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F, line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper

Making The Crust

  • In a large bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter until mixture is like wet sand, pack into bottom and slightly up the sides of prepared dish
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling

Making The Cheesecake

  • In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream until light and fluffy
  • Add the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla and beat until mixture is smooth
  • Pour cheesecake into the crust and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cheesecake is a bit puffed and no longer jiggly in the center
  • Remove and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before transferring to fridge to chill at least 4 hours

Making The Topping

  • In a medium saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar, water, corn syrup and cornstarch and stir well
  • Heat over medium heat until it starts to simmer, stirring frequently
  • Turn heat down to low and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened and deep red
  • Allow to cool, transfer to an airtight container and chill in fridge until ready to use

To Assemble

  • Carefully remove the cheesecake using the parchment paper overhang, slice into 8 bars
  • Add a spoonful of strawberry topping to each bar, being sure to get both berries and sauce on each
  • Drizzle or pipe the melted white chocolate over the top of the bars
  • Store in the fridge

Notes

  • Don't want a graham cracker crust? Use shortbread cookie crumbs or even Oreo crumbs instead.
  • Make sure the eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream are all at room temperature so they combine more easily when you make the cheesecake.
  • Don't skip the cooling time! This is essential to letting your filling set up & stabilize so that the bars stay together when cut and when served.
  • For perfectly cut bars, clean your knife after each cut and dip it into hot water (to keep it warm) wiping off any excess water in between each cut as well. We offer this same advice when slicing any cheesecake style dessert.
  • Don't love strawberries? Substitute raspberries or blueberries in the sauce instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1109IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg