Easy Strawberry Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Best Strawberry Bars with cream cheese frosting are so easy to make, soft and tender! One of my favorite easy summer recipes, these strawberry squares are the perfect bar dessert everyone loves.

Spring is in the air and there’s no better way to celebrate the season than with some mouthwatering strawberry desserts! From juicy, fresh strawberries to decadent cakes and cookies, this vibrant fruit adds the perfect pop of sweetness to any dish. Strawberry cookies filled with cheesecake are a true delight, with the tangy cream cheese perfectly complementing the sweetness of the berries. And who can resist the delicate and buttery goodness of a strawberry madeleine? But let’s not forget about roasted strawberries along with some whipped ricotta dessert.

These strawberry bars are super easy made in one sheet pan and ridiculously good!  The Cream Cheese Frosting just takes them to a whole new level, better than any strawberry bar recipe you’ve ever tasted before! 

I have been literally daydreaming about this recipe since I have received my Southern Living May issue a couple of weeks ago. You may be asking, why have I waited this long to make them, right? Just have a quick look at them!

If you love strawberries than these easy sweet treats are for you!

They are super moist, rich, fluffy and the cream cheese frosting is pure creamy decadence.  

Three layers of deliciousness: a crumbly bar crust topped with a generous layer of sweet, fresh strawberries  filling and finished off with a thick cream cheese frosting. Definitely a winner for the whole family…and friends…and neighbors 🙂 Just kidding, you’ll never wanna share them.

So if you’re looking for the best homemade strawberry bar recipe from scratch, look no further!

Ingredients 

To make these easy bars, you’ll need:

To make the Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

To make the Filling:

• 4 cups strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

To make Creme Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pack (8oz) creme cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

How to Make it

The ingredient list for this recipe might seem lengthy, but once you get passed getting all ingredients ready, the recipe is very simple and takes less than 10 minutes to prep!  Have added all info on how to make them with a couple of Tips and Tricks (with bullets) for you (hope they help)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 180C and line a 12 x 17 baking sheet with sides with baking (parchment) paper. 

• If you prefer, you can butter and lightly flour your baking pan but I find life it’s so much easier when using baking/parchment paper. You can lift the strawberry squares out of the pan when they’re baked and ready so much easier and it is also easier to wash the pan afterwards 🙂

2. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and coarsely chopped almonds. Add melted butter and stir to get a crumbly mixture. Add the mixture onto the bottom of the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow to cool down.

• Watch the bar crust as it bakes after 10 minutes already in the oven. Some ovens are better and faster than others, so you may find that leaving them in there for 20 minutes is too much and they’ll turn brown. You want the crust to be crumbly and delicious!
• Gluten free strawberry bars. This bar recipe can easily be made gluten free replacing the all purpose flour with gluten free flour. Use any gluten free flour type with a 1:1 ratio when used in place of all purpose flour.

3. To make the filling stir together sugar, cornstarch and strawberry pieces in a medium saucepan and leave them to combine flavors for 10 minutes. Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until filling starts to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool down.

• I have used fresh strawberries as there is quite some abundance this time of the year. You can always add frozen strawberries if it’s more convenient, the recipe will still be as delicious.

• I find it is so much easier to cut strawberry bars when well-chilled. You should be ok cutting and serving them after 1-2 hours cooled in the fridge. 
• Remove the pan from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy that silky, lush cheesecake topping. You can easily refrigerate the leftovers for a couple of days, uncovered but I don’t think you’ll have any!

Looking for more Strawberry Recipes

• Strawberry Madeleines
• Strawberry Heaven on Earth Cake
• Strawberry Sorbet Float Recipe
• Strawberry Lime Juice
• Roasted Strawberry & Ricotta Yoghurt Cream 

Yield: 20 squares

Strawberry Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Print

The Best Strawberry Bars with cream cheese frosting are so easy to make, soft and tender! One of my favorite easy summer recipes, these strawberry squares are the perfect strawberry bar dessert everyone loves.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Resting time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Bars Crust

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

Strawberry Filling

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 cups strawberries, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creme Chesse Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Strawberry Bars Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and coarsely chopped almonds. 
2. Add melted butter and stir to get a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a prepared pan and place it in the oven. 
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until ready to use. Don't turn off your oven.

Strawberry Filling

1. To make the filling, stir together sugar, cornstarch and strawberries in a medium saucepan. Allow to stay for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until filling starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla essence.

Creme Cheese Frosting

1. Cream Cheese Batter: Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg and beat just until blended. Add lemon zest and juice, beating well.

Assemble Strawberry Bars

1. To assemble, spread a thick layer of strawberry filling over cooled crust and gently spread Cream Cheese batter over filling.
2. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for almost 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, for about 4 hours or overnight.
3. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes, before serving it and cut into bars while still cold.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Southern Living, May issue 2015

• I have used fresh strawberries as there is quite some abundance this time of the year. You can always add frozen strawberries if it's more convenient, the recipe will still be as delicious.
• Prep the baking pan. If you prefer, you can butter and lightly flour your baking pan but I find life it's so much easier when using baking/parchment paper. You can lift the strawberry squares out of the pan when they’re baked and ready so much easier and it is also easier to wash the pan afterwards 🙂
• Baking Crust. Watch the bar crust as it bakes after 10 minutes already in the oven. Some ovens are better and faster than others, so you may find that leaving them in there for 20 minutes is too much and they'll turn brown. You want the crust to be crumbly and delicious!
• Creme Cheese Frosting. DON'T microwave cream cheese to soften it for Cream Cheese frosting. It's going to make a disaster of that creme cheese, too runny. Let it soften at room temperature. 
• Serving Strawberry Bars. Remove the pan from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This way, you'll be able to enjoy that silky, lush cheesecake topping. You can easily refrigerate the leftovers for a couple of days, covered. I find it is so much easier to cut strawberry bars when well-chilled. You should be ok cutting and serving them after 1-2 hours cooled in the fridge. 

Gluten Free Strawberry Bars. This strawberry bar recipe can easily be made gluten free replacing the all purpose flour with gluten free flour. Use any gluten free flour type with a 1:1 ratio when used in place of all purpose flour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1 squares
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g