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a stack of strawberry rhubarb cheesecake bars on a plate.
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5 from 5 votes

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars

Strawberry rhubarb bars are sweet, tart, creamy, and full of spring flavor! Their buttery crust, jammy fruit layer, and cheesecake topping make every bite shine.
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Chilling Time4 hours
Total Time6 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesecake filling, rhubarb compote, strawberries
Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients

For the crust:

For the strawberry-rhubarb filling:

For the cheesecake topping:

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, powdered sugar, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.
  • Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Press mixture evenly in bottom of prepared baking pan (the mixture will seem loose, but it hardens as it bakes and cools). Bake for 15-20 minutes until the crust is a light golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.
  • Slice both rhubarb and strawberries into ¼ inch pieces. If the rhubarb is still green, peel with a vegetable peeler.
  • In a medium saucepan, stir together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in rhubarb and 6 ounces strawberries. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and remaining 6 ounces strawberries.
  • In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
  • Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in lemon zest and juice.
  • Spread strawberry-rhubarb filling over crust in baking pan. Carefully spread cheesecake topping over strawberry-rhubarb filling to edges of pan. Bake at 350 degrees F 25-30 minutes until cheesecake topping is just set. The center will have a slight jiggle, like jell-o.
  • Cool on cooling rack 1 hour; cover and chill 4-8 hours.

Notes

Technique - Be sure to let the filling boil on the stove. This activates the cornstarch and cooks out the starch flavor.
Variations - I like to pair rhubarb with other naturally sweet fruits such as cherries, peaches, or raspberries.
Storage - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg