Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars are the perfect patriotic dessert for July 4. Graham cracker crust and creamy cake are topped with sweet berries.
Cheesecake Bars are an easy way to get the classic Cheesecake taste, but with no water bath or hassle. Adding the berries on top gives this version a fun, celebratory look and adds sweet, tart flavors. It’s the perfect Dessert Recipe to take out at a July 4th BBQ!
RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE BARS
Seriously, who doesn’t love cheesecake? It’s sweet, creamy, and has a little bit of tang. Plus, the buttery crumb crust makes the perfect combination! As much as we might love cheesecakes they take some work to make. This recipe is a lot more accessible and easy to prep. Plus baking it in a big pan makes Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars wonderfully shareable.
Adding red and blue fresh berries is a great way to make any dessert look patriotic. For more red, white and blue desserts be sure to try our Flag Cake and Mixed Berry Trifle next. They’re the perfect sweet treats to share with your family and any guests this Independence Day!
The berries add lots of refreshing and delicious flavor to the Cheesecake Bars. But, you can also add any of the normal cheesecake toppings you use. Whip up some heavy cream to make your own Cool Whip, or make a sweet Strawberry Topping to go along with the fresh strawberries. You can also serve it with a scoop of Ice Cream for the ultimate indulgent treat!
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TIPS FOR MAKING CREAMY CHEESECAKE BARS
- Prep time: To start the Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars, set the oven temperature to 325 degrees and prep your baking dish with cooking spray. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge so it has time to soften.
- Crust: To make the graham cracker crust, start by breaking the crackers into crumbs. You can either put the crackers in a Ziploc bag and break them apart with a rolling pin, or you can pulse them in a food processor. Mix the crumbs with sugar and melted butter in a mixing bowl, then press the mixture into your baking dish.
- Cream cheese mixture: Add the softened cream cheese and sugar to the stand mixer. Set the mixer to high speed until the cream cheese is light and fluffy. Once it’s fluffy, turn down the speed and add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Assemble: Spread the cheesecake layer over the crust. then sprinkle on 1 cup fresh blueberries and sliced strawberries.
- Baking time: Bake the Cheesecake Bars until they’re firm for 50-55 minutes. Then let the bars cool completely before serving.
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VARIATIONS ON RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE BARS
- Flavor additions: There are some flavorful ingredients you can try adding to the cheesecake mixture. For tangy lemon zest mix in a little fresh lemon juice. For warmer flavors try a few drops of almond extract or vanilla extract.
- Food coloring: For even more red, white and blue theme, try mixing in some gel food coloring. You can add a couple drops of blue gel food coloring and red gel food coloring on opposite sides of the cheesecake before baking. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to make a beautiful swirl pattern on top with the colors.
- Raspberries: Along with the blueberries and strawberries try adding some raspberries to the mixture. You can use fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries in the berry mixture.
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HOW TO STORE RED WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE BARS
- Serve: Don’t leave Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: You can cover the cheese cake bars in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or put them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for 1 week.
- Freeze: To freeze the bars cut them into squares, then layer them in a Ziploc bag separated by parchment paper. They’ll stay good for 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs , (24 full crackers)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese , softened (3 blocks)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries , fresh
- 1 cup strawberries , hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter together then press it into the baking dish in an even layer.
- To your stand mixer add the cream cheese and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Lower the speed to medium and add in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
- Carefully spread mixture on the crust.
- Sprinkle blueberries over the mixture evenly.
- Place strawberry slices over the mixture evenly.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until set and firm.
- Chill completely before serving.