I'm a sucker for these delectably, delicious Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Bars! These moist, flavorful dessert bars are bursting with juicy strawberries in a cream cheese and crumble crust drizzled with a delish vanilla cream glaze!
Totally irresistible and addictive! Strawberries and cream cheese make everything better! More strawberry? Check out 20 Dessert Delights Using Strawberries!
Perfect for a nice sweet treat with breakfast with coffee, snacking in the afternoon and a delish after dinner dessert! You'll totally enjoy these amazing fruity bars all summer long!
I can't resist these bars, so don't even try to stop me. Someone might get hurt in the process and I can't be held responsible for my actions. Besides, by the time you read this, it will be too late anyways, right?
Although, on second thought, I kind of wish we could do a replay. I almost devoured this whole pan and that's not a good thing....So says my skinny jeans. Those damn skinny jeans!! Always talkin'....
Question? Are there any jeans out there that aren't skinny jeans?
Better question? Are there any skinny jeans out there that don't have holes in them? Just wondered because that's all I could find when I was shopping online. UGH!!! Seems like the more holes, the more they cost, which makes no sense whatsoever, right? CRAZY, but that seems to still continue to be the ongoing craze that won't die. 🙂
So, skinny jeans with holes or not, let's get back to these Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Bars instead!
Ingredients You Need
- 1 box of vanilla cake mix
- butter - softened or room temperature
- eggs
- fresh strawberries. sliced thick
- cream cheese - softened or room temperature, to avoid lumps
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- Optional: lemon juice for additional zingy flavor!
How to Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars
- Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
- Spray 9x13 baking pan
with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper or foil and spray to easily take bars out of pan to cut squares.
- In large bowl, combine softened butter, one egg and cake mix using mixer or you might opt to use your hands. Mixture will be very stiff, but it will come together like a pastry dough.
- Reserve 1 cup of cake mixture for crumble topping, set aside.
- Press the remaining cake mixture in the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- While crust is baking, in a mixing bowl using mixer, make the cream cheese mixture.
- Beat softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, (optional: lemon juice) and remaining egg until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over top the partially baked crust.
- Evenly arrange the strawberries over the cream cheese mixture and then sprinkle with remaining crumbles on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until center is set and crumbles on top turn golden brown.
- Cool bars on wire rack and then add glaze.
- For a quick glaze - Mix together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons milk, mix with a fork or whisk to get a thick pourable consistency. Tip: If you have lumpy glaze, put this mixture in microwave for 10-15 seconds and then pour it on bars or place glaze in ziploc bag and snip corner and drizzle on top of bars. Glaze with firm up as it cools.
- Chill approximately 30 minutes before serving and cut into bars.
Storing
- Store strawberry cream cheese dessert in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
Helpful Tips for Strawberry Crumble Bars
- Make sure your butter is softened or room temperature for best results when mixing with the cake mix. It makes it come together easier.
- Cream cheese should be softened so cream cheese mixture isn't lumpy.
- Slice strawberries thicker than thin slices.
- Do not underbake these bars. Make sure you bake these bars completely, or you will end up with bars that don't hold together and the crust will be soggy.
- These bars don't require a lot of ingredients, but it does have steps and layers to the recipe, but not to worry! These are simple steps and totally worth making! Your family will love them!!!
Other Options for Strawberry Cream Cheese Dessert Bars
- These strawberry bars are really good warmed up in the microwave, especially if you're one of those kinds of people that love to warm everything up!
- If you want a little more decadence, add a big ole scoop of ice cream on top of a bar. OMGoodness! It's literally a heavenly strawberry cream cheese crumble pie a la mode!
As for more OMGoodness desserts, you'll love these Lemon Sweet Rolls, these Strawberry Explosion Cheesecake Trifle Desserts and this Caramel Glazed Apple Crumble Coffee Cake!
These Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Bars will have the family begging for more. This strawberry cream cheese dessert is adapted from my Blueberry & Cream Crumble Bars from a few weeks ago. I guess we couldn't get enough!
Want MORE Strawberry Guilty Pleasures?
- No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake
- Strawberry Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake Delight
- Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake
- Ultimate Strawberry Cheesecake Pudding Filled Cupcakes
- OMG Chocolate Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries - Keto Option Too!
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 1 18.25 oz box vanilla cake mix
- ⅓ cup butter room temperature or softened
- 2 large eggs (1 egg for crust/crumble and 1 egg for cream cheese mixture)
- 3 cups fresh strawberries
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper or foil and spray to easily take bars out of pan to cut squares.
- In large bowl, combine softened butter, one egg and cake mix using mixer or you might opt to use your hands. Mixture will be very stiff, but it will come together like a pastry dough.
- Once it's mixed, reserve 1 cup of cake mixture for crumble topping, set aside.
- Press the remaining cake mixture in the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- While crust is baking, make the cream cheese mixture, in a mixing bowl using mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and remaining egg until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over top the partially baked crust.
- Evenly arrange the thick sliced strawberries over the cream cheese mixture and the sprinkle with remaining crumbles.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until center is set and crumbles on top turn golden brown.
- Cool bars on wire rack and then add glaze.
- For a quick vanilla cream glaze - Mix together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons milk, mix with a fork or whisk to get a thick pourable consistency. Tip: If you have lumpy glaze, put this mixture in microwave for 10-15 seconds and then pour it on bars or place glaze in ziploc bag and snip corner and drizzle on top of bars. Glaze will firm up as it cools.
- Chill approximately 30 minutes before serving and cut into bars.
Kim Lange says
If you don't have fresh, just make sure they aren't super juicy and make sure you bake the crust through thoroughly, so you don't end up with a soggy crust. Hope this helps!
Lexi L says
Could I use thawed and strained frozen strawberries for these bars?
Kim Lange says
They truly are! Thank you Rebecca!
Rebecca Dillon says
These look really good! What a tasty after dinner dessert or afternoon treat.
Kim Lange says
Slice or chop them up is good! Hope you enjoy!
Anonymous says
Just wondering if you slice strawberries? Dice or whole?
Kim Lange says
Oohhh the lemon zest and extracts sound yummy! I'm so glad you all enjoyed it!!! Thank you so much for trying it! xo
Venetia says
Delicious! Added lemon zest, almond extract and rum extract - family loved it!
ChocolaTess says
Tracy, sorry it didn't work out for you. I've made these several times and I didn't have those issues. It sounds like maybe they weren't baked all the way through or you didn't use enough crumble on the bottom. Hopefully you give it another try. 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Tracy B says
I made the strawberry cream cheese bars! I could not get them out of the pan. It was a hot day and it was a hot mess! Tasted pretty good, but not bars!!!
Shauna | Linden & Lavender says
Oh skinny jeans! My excuse right now for not wearing them is that I had a knee operation 5 weeks ago and they won't fit. Truth be told, I haven't tried them on and I'm going to ride this one out a little longer. 😉 For spring, I'm into culottes.
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Teresa!!
Teresa Ambra says
I'm drooling!
ChocolaTess says
LOL right Catherine! 🙂 Thanks so much much!!
Catherine says
Wow, do these bars ever look delicious!! 😀 These wont work for my skinny jeans either because they'll have to contend with that whole batch!
ChocolaTess says
I know the feeling Ben and they are way overrated. 🙂 Thank you Ben!!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Skinny jeans? They're totally overrated! (Well my jeans stopped talking to me, and I don't mind). Let's better have these luscious bars. Please ship me any (If you have any) leftovers! 🙂
ChocolaTess says
🙂 Kelsie it's crazy right? I was hoping it wasn't just me! 🙂 Have a great weekend!!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Oh my goodness! What is it about jeans with holes in them? It's impossible to find jeans intact anymore! These little crumble bars look so amazingly delicious I think my skinny jeans would be complaining too 🙂
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Kelly! It's a major yummy combo for sure! Happy Friday!
ChocolaTess says
LOL yes Sharon! 3 cups of strawberries, not blueberries, updated thank you! 1/3 cup of sugar in the cream cheese mixture, the cake mixture would have some and if you decide to add the glaze (in the notes) that uses powdered sugar. It is really wonderful though! Hope you try it!
Sharon says
The posted recipe calls for blueberries and not strawberries. Is the amount need for strawberries still 3 cups and no extra sugar or abything? Looks really wonderful!! Thanks?
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Love strawberries and cream! I would definitely want a slice of this topped with some ice cream 🙂