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Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars

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These Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars have a sweet cheesecake swirl in the center that adds a creamy texture to these easy lemon bars.

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - a creamy cheesecake center with strawberry jelly makes these lemon bars so delicious. Try this cake mix recipe the next time you need an easy dessert. #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

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Warmer weather is here!  Can I get a woot woot from the crowd? Well, from the Florida crowd that is.

Time to open the windows, air out the house, clean those corners, and wipe down the fridge.  There is something so exciting and fun about warm weather and the newness it brings.  

The other day as I ran outside the birds were chirping like crazy.  It put a smile on my face to hear how happy they sounded.  I am now waiting excitedly for tree buds and spring flowers to start popping up.    

Yes, I do realize that half the country is still under snow and dealing with cold blasts of wind.  But here in Florida the weather is perfect.  Give it a few more months and the humidity will return with a vengeance, and then I won’t be as excited.

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - easy lemon bars filled with cheesecake and strawberry preserves is an easy dessert recipe that everyone will love. Try this recipe the next time you need to bring dessert! #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

Warm weather brings out the lemon lover in me.  It is such a bright and cheery flavor.  It’s why I love these Best Lemon Bars so much.

The other day I had to bring dessert to a dinner,  and I couldn’t get the idea of making lemon bars with cake mix out of my mind.  Have you ever had one of those ideas that you just had to make right away? It happens to me all the time.

The pockets of strawberry preserves add a nice burst of flavor to this lemon bar recipe.  This Honey Blueberry Sauce would be another delicious flavor to pair with the lemon and cheesecake.

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - a creamy cheesecake with strawberry swirls makes these easy lemon bars taste so good. Great recipe to make when you need to bring dessert! #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

Ingredients needed for this Lemon Bars recipe:

  • lemon cake mix
  • butter
  • lemonade
  • cream cheese
  • sugar
  • egg
  • strawberry preserves
  • powdered sugar
  • sprinkles

Tips for making Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars:

Add melted butter and lemonade to a dry cake mix and mix until a soft dough forms.  This is an easy way to make lemon bars from cake mix.

Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Press half the dough into the pan for the crust.  The dough can be sticky.  Spray a little bit of the nonstick spray on your hands before you press the dough in the pan if this happens.

Mix together the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add an egg and mix it again. Spread the cheesecake mixture over the dough in the pan.

Microwave the strawberry preserves for about 20 seconds to melt it slightly. Drop it by spoonfuls onto the cheesecake. Use a knife to swirl it gently. 

Take the remaining dough and flatten small pieces with the palm of your hands. Place it over the cheesecake. Try to cover as much as possible, but it will be ok if some of the cheesecake still shows.

Bake and chill the lemon bars before adding a sweet lemon glaze and sprinkles.

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - lemon bars from a cake mix get a fun twist from the strawberry cheesecake center. Try this easy recipe for dinner parties! #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

Other easy lemon dessert recipes:

This easy two ingredient Lemon Cream Fruit Dip is a delicious and fresh treat to dip any kind of fruit in.

This gooey Blackberry Lemon Dump Cake is made with just three ingredients. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for an amazing dessert!

This Strawberry Lemon Snack Cake is delicious for breakfast or for any time of day.  Fresh strawberry pie filling and a lemon glaze will have you smiling in no time.

Layers of cake, lemon mousse, and fresh fruit make these no bake Lemon Mousse Fruit Parfaits a sweet ending to any meal.

Circles of buttery, flakey pie crusts filled with lemon curd make the cutest little Mini Lemon Hand Pies

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - adding cheesecake and strawberries to this easy recipe makes these the best lemon bars. Great recipe to make when you need dessert! #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

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Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars

Yield: 24 bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

These Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars have a sweet cheesecake swirl in the center that adds a creamy texture to these easy lemon bars.

Ingredients

  • 1 box lemon cake mix
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup lemonade + 2 teaspoons
  • 1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix together the dry cake mix, the butter, and 1/3 cup lemonade until a soft dough forms. Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. The dough will be sticky, but keep pressing until it is evenly spread on the bottom of the pan. Nonstick spray on your hands also helps.
  3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and beat again. Spread the cheesecake evenly over the dough in the pan.
  4. Place the strawberry preserves in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Drop by small spoonfuls all over the top of the cheesecake layer. Very carefully drag a knife through the cheesecake to swirl in the strawberry preserves.
  5. Take small pieces of the remaining dough and press flat in the palm of your hand. Place the pieces over the top of the cheesecake. Cover as much of the cheesecake as you can. There will be some places where the cheesecake will still show and that's ok.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
  7. Stir together the powdered sugar and remaining lemonade. Drizzle over the chilled bars. Top with sprinkles. Let set. Cut into 24 bars. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 213mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Brownies & Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - a creamy strawberry cheesecake adds a fun flavor to these easy lemon bars. Make this easy recipe the next time you need to bring dessert! #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

 

*The post for Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars was originally published on March 20, 2014.  It has been updated and republished on February 20, 2019.

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Comments

  1. Jenny says

    These bars were really great. I missed the half part of the cake mix and had to leave it on the bottom and it still turned out really good. Thanks for the great dessert!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      I think they would be fine to freeze. I would freeze them on a parchment paper lined tray first, then transfer them to a container. Then thaw in the refrigerator over night. I haven’t tried it though, so keep me posted how it works for you!

      Reply

  9. Chels R. says

    I love the sprinkles on top, makes them so playful looking! And I agree, so glad Spring has finally sprung…and it has around here. Our Cherry Blossom Tree is gorgeous, but overrun with all the bees, lol!

    Reply

  16. Amy | Club Narwhal says

    Jocelyn, I am so jealous spring has sprung where you live 🙂 One day Michigan will thaw out! These bars look so perfectly springy. And I am right with you, when spring hits, I just want to bust out all the lemons in the world. They are just so cheerful!

    Reply

  21. Kelly says

    Yay, I am so excited for spring too even though we are supposed to get a little bit more snow this weekend but that won’t dampen my spirits 🙂 Especially looking at these pretty lemony bars! That cream cheese and strawberry layer sound out of this world! They are definitely bringing sunshine my way – pinning 🙂

    Reply

  24. Tanya says

    I’m with you, spring comes and all I want is lemon too!!! I love the cake mix, makes my life easier. And the quicker I can make them, the quicker I get to eat them!

    Reply

  29. LuAnn Braley says

    I used to love making lemon bars with my mother. She was not into experimenting with recipes though, but I’m so glad you are, Jocelyn! Strawberries and cheesecake with lemon bars? I’m sure this must be a dessert selection in Heaven’s cafeteria! :O)

    Reply

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