Who else remembers Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars from the early 2000s?! They were SO good! I miss them, so obviously I had to recreate those delicious, creamy strawberry cheesecake bars at home.

WHY I MADE THESE PHILADELPHIA CHEESECAKE BARS

I can’t be the only one who was obsessed with those now-discontinued Philadelphia Cheesecake Snack Bars when they were a kid. My mom introduced me to them when they first came out, and together we would go to our local Publix and pick up two boxes at a time because they were just that good.

I’m not sure when exactly Philadelphia stopped making their delicious cheesecake bars, but I know the world has been a much darker place since then.

Those wonderful bars have slipped in and out of my memories over the years. They most recently came to mind when my friend shared a BuzzFeed article about your favorite snack foods that you can’t get anymore.

As soon as I scrolled on the Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. So I decided to recreate them in my kitchen, and relive the glory days of the early aughts.

This copycat recipe is super easy to make, it’s a wonder I haven’t tried this sooner. The recipe starts with a classic graham cracker crust, followed by a very simple homemade cheesecake filling.

I made the strawberry filling from scratch because making food from scratch is fun for me – but you can always go the store bought route if you’re short on time or strawberries. Finally, the whole thing is finished off with a swish of white chocolate drizzle. So, so good. And the best part is, these seriously taste like the real thing.

I hope this Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars copycat recipe brings you as much joy as it did for me. When you take a bite, you’ll taste why.

MY PHILADELPHIA CHEESECAKE BARS RECIPE

The full recipe for these strawberry Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars is below, but here’s the gist of it:

Graham Cracker Crust

• graham crackers
• unsalted butter
• sugar

Cheesecake

• cream cheese
• vanilla
• egg
• white chocolate chips

Strawberry Filling

• ripe strawberries
• cornstarch
• lemon juice

HOW LONG DO THESE BARS TAKE TO MAKE?

Making these cheesecake bars at home is super easy, and speedy! Most of the time is spent allowing the bars to bake in the oven, and then cool. Expect to enjoy these homemade cheesecake bars about two hours after you start making them.

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Bake time: 1 hour
• Resting time: 1 hour

HOW TO STORE THESE PHILADELPHIA CHEESECAKE BARS?

If you have leftovers, store these strawberry cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for about 3-4 days (if they even last that long).

I went a little crazy and even made a Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Bars version of this recipe that I bet you’ll like!

CHEESECAKE BARS FAQ

1. What type of white chocolate should I use?

You may feel tempted to use white chocolate chips for this recipe, but let me steer you towards a better option: white chocolate melting wafers. The difference between the two is that white chocolate chips are generally not going to melt well. They’re meant to hold their shape when mixed into baked goods, which makes them terrible for melting and drizzling!

So go with white chocolate melting wafers instead. I’ve linked the exact brand I used in the recipe card below.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

Find even more of my homemade recipes on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.

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Copycat Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars

Who else remembers Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars from the early 2000s?! They were SO good! I miss them, so obviously I had to recreate those delicious, creamy strawberry cheesecake bars at home.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Snack

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours 2 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Equipment

• White Chocolate Wafers

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs about 2 sleeves of graham crackers
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 c sugar

Cheesecake

• 2 packets of cream cheese softened
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs room temperature

Strawberry Filling

• 2 c ripe strawberries
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 c water
• pinch of salt

White Chocolate Drizzle

• 1 c white chocolate wafers

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

• Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Line a baking dish with parchment paper (mine is 8×8).
• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and press into the pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Remove and let cool as you work on the cheesecake.

Cheesecake

• Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Pour mixture into crust. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the center is puffed and firm.
• Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Strawberry Filling

• As the cheesecake cools, place all strawberry ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Bring mixture to a simmer. Mash the strawberries as they cook until they incorporate into the liquid.
• Continue stirring and checking on the strawberries as it cooks down. Filling should reach jam consistency after about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Assembly

• Once cheesecake has cooled, remove from refrigerator. Slice into 12 bars.
• Using a spoon, scoop out the middle of each bar so there is a well in the center. You shouldn’t take out so much that you reach the crust, just skim it a bit.
• Pipe or spoon strawberry filling into the center.
• Place white chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave at 20 second increments until melted, stirring after each pause.
• Pipe, or use a fork to drizzle melted chocolate on top of cheesecake bars.