Strawberry-Lemon Cheesecake Squares
June 8, 2010 | Print | E-mail | Filed under cheesecake, lemon, strawberry
Sometimes, you just have to make a sacrifice when you have things in your refrigerator you need to use up before they go bad. In this case, I had some strawberries that were on their last leg. I also had a lemon that had been around for a while, so my first thought was jam…but I didn’t exactly have enough strawberries to make a batch. Then, I noticed the expiration date on my cream cheese. (I always buy it thinking I’ll use it up quickly, but I hardly ever do.) It only had a day or two left, so I decided to make the “sacrifice” to use it up. Unfortunately though, I didn’t have my camera until the end to take some shots of the cheesecake after it was baked…but hopefully these pictures will do!
- 1 cup vanilla cookies, crushed
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 Tbsp cold butter
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped
- Lemon zest, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8″ pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cookie crumbs and flour. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of the pan and bake 10 minutes.
In another medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until well-blended. Add in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and baking powder. Stir in the strawberries, and then pour over the warm crust. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the center is set.
Cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator. Cut into squares and sprinkle with lemon zest before serving.
June 8th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Are the vanilla cookies like Nilla Wafers? I love the colors – so pretty. This is just screaming my name!
June 8th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Jessica – Yes; I used Nilla wafers.
But, you can use any kind of vanilla cookie you like! I just try not to call out specific brands in recipes in case a reader doesn’t have that particular brand.
June 8th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Oh dear, those look so vibrant in color – I bet they taste great.
June 8th, 2010 at 11:08 am
This are just perfect! I am with ya on the buying and buying with all the best intentions! Then that dreaded expiration date rolls around and it’s a frenzy on what to do!
The only thing wrong with these is I would eat the whole pan!
June 8th, 2010 at 11:45 am
You read my mind! I had this in mind for our Wednesday dessert. It helps us get over the mid-week slump. Beautiful!
June 8th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
What a perfect recipe for your leftovers. The strawberry/lemon combo is one of my favorites! They look delicious!
June 8th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
YUM! This dish combines two of my favorite things, strawberries and lemons! And I have a HUGE batch of strawberries my future MIL gave me from their garden patch. I’ll have to make these soon, thanks so much for posting this recipe!
June 8th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
This looks amazing! i can’t wait to try it!!!
June 8th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Oh my gosh that is so awesome! They look so good!
June 8th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
You are so creative with the way you used up these items. I love this recipe. It sounds wonderful and looks beautiful. I just so happen to have lemons and cream cheese in my fridge..guess I will have to get some strawberries and cookies:)
June 9th, 2010 at 12:59 am
That cheesecake looks so mouthwatering! Very pleasing to the eyes! I hope mine will turn out like this when I tried your recipe. I wonder if it’s okay to put it in a narrower container so that it’ll be thicker? I’m so excited, I can’t hardly wait. I’m pretty sure that my kids will going to love this. If only I have all the ingredients in my pantry right now, I’ll whip this cheesecake this very minute, lol! Oh well, I guess I’ll have to wait till Friday, that’s my grocery day.
June 9th, 2010 at 9:16 am
LOVE lemon desserts, especially with strawberry
June 9th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Perfect snack or dessert for any occasion!
June 9th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
These look like the perfect summertime treat. They’re so beautiful!
June 9th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Oh yes, those pictures will do! I love cheesecake bars like these, and the combination of strawberries and lemon is so fresh and tasty.
June 9th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
I love recipes that help you use up produce and ingredients that are on their last legs. What a great idea to turn them into these cheesecake squares!
June 9th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
LOVE this one! Can’t wait to try the recipe. Great photos too!
June 10th, 2010 at 12:48 am
you sound exactly like me, down to the cream cheese thing. i buy from costco in the 3lb bricks… it’s SO much cheaper… but then end up scrambling to use it up.
Tia @ buttercreambarbie
June 10th, 2010 at 11:24 am
these look fabulous!!
June 10th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Thank you so much for making that “sacrifice” for us…what a delicious looking creation!!
June 10th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. The combination of strawberries and lemon looks so delicious!
June 10th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
AMAZING! What a perfect dessert for summer!
June 11th, 2010 at 11:17 am
These are amazing. Made some yesterday and the are gone, so am making more today.
June 11th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
I love cheesecake and finger-food – so these are tops in my book! YUM!
June 12th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Such a perfect summer treat! Love your blog
June 16th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Will you come look through my fridge and bake something yummy?
June 20th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Long time reader and trier of your recipes but first time to comment…I just made this with some black berries that where about to go and yummy! I did it as cupcake cheesecakes and can’t wait to try this will lots of fruits!
June 25th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
These cheesecake squares look so good!
June 28th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Ahh yummy! Love how it looks in the pan
July 8th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I love cheesecake in general…This looks amazing!
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:34 am
these look so refreshing and summery! yum! delicious!
January 29th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
I’ve made this cheesecake 2 times already and I LOVE it. I plan to make it again tomorrow!