Can I just say how excited I am about this post?
I have been tweaking this recipe for YEARS (yes I am a slow learner).
Now I can finally say that it has finally come to fruition. Get it? Fruition? Fruit? Strawberries? Ahem.
Anyhoo, every year during strawberry season, I have been working on a recipe that is fresh strawberry cheesecake on top of a blondie crust.
I wanted the blondie to be super rich and chewy, so I added graham cracker crumbs and plenty of brown sugar. The strawberry component had to include fresh strawberries, but I wanted the added punch of tangy lime juice. There’s also a sprinkling of ginger and cinnamon just to spice things up a bit.
I tried using mashed strawberries, sliced strawberries, raw strawberries, cooked strawberries, you-name-it strawberries. All flops.
At first, I was hell-bent on creating layers, but each layer didn’t bake at the same time. Then I tried adding each layer at different increments of the baking process. All flops. Finally it hit me: swirl woman, swirl!
Well, I could go on and on relaying all of my trials and errors (and errors and errors!), but the bottom line is that this latest batch is the real deal. Rich, chewy, tangy, creamy, strawberry-y. I kid you not; they’re GOOD!
- 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- ¾ cup, plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- In a small saucepan, combine strawberries, ¼ cup sugar and lime juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture reduces to ½ cup. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup sifted flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Whisk ingredients together and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine butter with brown sugar and mix well. Add 1 egg, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well. Spread in a buttered 8x8x2-inch square pan.
- In same medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons flour and the remaining egg. Alternately spoon cream cheese mixture and cooked strawberries onto blondie layer. Using a knife, swirl to marble.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 - 50 minutes or until center is set. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cut the blondies into 2-inch squares. Refrigerate leftovers (although there won't be any!).
© 2012 Sherry Klinedinst
All rights reserved. Repost with permission only.
Watch video here:
Can’t see video? Watch it here: Strawberry Cheesecake Blondies
Trivia question: Can you guess the significance of the song being played in the video?
Linked to these fabulous parties.
Join Sherry K – Jazzy Gourmet on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter
Mom always said it is nice to share!
The fruition joke had me laughing! These sound totally yummy
Oh these are wonderful!
Strawberry and cream cheese – perfect for me
Wow these look sooooo good. I couldn’t think of a better combination!
these look amazing!! Definitely bookmarking these for later 🙂 This is all of my favorite flavors in a blondie!!
These look so good. I love strawberry cheesecake. I’d love for you to share this at Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday
Now I’m hungry, lol! These looks so delicious! 🙂
Ok I think I have died and gone to heaven! I have to make these! They look amazing! I am a new follower! Loving your blog!
riversrecipereview.blogspot.com
I just made these last night and your recipe is fantastic! A big hit in our house. Thank you, Sherry!
Thanks, Sandy. I’m so glad you liked them!
These look SO good!! Thanks for linking up to “Strut Your Stuff Saturday!” Hopefully we’ll see you tomorrow at 8pm MDT for this week’s party! 🙂 -The Sisters
Wow, these look great. I’m here from the Something Swanky hop and I’m glad I found you while there are still fresh strawberries in the store. Thanks for sharing this one.
Fantastic idea! These bars look heavenly! Nice work on the video too!
Thank you James & Everett, and thanks for watching my videos!
Thanks for posting this recipe.
Thanks, Heide!
How many strawberries? Your recipes does not include any strawberries…..
Thanks so much for pointing that out, Roberta. I recently transferred all my recipes to a printable version, and it must have gotten lost in translation. The amount is 1 cup diced fresh strawberries, and you should be able to see it in the printed version now. If not, please let me know. Thanks!
I am making these as soon as I get to my local strawberry patch! Pinned 🙂
Great, let me know how they turn out, Kris!