Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Crescent Rolls

If you love the idea of strawberry cheesecake but want to experience yours in a light, creamy dessert that can be cut into squares, I’ve got an amazing treat for you! In this post I’m going to show you how I made these delicious strawberry cheesecake bars using two containers of crescent rolls! 

Why is Strawberry Cheesecake so Popular? 

I don’t know about you but I’m a cheesecake lover. I think it’s the creamy smoothness of the cream cheese mixture, baked up to perfection. 

Some folks like to doctor their cheesecake recipes with chocolate or caramel or other rich flavors. 

Me? I love fruit. You might recall, I made a delicious blackberry cheesecake awhile back. It was truly one of the finest things I’ve ever baked, if I do say so myself. 

If I get to choose, I’m always going to ask for fruit on my cheesecake: strawberries, raspberry (paired with white chocolate), blackberry, or even blueberries. I just love the combination of flavors. 

Why do Strawberries Pair so Beautifully with Cream Cheese? 

I’m just speaking for myself here, but I prefer this combination because cream cheese has a natural tartness to it. Strawberries, of course, are sweet. They balance each other out beautifully.

This recipe actually calls for strawberry pie filling, but has a creamy strawberry glaze, adding even more sweetness to the berries. When paired with the tart cream cheese mixture, it’s sheer perfection. 

No, really. It’s absolutely delicious. 

Why use Crescent Rolls? 

I know you’re probably asking, “Why would you use crescent rolls in a cheesecake?” 

Well, these bars aren’t a traditional cheesecake. They’re loosely based on my recent Sopapilla Cheesecake bars, which are made with cream cheese and crescent rolls. 

That recipe called for cinnamon. This time I decided to put a twist on things and skip the cinnamon but add a can of pie filling, along with some lemon juice and zest. 

Let me just tell you: strawberry cheesecake crescent rolls are out of this world delicious!

I guess I’m getting ahead of myself. I have a tendency to do that. Instead of jabbering on about a ll of that, let me just share what you’ll need to make this recipe. 

Strawberry Cheesecake Bar Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’re going to need to make these bars. These are simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. 

• Crescent roll dough
• room temperature cream cheese
• large egg
• granulated sugar
• vanilla
• lemon juice
• strawberry pie filling 

FOR THE TOPPING

• melted butter
• white sugar
• lemon zest

How to Make these Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Crescent Rolls

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Grab a 9×13-inch pan. 

Zest and juice a lemon. Set aside.

Open one container of crescent rolls and spread them into the bottom of the pan as you see in the photo. (There’s no need to prepare the pan first.)

Pinch the edges together. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat your cream cheese until light and fluffy. Make sure there are no lumps! 

Add the lemon juice, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. 

Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the uncooked crescent rolls. Spread evenly.

Open the can of pie filling and spread it on top of the cream cheese mixture. 

Now it’s time to add that second container of crescent rolls. 

Melt the butter and pour it on top, spreading with a pastry brush. 

Sprinkle the sugar on top. 

Now sprinkle on the lemon zest. 

Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove from oven and bring to room temperature. 

Place in the refrigerator for several hours before attempting to cut and serve. (Check out that top crust, y’all! And the bottom crust is equally as delicious.)

This is best served chilled but if you’re in a hurry you can scoop it out with a spoon and eat it like a cobbler, (warm). 

For leftovers storage: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap (or place in an airtight container) and store in the refrigerator up to three days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish. 

What to Expect from this Recipe

I never know when I make things up how they’ll turn out. I knew the so papilla bars were good, but adding the fruit was a little dangerous because I didn’t know how it would bake up with the cream cheese. 

It turned out great! The cream cheese layer was light and smooth. The sweet strawberries were sheer perfect. And that crescent roll crust? Divine! 

I was so glad I thought to add the lemon juice. Lemon is the perfect complement to cream cheese and really added an extra burst of flavor. 

I’m so excited about this recipe and can’t wait to try it with other flavors of pie filling! This is truly the perfect dessert. Best of all, it’s an easy recipe you can return to again and again!

Variations on this Easy Dessert Recipe

As I said above, this recipe is pretty perfect as it is. But you guys know me. I’ve got to mix things up. 

Blueberries: I’m already staring longingly at a can of blueberry pie filling in my pantry, thinking I might try it next time. I would keep the lemon juice and zest, for sure. 

Cherry pie filling: I already have a recipe for a no-bake cherry cheesecake pie so I know that cherries pair well with cheesecake. So, I’ll definitely have to give that one a try. It might be fun to throw in some mini chocolate chips on top of the cherries to give it a Black Forest feel. 

Lemon pie filling (or lemon curd): If you love a fresh pop of lemon, replace one of the blocks of cream cheese with a full can of lemon pie filling or lemon curd, then use fresh berries on top of that mixture before adding the final layer of crescent rolls. (Sounds divine!) 

Apple Pie Filling: Hear me out. These would probably turn out to be a lot like the sopapilla bars but with the addition of apple filling. (Sounds amazing!)

Questions People are Asking

Can I use fresh strawberries?

You can, most certainly! If you want the creamy goodness around them, cook them for a few minutes with a bit of cornstarch. Otherwise, just set berry slices directly on top of the cream cheese mixture before adding the top layer of crescent rolls.

Can I stir the strawberries directly into the creamy cheesecake filling?

You can! I liked the idea of having the separate colors but feel free to stir the whole can of pie filling into the cream cheese mixture.

Do I have to use softened cream cheese?

Yes, this recipe will be lumpy if you try to use cold cream cheese. Here’s a trick I use to quickly soften mine:

Other cream cheese favorites from Out of the Box Baking

• Classic Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Cream Cheese Mousse
• Golden Girls Cheesecake Cookies
• Cherry Cream Cheese Cobbler
• No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Pie
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
• No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

---

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoy these delicious strawberry crescent roll cheesecake bars!

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

---

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

The Lazy Gastronome

Busy Monday 

---

Learn more about doctored cake mixes, the theme of this blog. 

For the master list of all doctored cake mix recipes on this site, visit Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, Master List. 

---

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.