This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn qualifying purchases. Click here for more about this policy.
These Strawberry Cheesecake Bars are a lower calorie version of classic cheesecake. Made with a cream cheese filling and than the original for a healthier dessert!
If you’re a cheesecake lover, then your world is about to be rocked with this lightened up strawberry cheesecake!
I love, love, love a good cheesecake. My friends and I would find any excuse to go to Cheesecake Factory so we could share three or four slices. That was until I started eating healthy and started realized how much I was over eating and stopped indulging in so many sugary foods. That was a blessing in disguise because what I didn’t realize at that time is that I’m actually lactose intolerant.
Lactose intolerance means a person doesn’t have the lactase enzyme in their body to break down lactose. Somehow until my recent medical battles with Hashimoto’s, I didn’t put it together that this was one of the many things going on with me.
What does this mean to you? It means if you’re lactose intolerant like me, chances are pretty high you’ll be able to tolerate this healthy strawberry cheesecake recipe because it’s made with Greek yogurt cream cheese.
How is this possible?
All dairy products contain milk sugar lactose but some dairy products like Greek yogurt are heavily strained which removes a lot of the sugar lactose from it making it a whole lot easier for lactose intolerant people to digest. That straining process is what makes Greek yogurt extra thick and real creamy. That’s why I use it in so many of my recipes. I don’t know about you, but I’m not gonna complain about that!
Nutrition school is paying off!
So like I was saying, I used Greek yogurt cream cheese for this cheesecake. I found it next to the regular cream cheese, but if you can’t find it either regular or lactose free cream cheese would work in this recipe just fine.
The real kicker though is this Greek Strawberry Cheesecake has half the calories of regular cheesecake.
Besides using Greek yogurt, I used liquid stevia in the “cheese” part. It is light and sweet just the way you would expect a cheesecake to taste. For the crust, I used zero calorie sugar. It tastes just like brown sugar with fewer calories. Coconut sugar would work too if you’re into that kind of thing.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Truvia brown sugar, or sugar of choice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 5 ounces low fat cream cheese, or Greek cream cheese
- 2-3 teaspoons liquid stevia, or sweetener of choice
- 1/3 cup sugar free strawberry preserves, or jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a square 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper placing it horizontal & vertical hanging over the sides of the dish for easy removal.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs whites together in a large bowl until fluffy peaked. Then add the the sugar, vanilla, applesauce, maple syrup and coconut oil to the eggs and beat until combined.
- To the batter, fold in the salt and flour. Do not over combine. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth with a spatula or back of a spoon.
- Place in the oven and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes until the edges are brown.
- While the crust is baking, add the cream cheese and stevia to a bowl and whisk together very well.
- After you remove the crust from the oven, spread the cream cheese evenly over it. It should spread easily as the crust is warm.
- Next add the strawberry preserves to the top, placing random dollops of it all over. Then using a toothpick swirl the preserves into the cream cheese.
- Place in the freezer to set 3-6 hours, overnight is best. When you’re ready to eat, simply lift the parchment paper up to remove the bars from the dish and slice into 12 squares.
Notes
- If you would like to make this cheesecake recipe sweeter, you can add more stevia to the cheesecake layer or more zero calorie sweetener. I recommend testing the batter before freezing!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, Is there a substitute for the applesauce? Also in case of the liquid stevia can I use coconut sugar/powdered stevia? If yes what would be the quantities of the same? Really amazing recipe!
The only substitute I can think of for the applesauce would be more maple syrup. I haven’t tested it, but it may be really sweet with that substitution. You would not need the stevia if you were to do that.
Sorry for the miss spellings of New York and Cheesecake.
I grew up in N. YOU. as a child, and remember fondly, my aunt or uncle bringing Chest cake to our home. Strawberries just adds that special touch. Thanks so much, I will make these this weekend.
I don’t like cheesecake, but I would love these. I’m glad (though sad) that they are finding out more and more about what is causing the tummy troubles. I just want you to feel well!
I am hopeful that more will be learned in coming years so people don’t have to go through the things you & I have.
I’m a fan of strawberries and I’m a fan of cheesecake, so this is pinned!
Plus when Lynne and I were in Vegas two years ago I discovered The Cheesecake Factory (it’s not in the UK – YET!) and made several visits. In fact daily ones over our week’s stay. Ha ha!
I can’t believe that! You guys will certainly love this then!
Um yes I will be putting these on my list of wonderfulness!
Gurl…so wished you lived closer!
Sounds like the perfect way to indulge with a lighter treat! Love these!
Thanks Blair. Indulge indeed!
Uhh, yes please! These look SO amazing! Cheesecake is my favvvorite, and I love this healthier version!
Thanks Morgan!
It’s been so so long since I had cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory -thanks to my lactose intolerance! So – thank you so much for this – a little elbow grease is nothing compared to a sweet creamy decadence of a lactose free cheesecake! These bars look fantastic – I haven’t used liquid stevia but now I must!
You will love! Lactose friends unite. 🙂
These look so yummy! I actually don’t remember a time that I didn’t know about my lactose issues since my mom found out when I was a year old, of course my other intolerances weren’t discovered until over 30 years later, and really still learning!
I’m surprised they didn’t figure it out right away because I could not tolerate diary from day one. I’m guessing it wasn’t thought about that much almost 40 years ago now. And you’re right, who knows what else we’re both dealing with and don’t know about!