Fresh Cherry Cheesecake Bars
These creamy cherry cheesecake bars are made with FRESH cherries to celebrate cherry season! They’re made with a layer of creamy cheesecake baked with fresh sweet cherries on top. To round out the flavors and textures, it’s sandwiched with a buttery crumble. The combination of fresh sweet cherries and sweet cream is what makes these bars extra special.
Baking with Fresh Cherries
Traditional cherry cheesecake is baked with canned cherries which have a bright red color and a surprisingly different taste. I actually love cherries, but am personally not a fan of canned!
That’s why I brought together these delicious cherry cheesecake bars using FRESH cherries. Cherry season is May through July, so it’s rather short which means summer is the perfect time to make these bars.
As opposed to jarred cherries, you will find that fresh cherries have better texture and flavor. Jarred cherries tend to be very soft and almost mushy, whereas fresh cherries have a delicious bite to them. They also have a much more true cherry flavor. I find that jarred cherries can sometimes taste artificial or overly sweet.
Once baked into these cheesecake bars, the cherries turn tender but toothsome. Each bite is met with creamy cheesecake, tender cherry, and buttery crumble. You’ll basically never want to bake with jarred cherries again!
Cherry Cheesecake Bar Baking Tips
- Cream Cheese – For the cheescake layer, be sure to use room temperature cream cheese as this will prevent lumps. I also highly recommend Philadelphia full fat cream cheese because it provides the best texture and flavor.
- Cherries – Slice and pit the cherries either by hand or with a cherry pitter. Then, scatter the cherries over the cheesecake batter. Try not to drop them all in one spot as they could sink too far into the cheesecake.
- Crumble – Make sure to stir together the ingredients until you reach one even consistency. You don’t want a crumble with pockets of raw flour, otherwise you’ll end up with an uneven bake.
How to Pick Good Sweet Cherries
When picking up some fresh cherries from the grocery store, there are a few things to look out for in order to pick the best batch.
First, look for cherries that have a rich deep color. The darker the cherry, the sweeter they’ll be.
Next, go for the cherries that appear to be the most plump. If the cherries have been sitting out too long, they can loose some of their moisture. So grabbing the plumpest in the bunch will leave you with sweet and juicy cherries.
Cherry Cheesecake Bars FAQs
Yes! Simply use gluten free baking flour in the crumble. I like Bob’s Red Mill (the blue bag) or King Arthur measure for measure.
This recipe is specifically tested to use fresh cherries, so I don’t recommend using jarred.
Sure! These should work perfectly fine in this recipe.
Sure! Just thaw and drain off any excess liquid before tossing with the sugar and cornstarch.
Since the cherries on top are so tender, they can mush into the bars when sliced. So I find it’s best to use a large serrated knife (like a bread knife) to gently saw through the surface and then slice straight down.
Store these bars in the refrigerator and they will keep fresh for about a week!
For more fruity cheesecake recipes, check out my:
- Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake
- Coconut Mango Cheesecake Bars
- Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Roasted Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
- Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars
- Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these fresh cherry cheesecake bars. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make these fresh cherry cheesecake bars!
Print
Fresh Cherry Cheesecake Bars
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 large or 24 small squares
Description
These cherry cheesecake bars are so rich and creamy with a layer of fresh cherries baked on top! The sweet flavor of the cherries paired with sweet cheesecake and a buttery crumble take these to the next level. It’s the perfect way to celebrate cherry season!
Ingredients
Cherries
- 3 cups (390g) dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved (or frozen, thawed)
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Crumble
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 3/4 cup (354g) all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Cherries
- In a medium bowl, toss together all of the cherry ingredients until evenly coated. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Line with a sheet of parchment paper to cover the bottom and two long sides.
- In a medium bowl with a mixer or by hand, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Then mix in the sugar until creamy and combined. Mix in the vanilla and egg until no lumps remain. Set aside.
Crumble
- In a large bowl, use your hands to toss together all of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter and use a spatula to stir until evenly hydrated. It should be crumbly but not too dry.
- Press 3/4 of the crumble into the bottom of the baking dish. It should make an even but thin layer. Spread the cheesecake filling on top, then use your hands to sprinkle the cherries over the cheesecake. Leave behind any excess juices. Top with a light layer of the remaining crumble.
- Bake for 38 to 42 minutes or until the edges are golden and the bars are puffed through to the center. The center should also have a tight jiggle when the pan is nudged.
- Allow the bars to cool for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 2 hours or you can leave them overnight.
- Once set, lift out and slice into 12 large squares or 24 small squares. I find the best way is to use a large serrated knife. Saw through the tender cherries on top and then slice straight down. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe was updated on July 7, 2026 to a newer version! This one is much easier to make and provides a better ratio of crust to cheesecake to cherries. The original recipe contained almond extract so if you’d still like that flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon to the cheesecake filling.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Join Our Community
Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
These were absolutely delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
Wow, just wow! Another home run, Jenna! Followed the recipe to a “T” and it is a flavor bomb! The hint of almond in combination with the cherry, the buttery crunchy crust with the silky cheesecake is just top notch! Highly recommend giving this one a try!
I have made this twice now in the span of two weeks. WOW. So so so so delicious. Recipe is not hard to follow. The crunch from the crust, to the creaminess of the cheesecake to the sweetness of the cherries and the perfect crumble on top. Thanks so much!
Loved this dessert! Directions were easy to follow and such a summer treat!
These are so, so delicious! I made a batch and shared with co-workers—they started fighting over who’d get the last piece! I even had someone willing to pay for a whole tray for a loved one’s birthday, they enjoyed it so much! I’m usually pretty scared to try cheesecake recipes, I’ve never had good luck with it. These were incredibly easy to make, came together quickly, but still felt “elevated”, despite. Wasn’t too sweet and the fresh cherries made for a refreshing bite each time! Will definitely make these again. Thank you, Jenna for another amazing recipe : )
Made these the other day and my family loved them. Delicious!
Simple to follow and make. Taste is good. I omitted the almond extract and almonds due to allergies. The only thing I’d change is doing something extra with the cherries. Cherries don’t shine in the bars. Just there.
There are absolutely ridiculous! I made them gluten free and you would never know. Go and make these right now. I sliced them without freezing and they turned out great. I will make these again as soon as possible. Thanks for another great recipe!
Followed the recipe to a “t” and its wonderful! Another hit from Jenna!
Made this with some tweaks. Used an 8″ springform pan and made a shortbread crust, instead of graham cracker crust. Worked out well. It’s so yummy, creamy, and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.