You won't find a better potluck and party dessert than Raspberries and Cream Bars. A sweet chewy crust, creamy cheesecake filling, topped with a sweet cream glaze, AND it's baked in 30 minutes!
These are the original delicious version of my Strawberries and Cream Bars, with a similar cream cheese filling and fruity fresh raspberry swirls in the middle.
I LOVE sheet pan dessert recipes like easy raspberry cream cheese bars because you can use fresh or frozen raspberries, raspberry pie filling, or even raspberry jam for the filling. They're super versatile and I love to make them for friends and family, especially around the holidays or a summer potluck.
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⭐️ Why You'll LOVE Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars
- It's a sheet pan dessert that can feed a crowd.
- The raspberry swirls and the cheesecake filling together are to DIE for!
- The soft shortbread-like crust will be the most beautiful part of your day.
- Bakes in 30 minutes!
- Fresh or Frozen raspberries can be used as long as they are thawed and drained first.
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Butter - I use salted butter in this recipe, feel free to use unsalted to reduce the amount if you wish. It does taste much better with it in my opinion!
- Sour Cream - or plain greek yogurt is used to add a little bit of volume to the cream cheese filling without making it too gummy. This keeps it smooth and creamy.
- Raspberries - fresh is best, but frozen and thawed can be used as long as they are drained well! Too much moisture in frozen raspberries could make the filling runny and take longer to bake.
- Cream Cheese - I have used inexpensive store brands and expensive name brands and both yield good results. Full fat or ⅓ fat (neufchâtel) can be used, fat free doesn't taste as nice but will work.
You can find the complete list and quantities in the recipe card below.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions:
- Fruit jam or pie filling can be used in place of fresh or frozen raspberries, you'll need about 2 cups or a 21 oz can of fruit pie filling.
- Full fat cream cheese is preferred, but Neufchâtel ⅓ fat or fat-free can be used.
- Plain greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
- For the glaze, use lemon juice and zest in place of the milk for a lemony pop of flavor!
Variations:
- The sky is the limit for fruit fillings! You can make a strawberry version, peach, blackberry, cherry, the possibilities are endless.
- You can use any flavor of canned fruit pie filling, or make a half batch of Homemade Cherry Pie Filling or Easy Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling in place of the fresh or frozen raspberries.
🧑🍳 Instructions
The steps to these are similar to making my Strawberries and Cream Bars, just a different filling recipe.
• Make the Dough
Step 1 (Picture 1 above) - First, soften the butter to room temperature. In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, add the white granulated sugar and butter together. "Cream" the butter and sugar together by mixing on medium/high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 2 (Picture 2 above) - Once the butter and sugar is fluffy, add in the eggs and mix well until it's well combined.
Step 3 (Picture 3 above) - Add in the vanilla extrac and mix well.
Step 4 (Picture 4 above) - Slowly add in the flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix on low speed to combine.
• Make the Fillings
Step 5 (Picture 5 above) - Reserve 1 cup of dough and set it aside for the topping. Then In a large sheet pan with raised edges, spread the rest of the dough evenly.
💡 PRO TIP: To save time, use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixing bowl out well after making the dough and then make the filling right in the bowl after the dough. Feel free to wash the bowl first if you wish!
Step 6 (Picture 6 above) - In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, white granulated sugar, and mix on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add in the sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix well until smooth again.
Step 7 (Picture 7 above) - Carefully pour the cream cheese filing over the raw dough in the pan and spread evenly over the dough.
Step 8 (Picture 8 above) - In a bowl or measuring cup, mash the raspberries with a fork or potato masher until it's a pureé consistency. It's just fine if there are a few larger pieces left.
Step 9 (Picture 9 above) - Carefully spoon the raspberry filling lightly in dots over the cream cheese filling, careful not to mix the two fillings together too much.
Step 10 (Picture 10 above) - Use the reserved cup of raw dough and spread in little flattened pieces over the fruit filling. I spread the dough flat with my fingers and rip it into bits to spread over the bars.
Bake the bars as directed in the recipe card below.
Step 11 (Picture 11 above) - While the bars are baking, make the icing by combining the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk (or heavy cream).
Step 12 (Picture 12 above) - Once the bars have baked and cooled for at least 15-20 minutes, drizzle the creamy glaze over the top of the raspberry cream bars.
Slice and serve!
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Yes! Thaw and drain any extra liquid off of them before mashing.
Yes, these bars can be frozen once baked, cooled and sliced. Freeze the slices so the edges are not touching between layers of wax or parchment paper and thaw at room temperature before serving.
The texture of the cream cheese filling may be affected by freezing.
Yes! If the cream cheese has been properly thawed to room temperature it should be just fine to use.
🧁 More Fruity Dessert Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Raspberries and Cream Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups mashed raspberries, or 21 oz. can pie filling
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.
For the dough:
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating well. Add in vanilla and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the creamed butter mixture until combined. Save a heaping cup of dough and set aside for the top of the bars. Spread the dough into the prepared cookie sheet in an even layer (except the reserved dough for the top).
For creamy filling:
- In a mixing bowl beat the softened cream cheese, and ½ cup sugar together until smooth. Add in sour cream, vanilla, and egg and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over crust dough.
- Spoon mashed raspberries on top of cream cheese filling, careful not to mix the fillings together. Drop remaining crust dough in small pieces over top of bars.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. The middle may be slightly jiggly, it's okay, it firms up as it cools.Let cool completely.
For icing:
- In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. Drizzle over cooled bars. Slice and serve.
Annie says
These are outstanding! And I don't like things too sweet so I skipped the topping - so unnecessary and absolutely delicious. Just enough sweet and just enough tart from the berries. I had last years frozen berries and while still frozen I used a pastry cutter to crush them up. I made half a batch and had to use a pyrex 9x12 dish. This made tons of small bars - with the high sides I couldn't roll out the crust dough but it's moist enough to press in with damp fingers. That whole big cookie sheet must make a zillion so this would be great for a summer party! Now I want a pie similar to this!
Diana says
These are delicious!!!! I made them for the family; but had to try one myself. Very sweet and creamy, flavors mixed well. I loved that you included pictures for the steps. Really helps for a newbie baker like me. I can see using different fruits. Definitely going to try all my substitutions (Almond flour, zero sugar, Greek yogurt) I hope they come out even half as good, so I can indulge. Thank you so much for sharing, from the grandchildren, children and myself 😀
Mary says
Question - is 2 cups of raspberries, mashed? or 2 cups of mashed raspberries??
Sara says
2 cups of mashed raspberries, just like the recipe says 👍🏻
Lori says
Do not double this recipe. Way too much flour! My cookie dough was dry and crumbly.
Karrie Chrastina says
I just made these , might be my new favorite - I put fresh lemon juice in the glaze instead of vanilla,absolutley delish ,thks so much
Sara says
A lemon glaze sounds delicious, I’ll have to try it now. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Ashley says
These look so good Sara! I am definitely going to try this recipe when raspberries are back in season. 🙂
Sara says
Awesome! I need to get around to trying it with other things too!