• Pre heat oven to 350F and line the baking pan with parchment paper so your crust mixture will not stick.
• Set this aside as you make the crust. In a large bowl whisk the dry ingredients of almond flour and granulated sweetener.
  2 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup granulated sweetener
• Next you will cut in the room temperature butter, maple extract and stevia with a fork or pastry blender until you get fine crumbs.
  1/4 teaspoon maple extract, 6 Tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon stevia
• Reserve 1 cup of this crust mixture for the topping then put the remaining crust mixture in the bottom of your lined pan. Sprinkle the crumbs lightly then press down with the flat side of a glass or measuring cup.
• Bake the crust alone for 15-18 minutes until it is golden brown. Leave it partially browned to not burn the crust. Once it is done, cool it on a wire rack completely.
• In a small saucepan over medium high heat, add in strawberries and water. Cook until they soften, and you are able to mash them. Once mashed, whisk in glucomannan or xanthan gum and turn the heat to low.
  1/2 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp glucomannan or xanthan gum
• Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until it thickens like jam.

  Take off of the heat, set it aside and let it cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake Filling

• In a mixing bowl of an electric mixer or a medium bowl with a hand mixer, whip up the cream cheese with the granulated sweetener at medium speed until smooth. It must be completely smooth before you move on, or remaining clumps will never break down.
  8 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sweetener
• Once it is smooth, kick it to high speed for 20 seconds to really get some air whipped in. Now turn it down to low speed as you add in egg, heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract.
  1 large egg, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• Your crust should be cooled at this point, but if it is not, then put it in the freezer for 2 minutes to finish cooling down. Scrape your mixing bowl of the creamy filling into your pan with your bottom crust.
• Make sure you use an offset spatula to smooth the top evenly. Slowly plop the strawberry sauce in evenly spaced spots on top of cheesecake filling. Using a butter knife, drag it through only the cheesecake layer in an "s" pattern. Do not drag it too low or it will break up your crust and that will not work. Use a light hand and do not over swirl.
• Now take your reserved crumble mixture and sprinkle it evenly over the top. Bake strawberry cheesecake bars for 50-60 minutes until golden brown around the outsides.  If topping is getting browned too quickly, cover with a piece of foil to prevent additional browning while the filling bakes.
• Remove it once it barely jiggles in the middle. A little bit of a jiggle is fine as it will set up as it cools. You want to get it at the right time, so you do not overcook it. ​After you bake cheesecake recipe, let it cool completely to room temperature.
• When you feel the bottom of the baking pan and it is slightly warm to all cool then it is ready for the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge 8 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes then lift it out by the parchment paper. Peel the parchment paper back and cut into 16 pieces by making a cut in the middle, then a cut in the middle of the other two pieces.
• The bars will keep in the fridge up to 5 days or 30 days in the freezer. If you want to keep them beyond this time, freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, wrap each in plastic wrap or foil then store all in a zip top freezer bag.