If you’ve never had Cherries in the Snow before, you’re in for something special. It’s the kind of no-bake dessert that feels nostalgic, yet still manages to impress everyone at the table.
We’ve made many takes on layered cherry and cream-cheese desserts over the years (see our Heaven On Earth Cake Recipe). Here’s what we’ve learned to ensure you get the best texture, flavor and presentation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is a no bake dessert that hits all the comfort-food notes. It features a soft, fluffy cream cheese base and sweet cherry pie topping as well as the pieces of angel-food cake add that cloud-like texture everyone loves.
Ingredient Recommendations
👉 During recipe testing, we opted for the Comstock brand of canned cherry pie filling brand because of its vibrant red hue and generous fruit content.
👉 Using a store-bought, pre-baked angel-food cake saves baking time and allows you to focus on assembly. We found that you can use anywhere from a 13- to 15-ounce pre-baked angel food cake in this recipe. That small difference doesn’t change the texture or balance. You can use your own baked angel food cake as well.
Tips For Best Results
Room temperature cream cheese matters. If the cream cheese is too cold, you’ll get lumps or uneven texture in your base layer. Prioritize that step – even 15 minutes at room temp helps.
Sifting the powdered sugar is worth it. It avoids grit and ensures the cream-cheese mixture is ultra-smooth.
Fold gently. When you fold in the Cool Whip and the cake pieces, you want to preserve airiness and distinct pieces of cake. Do not whip them in. Over-mixing will collapse the Cool Whip and turn the cake pieces into mush.
Storage Instructions
You can store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Because it’s made with cream cheese and whipped topping, it should stay chilled until serving time.
Avoid freezing — the texture of the cream layer won’t hold up once thawed. For best results, enjoy it within the first 24 hours while the cake is still soft and the cherries are glossy.
Make-Ahead Friendly
We wanted a dessert you could prep ahead and chill without worry. The 30-minute to two-hour chill time makes it flexible, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to two days.
That means, you can make it the night before a party and know it’ll be perfectly set and creamy when it’s time to serve.
Cherries in the Snow
Ingredients
- 12 ounces block style cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip brand used)
- 1 pre-baked angel food cake, torn into ¾-1 inch pieces (a 15 ounce, 9-inch, store bought cake was used)
- 42 ounces cherry pie filling, Comstock brand used (two 21-ounce cans)
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl, on medium-high speed with an electric mixer, for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy with no lumps remaining.
- To the beaten cream cheese, add the powdered sugar and beat again until fully incorporated.
- Add the whole milk and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on medium speed until the cream cheese mixture is smooth and fluffy. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are well blended.
- Fold the thawed whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until no white streak remains and the whipped topping is fully incorporated.
- Very gently fold the torn pieces of angel food cake into the cream cheese mixture until completely incorporated, being careful not to break up the angel food pieces too much as you combine all the ingredients.
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and spread to an even layer.
- Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
- Refrigerate the cherries in the snow for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 2 hours, or until the flavors have combined and the cream cheese layer has set before scooping and serving.
Notes
- For convenience, use a store-bought pre-baked angel food cake (13-15 ounces or 8-9 inches depending on the brand used). These small size variations will not affect the recipe’s outcome. If you prefer to bake your own, allow the cake to cool completely before tearing it into pieces.
- Select a high-quality canned cherry pie filling for the best flavor and appearance. Comstock brand was used to develop this recipe due to its vibrant red color and generous fruit content.
Nutrition
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