Strawberry Delight
This no-bake strawberry dessert is a surprisingly easy-to-make family favorite and great for potlucks and parties.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, some extra crumbs for garnish if desired
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 10 strawberries, sliced (or enough to make a single layer over the graham crackers)
- 1 cup cold whipping cream, chilled
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks of cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 (3.4-ounce) box strawberry gelatin, (you will use 3 tablespoons from this box)
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
Instructions
Crust Layer
- In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, almond extract, and melted butter.
- Press the mixture into an 8x8-inch dish. Flatten the mixture using the bottom of a flat glass. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Strawberry Layer
- Layer the sliced strawberries evenly on top of the frozen crust. Place the dish into the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the dish.
Cream Cheese Layer
- In a large mixing bowl, place the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Using a hand mixer, combine until light and fluffy with no lumps. Set aside.
- In a chilled medium mixing bowl, place the heavy whipping cream. Using a hand mixer on high beat the cream until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Gently add the heavy whipping cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold it together with a rubber spatula. Once combined, spoon half of the cream cheese/whipped cream mixture on top of the strawberries in the dish.
- Set the other half of the mixture aside.
- Place the dish in the refrigerator while preparing the next step.
Strawberry Cheesecake Layer
- In the bowl with the remaining cream cheese/whipping cream mixture, add the 3 tablespoons of dry strawberry gelatin. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry strawberry gelatin until combined and solid in color.
- Spoon the mixture on the top of the dish.
Whipped Topping Layer
- Spread the Cool Whip on top of the dish as the last layer.
- Chill at least one hour before serving.
- Garnish with sliced strawberries and graham cracker crumbs if desired.
Notes
- It’s highly recommended to make this delicious dessert a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and makes it easier to cut into slices.
- To avoid everything melting while you work, be sure to chill the dish before you start and place it back into the refrigerator between layers where possible.
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don't end up with lumps in your cream cheese filling.
Nutrition
Sodium: 167mgCalcium: 33mgVitamin C: 8mgVitamin A: 586IUSugar: 18gFiber: 1gPotassium: 67mgCholesterol: 53mgCalories: 274kcalSaturated Fat: 10gFat: 18gProtein: 2gCarbohydrates: 28gIron: 1mg