Strawberry Delight

This strawberry delight recipe will create the best strawberry delight cake around. The homemade crust, sweet strawberry flavor, creamy filling, and whipped topping all complement each other to create the perfect dessert.

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Strawberry delight is a refreshing-layered dessert that is as perfect on a winter evening as it is for a hot summer day. Made by layering fresh strawberries and a cheesecake filling over a flavorful homemade graham crust, you won’t believe how easy it is to make. It’s sure to impress your friends and family.

Strawberry Delight Ingredients

You’ll need:

For the Crust Layer:

• 1½ cups of graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 5 tablespoons of butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Layer:

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 16 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

For the Strawberry Layer:

• 10 strawberries, sliced (or enough to make a single layer over the graham crackers)

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Layer:

• ½ of the cheesecake mix from layer three
• 3 tablespoons of strawberry gelatin

For the Whipped Topping

• 8 ounces of Cool Whip

Substitutions and Additions 

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS: You can use store-bought crumbs or crush your own with a rolling pin or food processor. Nilla wafers or digestive cookies are great substitutions.

STRAWBERRIES: Use raspberries or other favorite berries and substitute the same gelatin flavor to suit everyone’s taste. It’s like a new dessert every time!

How to Make The Best Strawberry Delight Recipe

Crust Layer:

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, almond extract, and melted butter.

STEP TWO: Press the mixture into an 8×8-inch dish. Flatten the mixture using the bottom of a flat glass. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Strawberry Layer: 

STEP ONE: 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:

STEP ONE: 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.

PRO TIP: Be sure that your cream cheese is at room temperature to prevent any lumps in the filling.

STEP TWO: 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.

PRO TIP: Chilling your mixing bowl will help the whipped cream thicken to form stiff peaks in less time.

STEP THREE: 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.

STEP FOUR: Set the other half of the mixture aside.

STEP FIVE: Place the dish in the refrigerator while preparing the next step.

PRO TIP: Place your baking dish in the fridge between steps to keep the layers firm and separated before adding the next layer.

Strawberry Cheesecake Layer:

STEP ONE: 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.

STEP TWO: Spoon the mixture on the top of the dish.

Whipped Topping Layer: 

STEP ONE: Spread the Cool Whip on top of the dish as the last layer.

STEP TWO: Chill at least one hour before serving.

STEP THREE: Garnish with sliced strawberries and graham cracker crumbs if desired.

NOTE: We highly recommended making this delicious dessert a day ahead of time and refrigerating it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and makes it easier to cut into slices.

How To Serve

This fresh and tasty dessert is perfect to bring along to a potluck, a party, or for no occasion at all. Serve it on its own, or get really decadent and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

If you love easy-to-make desserts that look like you fussed, but you didn’t, why not try our https://usinthekitchen.com/butterscotch-delight/ or our https://usinthekitchen.com/lemon-lasagna/?

Storage 

IN THE FRIDGE: Store strawberry delight in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with aluminum foil.

IN THE FREEZER: Strawberry delight freezes well. You should place your dessert uncovered in the freezer until solid. Then, you can cover it with plastic wrap and return it to the freezer for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

While strawberry delight is traditionally served at parties and potlucks, this no-bake recipe is so easy you’ll want to make it for your family any day of the week.

FAQ:

Q? Can I use frozen strawberries in place of fresh ones?

A: We don’t recommend using frozen fruit because it tends to be too runny and may change the consistency of this dessert.

Q? Can I make this strawberry delight in a spring form pan?

A: Yes, but you should make it a day ahead so that it is well chilled before removing the spring form pan to help prevent the sides from crumbling.

Q? Can I double this recipe?

A: Yes, simply double the ingredients and use a 9×13” baking pan for the same incredible results.

Strawberry Delight

This strawberry delight recipe will create the best strawberry delight cake around. The homemade crust, sweet strawberry flavor, creamy filling, and whipped topping all complement each other to create the perfect dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings 9

Ingredients

  

• 5 tablespoons butter melted
• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs some extra crumbs for garnish if desired
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 10 strawberries sliced (or enough to make a single layer over the graham crackers)
• 16 ounces cream cheese softened (two 8-ounce blocks)
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 cup cold whipping cream chilled
• 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin used from a 3.4-ounce 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 8×8-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.