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Made with a tangy-sweet cream cheese filling, fresh strawberries, and Cool Whip in a graham cracker crust, Strawberry Delight is an easy no-bake dessert that’s perfect for summer.
Strawberry delight is a classic dessert that I’ve been making for years. It’s light with a tangy but sweet flavor and loaded with strawberries. Plus it requires absolutely no baking, which makes it perfect for spring and summer. I’ve also made a variation of this recipe with pineapple, if you prefer that to strawberry!
Why I Love This No Bake Strawberry Delight Recipe
Here are a few of the things I love about this recipe.
- No baking required! Every layer of this strawberry delight recipe is completely no bake. All you really need is a few bowls and a mixer.
- Perfect for summer. The fact that it doesn’t require baking, the fresh strawberries, and the sweet but not-too-sweet flavor, makes this recipe perfect for summer. I love to serve it at potlucks and picnics.
- Made with fresh strawberries! The first layer of this dessert, after the crust, is slices of fresh, juicy strawberries. I also added some on top before serving for presentation.
Recipe Ingredients
This no-bake dessert is made with just a handful of ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- Graham cracker crumbs – I crushed about 10 full graham crackers to make the crumbs for the crust.
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Butter – Unsalted, since this is a sweet dessert. It helps form the crumbs into a crust.
- Strawberries – Look for ripe, fresh strawberries.
- Heavy whipping cream – Keep it chilled until using.
- Cream cheese – Let the cream cheese come to room temperature ahead of time. If it’s not softened, the filling can be lumpy.
- Lemon juice – A bit of acidity to balance the flavors.
- Strawberry Jello Mix – Adds the strawberry flavor to the cream cheese layer.
- Cool Whip – The final layer of the dessert.
How To Make Strawberry Delight
This no-bake recipe is so simple and easy to make. Just be sure to prepare it in advance so the layers have time to chill! The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on at least two sides for easy removal later.
- Make the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted vanilla until the crumbs are moist. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Chill. Cover the crust with sliced strawberries. Transfer to the fridge to chill.
- Make the cream cheese mixture. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla on medium-high until creamy. In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add it to the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust. Return to the fridge.
- Make the strawberry layer. Stir the strawberry gelatin into the remaining cream cheese filling. Pour it over the plain cream cheese mixture.
- Add the topping. Add a layer of Cool Whip on top of the strawberry filling.
- Chill. Chill the strawberry delight for at least an hour so the layers set before slicing. Add chopped strawberries or slices on top before serving if desired.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this strawberry delight recipe.
- Keep the crust chilled. After making the crust and between adding each layer, pop the pan back into the fridge. This helps keep the layers separate.
- Spread each layer gently. Similarly, when adding each layer, use a spatula to gently spread it over the previous layer. Being too aggressive here will cause the layers to mix together. It’ll taste great but won’t look at pretty!
- Use chilled heavy whipping cream. In order to form peaks, it’s important that the heavy cream is chilled before beating. It needs to whip up to add volume to the cream cheese layers.
- Chill before slicing. I recommend chilling this for a few hours but an hour is the absolute minimum. If you try to remove it from the pan and slice it immediately, the layers will be too soft and spread.
Proper Storage
Strawberry delight will last for 3-4 days in the fridge. Keep the pan covered tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container.
Strawberry Delight
Made with a tangy-sweet cream cheese filling, fresh strawberries, and Cool Whip in a graham cracker crust, Strawberry Delight is an easy no-bake dessert that's perfect for summer.
Servings: 9 slices
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups crushed graham cracker crumbs 10 full graham crackers
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla divided- 1 tsp for crust, and 1 tsp for filling
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 8-10 medium strawberries sliced
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons strawberry gelatin mix from a 3.4 oz package
- 8 ounces whipped cream (such as Cool Whip)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Prepare an 8×8 dish or pan by lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Leave an inch or two on two sides, so you can easily remove the dessert once it sets. Set the pan aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir with a fork, until the crumbs are moistened. Pour the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, and press the crust firmly into the pan. Cover the crust with sliced strawberries.
- Chill the crust while preparing the filling.
Strawberry Filling
- In a large bowl, or using a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat on medium to high speed until it is smooth and creamy.
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until it thickens and forms peaks. Gently fold the thickened cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour half of the cream cheese filling over the prepared graham cracker crust and return to the refrigerator to keep it chilled.
- Stir in the three tablespoons of strawberry gelatin mix into the remaining half of the filling, until it is well combined.
- Pour the strawberry filling over the chilled cream cheese mixture.
Topping
- Top the strawberry filling with the cool whip, and return the dessert to the refrigerator, allowing it to set while chilling, for at least an hour.
- Sprinkle chopped strawberries, or slices on top if desired.
Last Step:
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Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
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