Description

This No-Bake Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake is a delightful, easy-to-make dessert featuring a vanilla cream cookie crust, creamy strawberry-infused cheesecake filling, and crunchy cookie topping. Perfect for warm days or when you want a luscious dessert without turning on the oven, it combines smooth cream cheese, sweet strawberry gelatin, and whipped cream layers with a crisp cookie crunch and elegant whipped topping swirls.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

1 lb Vanilla Cream Cookies (about 34 cookies, with a few reserved for the topping)
6 tablespoons Butter, melted

Filling

1 small box (3.3 oz) Strawberry Jello
1 cup Boiling Water
16 oz Cream Cheese, softened (2 bricks of 8 oz each)
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
10 Strawberry Wafer Cookies (about 4 oz, for extra crunch)

Topping & Garnish

Whipped Topping, about half a small tub, thawed and placed into a pastry bag with a star tip (Wilton 1M tip recommended)

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Instructions

The Crust: Process 26 vanilla cream cookies into fine crumbs, then mix the crumbs with melted butter until fully combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 10” springform pan and freeze for 15 minutes to set.
The Filling: Dissolve strawberry jello in boiling water and let it cool at room temperature (do not refrigerate). Beat the softened cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, then gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two steps. Finally, fold in the cooled strawberry jello carefully to maintain the fluffy texture.
Assembling the Cheesecake: Spread half of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chilled crust. Pour half of the strawberry jello mixture over the cream cheese layer, then repeat with the remaining mixtures to create layers. Smooth the top with a spatula and freeze for an additional 15 minutes to help set the layers.
The Topping: Crush the remaining vanilla cream cookies and strawberry wafer cookies into small pieces. Optionally, add a few drops of food coloring for a light pink hue to enhance the visual appeal. Sprinkle the cookie topping generously over the cheesecake surface.
Garnish and Serve: Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (Wilton 1M recommended), pipe swirls of thawed whipped topping over the cheesecake for an elegant finish. Slice the cheesecake into 10 servings and serve chilled for best flavor and texture.

Notes

Ensure cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
Do not refrigerate the strawberry jello to keep it from setting prematurely before folding into the filling.
Use a springform pan for easy removal and presentation of the cheesecake.
Freezing times help set the crust and layers but avoid leaving the cheesecake in the freezer for too long to maintain a creamy texture.
The whipped topping can be substituted with homemade whipped cream if preferred.
Adding food coloring in the topping is optional and purely for visual enhancement.